Help with my daughter waking at night

[Laurie3]

Hi there
This is the first time I have posted anything.  I have used BW with my other 2 children who were very easy to train!!  My little girl Alexa is challenging me!!  I am slowly changing her 45 min naps  but now am battling her night wakings. 
She is 4.5 months old and has been sleeping through the night but has started night wakings over the past 3 weeks.  Originally she was waking at 5am and then 6 am but is now also waking earlier in the night (between 1 & 2am).  She does not appear to be hungry and I have not fed her since once she has her soother she turns her head to the side and goes back to sleep.  Over the past 3 weeks I have been holding gently pressure to her arms until she falls back to sleep.  Now, I can usually just put the soother in and she will fall back to sleep herself.  I was hoping that she would be able to do all this on her own by now, but it seems to be getting worse and not better!!!
She is on the 3.5 to 4 hr EASY
Normal day looks like this
wakes at 6:30am, talks to herself and usually goes back to sleep until 7:30
E- 7:30
A-7:45-9:30
S-9:30-11:00 (sometimes 11:15)
E- 11:30
A-11:45-1:30pm
S- 1:30-3:15pm
E- 3:15pm
A- 3:30 - 5:30pm
S- 5:30-6:00pm (sometimes she is awake until her 6pm feed and then naps for half hour after that)
start cluster feeding
E-6pm
A- bath and quiet time
E-8pm and bed
DF-10pm
then night wakings

How long do you let them cry.  I have not been letting her cry much, going in to her and putting soother in.  Should I let her cry???  Hate to hear her.  She does get quite upset and settles easily when I give her her soother.
Thanks so much for your help.
I just want my sleep back!!!
Laurie

[alyssa1]

It sounds like you are doing all the right things.  I remember going into my son's room to put his pacifier back in but we would always leave right after and let him settle by himself afterwards.  It would come and go for us but it didn't last long.  I know I hated him crying in the night but I didn't want to pick him up and create a habit out of things.  If it was me I would just keep doing the paci thing and see if it will go away.  She might just be waking and needing a little comfort to go back to sleep??

[teezee]

bw definately does not advocate cio in any way. but there is a distinct difference in letting a lo cio and letting a little attempt to settle themselves. if the crying is more whining or mantra cry it is ok to leave them and see if they can soothe themselves, when it turns into the 'i need you now mommy!' cry - don't hesitate to go to your lo. maybe you haven't been letting your lo fuss long enough and therefore created a bad habit?? you could try shhing and/or patting back to sleep, wake to sleep (if wake times are consistant), or pu/pd. if you don't mind replacing the paci everytime lo wakes then that is fine but you could be turning the paci into a prop (don't feel bad if my lo starts screaming at night .. not often anymore - i do it too ) could it be gas? or tummy ache? or teething? that has your lo up now??

you could also try an earlier catnap if possible, it may be a little too late for your lo and be disrupting night sleep...then you could maybe try an earlier bedtime by about 1/2 hr since a lo's day at this point should be about a 12 hr routine kwim?

[Laurie3]

Hi there
Thanks to both of you for responding to me.  We had a better night last night.  She woke up at 1:30am in a hysterical cry and I went to her right away as she needed me.  Gave her the soother and she went right back to sleep.  Then she woke again at 5:40am but was just moaning on and off until 6:10am when she put herself back to sleep.  I did not go in that time as I could tell she was fine by her noises.
Teezee - you mention about an earlier catnap.  I had thought of that too.  What should i do if she will not nap eariler for me??  Try and get her to give up the catnap at 6pm or let her nap for the 30 min?? 
Thanks so much for your help again, I really appreciate it!!!
Persistence is the key that I found with the 45 min catnap, so I am determined to keep at this!!!
Thanks again
Laurie

[teezee]

usually lo's drop the catnap from 6-8 months .. but if you are finding it impossible to get her down earlier you may want to opt for an earlier bedtime so that she doesn't become overtired.