help, i'm loosing steam

[cheriec]

hi
i need objective advice.  my 5 month old son is waking constantly through out the night. i'm exhausted and discouraged.  he falls asleep in his crib without any props, but wakes often in the night.  last night he went to bed at 7 and woke 7 times in the night.  we've been doing pupd with patting and shushing since last thursday, but no improvement in night wakings, i think they're worse..  naps are getting worse too,  he's been on mostly a 3 hour easy, breastfed and just starting solids.  changing to a 4 hr is my last idea. will this help??? please someone tell me changing from 3 to 4 hr easy solved all your night waking problems!!!

[cheriec]

Here's our schedule  He's 5 months and about 18 lbs--big guy

wake at 7ish
E  7:30
A
S 8:30 or 9 (~1hr)
E 10:30
A
S 11:30 or 12 (usu about 2 hrs with 1 waking)
E 1:30
A
S anywhere from 3-5 depending on earlier nap (usu 1 hr,)
E 5
A  bath
S 7
DF 8:30

he falls asleep pretty quickly, but wakes often.  just starting solids, he'll eat <1TB with breakfast and <1TBat supper
our bedtime routine is pretty simple as he falls asleep quickly....a little quiet floor play, swaddle with one hand out, a quick rocking (his eyes close almost as soon as i sit down), then in bed awake but drowsy
thanks

[yaya]

Could it be anything developmental like teething etc? how is he at these wakings and what do u do?

[teezee]

def a 4 hr easy should solve most if not all of your problems! if lo waits til he is very hungry to eat - which he is able to do now that he is older than it should help sustain his belly longer through the night. as well as eating times, A times will also increase making sure your lo is tired enough to go down for naps.

i would definately hold off til 6 months to start with the cereal, esp if you haven't already extended the 3 hr routine as starting cereal now could cause gastric problems and / or excess gas, and even inhibit the amount of daytime milk/formula your lo gets causing lo to wake in the night for feedigns kwim? anyway, imo, as someone who listened to everyone else and started dd on solids early - it was a HUGE mistake and i can't stress enough that it would be wise of you to wait!

if you could also post your daily routine? bedtime routine? that would be helpful!

[teezee]

i see that you just posted your daily routine!

def start moving slowly to a 4 hr routine (or whatever lo can handle more or less time if needed).

the catnap should be that - a catnap -esp at this point. too long of an evening nap could cause problems with nights.

the df is usually done at a later hr when lo is hungrier - 1.5 hrs after lo goes to sleep won't really help him get through the night very much and may cause more wakings as he is probably just getting into a nice deep sleep.  have you tried the df at a later hr say 10 or 11pm? is lo still sleeping when you do the df?? if you go to sleep earlier and that's why you do the df earlier maybe forgo the df for a few nights and see if/how many times lo wakes as opposed to having one.

[yaya]

oooh can I add a df question?
ds has his last feed at 7.15ish and then I df at 10 (barely keep my eyes open any longer than this!!) Is this not going to be effective? Does it need to be later?

[cheriec]

i'm so glad to hear that this could help! thanks so much for the advice.  so you think i should cut the cereal for now huh?

at night when he wakes, i first go in and pat and shush.  often that helps. but then he;s up again shortly.  if it doesn't i pick him up, take him over to the rocker (without rocking) and settle him down in a couple of minutes, then back to the bed with a little more patting if necessary.  

no teething that i can notice, he's not sick and doesn't appear to be having tummy troubles

also, throw me a bone here , any estimate on how long before the night wakings ease up after going to a 4 hr??  

[teezee]

sometimes it helps right away or at least you will notice a distinct difference soon after i think - it made a world of differnce when we did it! i would be hesitant about bringing lo to the rocker even if not rocking - lo still has that warm, loving contact with you and may also be waking to have that comfort..which isn't bad if you don't mind waking at night to do this. you should really check out the pu/pd board they would be a big help as i think that is what you and your lo would benefit from with this particular situation. do you have tracy's newest book?

yaya - i do think the 10pm for a df is fine - if it's working there is no need to worry! df's aren't for every baby - it works or it doesn't kwim?

[yaya]

No idea if it works the little lamb wakes constantly all night!! I do it coz he eats very little during the day so try to get a few more oz in him while he sleeps

[teezee]

yaya- how many times is he eating through night? have you tried dropping the df and seeing if that is maybe better?

[cheriec]

quick question, then i'll check out the pu/pd boards...for the pick up part, do you just pick him up and stand there next to the crib with him till he calms?? i've been going over to the rocker to sit every single time. i was trying to be consistant with our bedtime routine.  could be my downfall:)

[yaya]

Sorry to butt in on ur post!
I think if u r rocking him this will become a prop! I would just hold him still

[cheriec]

no apologies necessary...

also, what's kwim?

[teezee]

know what i mean..kwim?

anyway, yes you would stand with lo not rocking or patting...just standing and holding as soon as lo stops crying put him down, if on the way down he starts crying lay him down long enough to put your hands by your sides and do it again...and again...and again...draining for the first day or two or three but it is very well worth the results in the end!

[yaya]

cheriecoco...
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=56213.0