Stacy please help if you can?

[robynfuller]

HI stacy,
hope i catch you. I have had a terrible day today and wondered if you could offer any advice. My little one for the past 3 days has been a bit off her schedule (night wakings, which is not normal for her, she started rolling about a week ago front to back and back to front)
She woke a 5:20am and I could only settle her by feding her, she took a huge feed. then throughout the day she wanted to feed every 3 hours and once at 2 1/2 hours, she went to bed at 19:15 and woke now again at 21:45 for another feed, then straight back to sleep. I am also wondering if she is teething, biting her fists uncontroablly. I am at my wits end, not quite sure whats wrong, growth spurt???
Do I keep feeding her she is 5months and one week old her last spurt was also early but not by 3 weeks. I posted on breastfeeding board too, but no moderators online at the moment. She is EBF at the moment, please help advice or anything, if you need more info just say (she is heading towards an 4 hour easy - (once a day now - uasually morning or early afternoon, 5 feeds a day in bed by 19:00-19:30 every night) just cant figure whats up with her.

TIA
Desparate to figure this out, Robyn

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Hi Robyn, I'm not Stacy, but I hope I can help

I know we had similar issues at that age, and I hate to advise this before the 6 month mark, but night wakings and increased hungriness in the day are often signs of a developmental spurt, and showing readiness for solids. We tried to hold out until 6 months, but we couldn't, and started solids 3 weeks early (about where you are, in fact). I don't know if that's any use to you or not, but I had to mention it. (btw if you do try, don't start with baby rice - I did and he had an awful reaction to it. HV said it was b/c he was EBF it was to 'heavy' for his tummy. Try some light pureed fruit or veg, like pears or sweet potato).

When she keeps waking for feeds, does she take a full feed, or is she snacking?

I would normally move this post, b/c it sounds to me like a feeding issue rather than a naps one, but I'm guessing you want as many people to see it as possible, right? Have you asked on the food boards? Let me know if you want it moving, and I will.

HTH, and I hope you get lots more advice

[robynfuller]

Please if you could move it? just really desparate at the moment.
I tried a maize cereal about a week ago and she loved it but it didnt quite agree with her, she woke up with a very congested nose and her chest sounded awful. I felt terrible for doing it, although i must say my best friend did pressure me (by buying the cereal for four months and up, and making it and she even bought a spoon - said she started her litttle one at three months) I just therefore would prefer to feed exclusively tilll 6 months, allergies and alll that info I read, just worried.
Thanks for your quick eply
robyn

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

I totally understand that you're worried, I was too, desperate to hold out until 6 months. I don't want to encourage you either way, especially as it goes against advice, but I just wanted to let you know how it was for us - and what those signs meant in our case.

I think with food allergies and such, it's better starting with something that's unlikely to be an allergen - Tracy advised pears, which my lo loved. He also found that sweet potatoes were great, too.

I'll move this to a food board for you, then, you'll probably have much better advice than I can give you

[robynfuller]

Thank you charlies mummy, if all else fails and If i dont come right this week, maybe I might give it a shot. Just want to see how it goes first. Really appreciate your input and advice, definately need it.
Robyn

[robynfuller]

Thank you, just needed someone who has been there to talk me through it.

Well regards rolling over, when she wakes during the day she lifts her head and tries to roll onto her tummy, not sure if this is what is going on at night as I only wake when I here her waaa  mommy tired too. I do practice alot of rolling during the day both ways and she can do it on her own, just very new to her, she looks so surprised and I really encourage her, with smiles and praise.

Yesterday she fed almost every 2 hours but today did seem slighty better, back to 3 hours and she even stretched one feed to 4 hours, I was very surprised 

She woke at 5:30AM so I fed her (also did a dreamfeed last night which I never have before she ate well - 15 minutes.) didnt go back to sleep (I fed her in our bed lying down, strangely enough she seems to take a bigger feed than when I am in the lounge - quieter I suppose, no distractions
S - 7:45 - 8:16AM tried to settle then realised it was hunger
E -  8:45AM a gigantic feed (30 miutes each side with a few little breaks to catch her breath)
Activity
S - 10:50 - 11:20 tried to extend but the dam phone rang 
E - 12:28
Activity
S - 13:18 - 13:56 - she got very fussy 45 minutes later so I did winddown again
S - 15:15 - 15:45 - floor creaked as I went in at 35 minute mark - still trying to lose baby weight  could have kicked myself
E - 15:40
Activity - kept it low key didnt want her to have another nap in case it ruined night sleep
18:00 - 18:30 Bathtime routine (figured 30 minutes earlier would be good for her catch up on some sleep - I hope
E - 18:30 - 19:10 Eat & Sleep - put to bed drowsy but awake

Now I wait to see what is gong to happen. I just got so thown off. I guess that is to be expected now and again - arent they just full of surprises. I have some topical gel just incase Pansoral gel, tastes quite nice too. But she wasnt so bad today - did try to grab my toast though 

Good idea on the chocolate.
Thank you for the support and advice will keep you posted on our progress.
Robyn.

[robynfuller]

Hi stacey, well here was today, naps were a disaster.

wake 6:00am
E - 6:14am wouldnt go back down, low key activity
S - 8:10 - 8:48
tried to feed at 9:00 not interested
E - 10:00 big one
Had unexpected visitors so sleep went out the window
S - 12:53 - 13:19 - she very overtired by this point woke yawning and pooping
E - 13:30 very fussy after feed did windown again
S - 14:45 - 15:52 DP went in at 35 minute mark and she went down again (when I do this it doesnt work  why? )
E - 16:30 then low key activity again very fussy
18:00 bathtime routine - moved it forward 30 mintues again in hopes she will catch up on her sleep
E - 18:25
S - 19:00

I am also going to persist with wake to sleep, despite being interrupted yesterday and today which made it impossible. 
What can you do though?

Thanks I will keep going, it can only get better. 
Robyn

P.S. How old is your little one? 

[robynfuller]

No you were right, i did get the day over with, i know when im beat.

And have had success today. 

2 x 1 1/2 hours naps and 1 x 1hr and 10 minutes.   

I was thrilled as you can imagine. I gave her lots of rolling and tummy time and extended her awake time too, if I saw she was getting tired 1st yawn, i would walk around with her and just chat softly, to extned awake time but not so much that i would miss the window. And it worked. I am also trying to extend her feeds to 4 hours. Although they still 3 and 3 1/2 hours with one four hour a day.
Just a quick rundown of today.
wake @ 3:15 and 4:15 setlled quickly
wake & eat 5:20am awake after that, wouldnt settle
E  - 8:12
S - 8:45 - 10:25
A - rolling and tummey time
E - 11:39
S - 12:23 - 13:46
A - rolling and tummy time and then just holding and chatting etc
I know the sleeps are to close to her eating time but am going to try and fix that over the next few days, one day at a time. She is not falling asleep at breast, i make sure she is sucking properly
Then what baffled me is I forgot to feed her, she didnt do what she normally does  Instead wanted a nap when it was supposed to be feeding - I dont know how I could have missed that, anyway
S - 15:35 - 17:00 Then I woke her for her feed as I was getting worried
18:25 bathtime routine
E - 18:45
S - 19:25

I know it doesnt look that EASY but we will get there.

I also went back to my log (how obsessive am I  I write down everything) and drew up a graph/schedule of her paterns of late and realised this all started the day she rolled properly for the first time on her own - go figure. You were absolutely right. So now with renewed confidence I can start sorting this out, bearing in mind the 6 month growing spurt just around the corner. I have also introduced the dreamfeed which I have never done prior to this and she seems to be happy with it and taking a good feed, so I thikn I will keep that going until she decides to drop it herself.

Many thanks and big hugs your way for support and suggestions
Robyn

[robynfuller]

Woohoo, finally things are going GREAT!

My little angel/texbook baby hs overcome the 45 minute nap monster - did not want to reply sooner as I did not want to jinx myself. But for the past 5 days has been sleeping great.

Wake 5AM feed
back to sleep til 7AM
wake & feed till 9AM (dont feed her that long  just included in awake time)
Sleep till 12 noon (did this 3 days in a row - we did have very heavy rain over these days so it blocked out the noise and was very dark)
wake and feed til 2PM
Sleep 4-5PM
6:30 bathtime routine
7-7:30 bed

Today she slept for 2 hours this morning and 1 and a half hours this afternoon and a catnap between 4-5pm. In bed by 7:20pm
Woohoo, I am absolutely ecstatic. She finally knows how to sleep. I sing song swaddle and put her in crib, I dont even have to stay with her anymore, I just put her down and say sleep time see you when you wake up and thats that.

Thank you for your words and support, they have paid off in a huge way. And when things do go off track I/we now have the skills to get back on track. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so proud of her - and myself.     

Robyn