waking.. and waking...

[shimzy]

My dd is 15wks old and is about 14.5lbs? ..

She is bottle fed. The amount she takes each day varies and she has only slept through the night twice. (from 6-6 or 7-7)

I can read my daughters cues, she naps like a dream, goes to bed independantly. The problem is, she wakes constantly at night, and I just cant seem to crack the code.

Lately this is what her schedule looks like. We swaddle her fully, no paci, bedtime routine has been consistent since she was 2 days old. I feed her after 2am (because we dream feed at 10pm) and I know that she can go at least 4 hours without food.

The problem is, after that 2am wake up/feed (sometimes she eats sometimes she doesnt) and her wake up can vary from 1am-4am - its then constant waking every half hour until I pull her out of bed at 7am.

She's not wet or soiled, she doesnt have gas. I just dont get it! Please help.

7am – eat 3 oz   
8:40 – nap               
10:10 – wake up – she woke on her own   
11am – eat 8oz, get brayden from school, walk in the sled for 40 minutes to and from school
12:20pm – nap               
2pm – she woke on her own         
2:40pm- 7oz               
4:10pm – catnap            
5pm – wake up            
6:30-bath, massage, jammies,       
6:40pm-6oz
6:45pm - bedtime
10pm – dream feed 5oz

[* Paula *]

When she wakes up is she taking a full feed or just a few oz?

When she wakes for this feed are you feeding her in a quiet darkend room?

Does she settle into her naps / bed time quite quickly, or does it take a while for her to settle?

[septmommy]

I used the techniques from the book to get my 8 week old to sleep through the night.  I started when he was 6 weeks old and he now sleeps from about 8:30pm until 7am every night.  This took time, patience, and definitely some "training". 

Have you tried doing the techniques from the book?  I know you said you do a dreamfeed.  Have you tried giving her the pacifier instead of the bottle when she wakes during the night?

I did this, just as the book says, and I had to do it for 3 nights, just as the book says.  And, lo and behold, it worked!!!   

[shimzy]

When she wakes up is she taking a full feed or just a few oz?

When she wakes for this feed are you feeding her in a quiet darkend room?

Does she settle into her naps / bed time quite quickly, or does it take a while for her to settle?

When she wakes up is she taking a full feed or just a few oz? few oz - but you see her breakfast bottle is only ever a few oz's so to her it 'could be' a full feed.

When she wakes for this feed are you feeding her in a quiet darkend room? in the chair beside her crib. i hardly move anywhere, small glow light

Does she settle into her naps / bed time quite quickly, or does it take a while for her to settle? she settles very quickly - 1 min tops

[shimzy]

I used the techniques from the book to get my 8 week old to sleep through the night.  I started when he was 6 weeks old and he now sleeps from about 8:30pm until 7am every night.  This took time, patience, and definitely some "training". 

Have you tried doing the techniques from the book?  I know you said you do a dreamfeed.  Have you tried giving her the pacifier instead of the bottle when she wakes during the night?

I did this, just as the book says, and I had to do it for 3 nights, just as the book says.  And, lo and behold, it worked!!!   

ive tried not feeding at all and it makes no difference.
we just weaned her from the pacifier too -it made no effect on her night wakings
i dont have the new book

[shimzy]

I am thinking we are in for a real nightmare tonight... She had her cat nap from 4-4:50pm... and was soooooooooo tired by 6pm so we bathed her and had her in bed by 6:20 (fed, massaged jammied etc) and she was passed out with in minutes....(this is the first time Ive put her to bed this early)

I just dont get it. Why cant she make it to 7pm? She naps well during the day, is not cranky during her awake times, so why cant she make it to her 7pm bedtime? Is it because the catnap is not long enough?

 

[shimzy]

Yep so last night was pretty bad.....for the last half of the night.

She fell asleep about 6:20pm...I tried not doing the dreamfeed but she woke anyway at 10pm. I tried to settle her but she was really mad. So I fed her. She ate 4.5oz. She then slept until 3am. This is where it all starts. I tried to settle her and she was really mad (again). So I tried to feed her. She only took 2 oz...I put her back to bed and she was awake every half hour to hour. Things got really hectic with her about 5:30 where I fed her and she took 4.5 oz again. She still woke up every half hour to hour until I finally pulled her out of bed at 7:15. She took another 2.5 oz at 7:30am. She was able to stay awake until 8:45am. I put her to bed and she went to sleep. No fuss.

What in the world is going on.. where is my little angel !

[* Paula *]

Have her nights always been like this - or has it just started recently.

Do you think she could be going through her 4 month growth spurt a bit early?

With her bottles in the day - How many oz is she taking?  Does she drain all her bottles?  If so have you tried to add an extra oz to each bottle.

Sorry for all the questions.

Paula

[shimzy]

I dont mind the questions, it helps figure things out

Have her nights always been like this - or has it just started recently.
        This has just started recently. She used to only get up once in the night (after her dreamfeed), she would eat and then sleep until morning.

Do you think she could be going through her 4 month growth spurt a bit early? Perhaps......

With her bottles in the day - How many oz is she taking?  Does she drain all her bottles?  If so have you tried to add an extra oz to each bottle.
          She used to take about 19-23oz each day. (That was a few days ago). Now since putting her on 3.5 to 4 EASY she takes about 30-32oz. Im not really sure why she is taking SO much more, but she is taking alot more than usual. The thing is, she doesnt eat a whole lot in the middle of the night anymore, she eats maybe 2 ish oz (unless its after 5am) but she keeps getting up and up and up.

Could the uptake in ounces be causing her pain or discomfort? Is she eating too much? Maybe too little? Even though she can stay awake quite well for the 2 hours, do you think it is too much awake time?

[* Paula *]

She could definitely be going through a growth spurt a bit early.

I don't think it could be gas cause you say that she is fine during the day.

It might be worthwhile trying to clusterfeed to get the extra oz in her.  Offer her a small feed after her cat nap at 5:00pm and then again after her bath, then bed.  This may help to eliminate the night wakings.

Paula x

[shimzy]

Hi Paula! Thanks for that info. After I posted my last message to you, I thought the same thing.
I'll do the cluster feed and see what happens.

Do you suggest that I do the cluster feed and drop the dream feed? Or continue on with the dreamfeed?

The dreamfeed never used to bother her... but it seems now she is waking all the time in the last wk or so.

[* Paula *]

I would do the clusterfeed and the dreamfeed for a couple of days and see how you get on.

At least this way you are getting more oz into her.

Goo Luck.  Keep us posted on how you get on.

Paula x

[shimzy]

Thanks Paula! I'll give that a spin tonight and let you know how things go over night.

  Lisa

[Stephanies Mom]

Hi Lisa,
Just want to drop you a note and let you know that you are so not alone.  My LO is doing the same as yours--she keeps waking more and more often- last night it was four times! I've been trying a variety of things but nothing seems to be working- she will be 15 weeks on Monday.  I'm hoping it is teething because she is a little miss drooly and loves to chomp on her fingers.  I only hope it passes quickly because I've become quite a bear to deal with because I am so tired.
I wish you luck,
Stephanie's Mom

Paula,
What are your thoughts on trying a 4 hr easy for a 15 week old? Can you clarify if the 4 hr easy should be for a 16 week old or a 4 month old (4 months from the birthday is 17 weeks and 3 days.)
Thanks.

[jomige]

My LO did the same as your two at that age (she is now 18 weeks).  She had transititioned herself to a 4 hour EASY at 11 weeks (early, I know but she did great on it and was showing all the signs). 

At 14-15 weeks she started to wake up hourly at night, very fussy.  She wasn't teething and not hungry...just fussy.  After about a week she settled back down to just waking up once at night (after her df) to eat.  I think it is a mix of developmental stuff and an early 4 month growth spurt.

So hold tight, it does get better.  Just stay strong and try not to fall into any AP traps!


Stephanie's Mom:  A 4 hour EASY can work at 15 weeks, but it depends on your LO.  Some do it earlier, some later.  There is a great link under the EASY FAQ boards about when LOs are ready to move to the 4 hour EASY and how to do it gradually (although my LO did it all on her own in 1 day...).

HTH,

Jodi