more night wakes for 5mo old

[abbysmomma]

I did cluster yesterday (unless that wasn't a cluster and i'm confused..). I've been kind of thinking that these latest wakings are all due to hunger, in which case there isn't much I can do other than feed her! Tonight, I'll try to only feed until she stops gulping and not 'til she's almost asleep (which is what I usually do.. i know, bad bad). If she keeps waking after that, I know it's because she only knows how to sleep after a feed to sleep (at least at night!). 

[Colin Macs Mom]

LOs sure are weird things, aren't they??

[abbysmomma]

yuppers Jessica! Thanks for humoring me.. I'm a I-need-external-reassurance kind of gal. 

[Colin Macs Mom]

Anytime, that's what we're all here for 

[abbysmomma]

And the not so interesting saga continues... 

So, yesterday we fed her at 7:15, got her into bed by 8, and she was up again at 11pm. We made a half-hearted attempt for her to go back to sleep (and of course listened to her fuss for a while before going in), then fed her. I watched the clock very closely during her feed, and noted that she fed well for 9 minutes or so. As soon as i thought she wasn't feeding actively, I unlatched her and put her in bed. She promptly went back to sleep. So, I guess she was hungry. She was up again at 3am (clockwork! exactly 4 hours again!), did the same thing at 11pm, and again it was 9 minutes long. She slept without a peep 'til 7am exactly. Geez.. she has a watch hidden somewhere in her crib..

Anyways, here's the plan. I don't think she needs to eat twice during the night. She didn't eat well at 7am (even though it was 4 hours since last feed) so I know that last one is affecting her day feed now. And her diaper with FULL. Anyways, the plan. I am going to reduce the time of feed by 1 minute every two days, starting with the first feed ('cause I know she can go longer for sure for the first one). We'll see how that affects things. I don't know if that's just going to cause another wake up earlier than 3am or what, but it won't hurt to try. At least I don't have a bunch of wake ups, and she's only waking to eat. That I can work with!

Saree's mom, how'd you do? And alas, the patience.. if I had extra I'd give you some. But sadly, I am lacking...

[saree's mom]

Oh man Aeri, tell me about it, Im going crazy!!!!! (btw very much need external reassurance too, its a sickness for me, always second guessing myself.. )

At least you have a plan of action....me...im just plain lost! 

Jessica, if i take away DF she will wake up at 12-1 am for me thats worse bec its right after ive fallen asleep its torture for me to get up then. Fri nite i did that bec i went to sleep early and dh forgot DF she woke up at 12 am, then 4 got her back to sleep with difficulty w/o feeding then she woke up 5:30 and i fed her then. Then 7:45 to start day. Last nite i gave her DF and the nite was basically the same minus the 12 am feeding. What should i do??? 
The times she wakes up and i dont feed her it is so hard to get her back to sleep, she is sucking on her pacifier like crazy. I dont know if she is hungry, teething... doesnt act like she is in pain though...

She didnt have her 3rd nap the past 2 days, last nite no doff, we'll see what happens tonite...urgh!!!
Guys, am i missing something?? Please tell me there is an obvious solution that i am missing....everyone tells me to let her cry....!!!!!!!!!

-rachel

[Colin Macs Mom]

Aw Rachel, you're not missing anything. LOs are so fickle, and as soon as we figure stuff out they change it again.    I know you don't want to let her cry or you would have by now.   

I was actually going to ask you about that third nap, since at her age she should be about ready to drop it, which it sounds like she's doing if she hasn't had it for two days. That can be very rough period since dropping a nap is a big deal for LO and means a routine adjustment too. What have you done the last two days when she hasn't taken that nap?

[saree's mom]

So about her third nap, the first day i dropped it, her first 2 naps were good and she just didnt seem very tired so i tried dropping it. She went to bed early that nite, 7pm she usually goes to be bet 7:30-8pm.
And yest, she took her second nap later than usual be ci was out, she got a lil overtired till i got her home and asleep. It was also a good nap and by the time she woke up it was 4 pm so i figured she wouldnt even miss nap #3. Got her to bed like 7:30, gave DF at 10:30, next thing i know its 5 am and she is crying 
Breakthrough ??!!!!!
I'm not so sure, i nursed her for a bit, then i see she is WIDE AWAKE!
I left her in crib for 30 min till she started whining, hubby tried for 45 min after that to ger her to sleep, not crying so much just not sleepy!

Jessica she was up for almost 2 hrs!!!     

At 6:40 i tried nursingher a lil more and she fall back asleep then till 8 am.
So the question is, y did that happen? Not like she slept too much, no 3rd nap...so breakthrough or regressing???

[Aiden'sMom]

HI Rachel,

I was reading your post and I am in the same predicament.  Aiden is 6 months this week and has recently started waking at 5am!! after going to sleep at 6.30-7pm each night.  He is also starting to take weird naps i.e. shorter after regularly taking three 1.5 hour naps a day.  He is able to stay up for 2.5 hours now and I think it may be he is trying to drop to 2 naps of 1.5 hours and a light catnap??  Let me know how it goes over the next few days as you may be finding the solution to my problems as well!!!


See ya

Claire

[abbysmomma]

Hey Rachel!

To me it sounds like a breakthrough! My guess is that you'll have a few days of early wakes, then maybe it will even itself out soon? Now who's the jealous one? 10:30-5???

So the last few nights, we have what I think are habitual wakings at 12am and 3:30, then wake up between 6-7. I was pretty scared of nursing without putting her completely to sleep, but it's been going well! One night after I nursed her, I put her in kind of awake, and she babbled for a few minutes, then put herself to sleep! She hasn't done that in ages! And last night, she woke up at 9 after bed time of 8, and I could soothe her back to sleep without picking her up! Again, hasn't happened in ages!

The challenge of nursing for only a set time is staying awake to watch the clock! Good thing I'm only trying to shorten the first wake and not the second (for now). I keep falling asleep during the second. Anyways, tonight is only 8 min of nursing. I think the night feeds are really starting to affect her day feeds. She hardly ate yesterday during the day and she peed through her diaper again last night. Maybe it's the second feed during the night that I should be working on, not the first. Hmmm.. Jessica, what do you think? Or does it matter?

So the other thing I was thinking of was starting her on solids. I know, she's young, and I'm not starting it with the hopes that she will stop waking at night. But she watches us so intently when we eat, she doesn't have the tongue reflex thingy anymore, and she can sit pretty well. She's also starting to grab my fork and plate.    So, I think we'll try it tomorrow. I'm kind of excited! My girl is growing up...

[Colin Macs Mom]

That's FANTASTIC that your girls went so long!! That's definitely a breakthrough for both of you. Congratulations!!

Rachel with Colin, when he started sleeping through (or close anyway) he did the same thing.     I always thought that it was that after sleeping for so long when he wasn't used to it, he surely felt great when he woke even if it hadn't been all night.     I did what you're doing - and he got the idea. You guys really are doing great, keep it up 

I think the night feeds are really starting to affect her day feeds. She hardly ate yesterday during the day and she peed through her diaper again last night. Maybe it's the second feed during the night that I should be working on, not the first. Hmmm.. Jessica, what do you think? Or does it matter?

I agree - the second night feed is usually the one that will affect day feeds. I definitely think that's the best one to eliminate first in most cases.

So the other thing I was thinking of was starting her on solids. I know, she's young, and I'm not starting it with the hopes that she will stop waking at night. But she watches us so intently when we eat, she doesn't have the tongue reflex thingy anymore, and she can sit pretty well. She's also starting to grab my fork and plate.    So, I think we'll try it tomorrow. I'm kind of excited! My girl is growing up...

Just be sure that you offer solids in the am only! 

[saree's mom]

Jessica, so, she thought at 5am that it was time to start the day? How did that happen when she usually wakes up at least 2 full hours later??? (and if she went back to sleep then technically that was nap #1...oh man.....

How did colin get the idea?
Did it take long?
I feel so bad because she wants to play then and she is playing with her toes and pulling my hair and im like half asleep next to her... 
So u think taking away nap#3 is helping, i feel like im taking it away too early...
and btw u told aeri to give solids in am, its not good that i give it in pm?

Aeri, at least you have a plan of action, and your tackling the prob step by step, day by day....me im just clueless, any breakthru is pure luck! 

[Colin Macs Mom]

Jessica, so, she thought at 5am that it was time to start the day? How did that happen when she usually wakes up at least 2 full hours later??? (and if she went back to sleep then technically that was nap #1...oh man.....

LOs can't tell time   They wake up, and feel rested, or more rested than when they went to sleep and there you go.

How did colin get the idea?
Did it take long?
I feel so bad because she wants to play then and she is playing with her toes and pulling my hair and im like half asleep next to her... 
So u think taking away nap#3 is helping, i feel like im taking it away too early...
and btw u told aeri to give solids in am, its not good that i give it in pm?

He did get the idea - by resettling (or trying ), not picking him up, etc. until it's time to get up, he got a better sense of how long nighttime was. Does that make sense? Like I said, they can't tell time so it's not like they understand that they're supposed to sleep from 8 - 8 or whatever. For a LO it's more like how it feels.

Nah I don't think you're taking the 3rd nap away too soon, most drop it around 6 mo. It's a delicate balance between daytime sleep and night - so you really want to be careful to keep it on track.

As for the solids, it can cause gas and/or tummy upset for a while after starting, so often it's the better choice to start with a noontime or early morning solid feed. But some LOs aren't so affected by it.

[abbysmomma]

hehe.. it looks like i know what i'm doing. but i'm sooo clueless. but i feel like i'm doing something proactive by having a plan. makes me feel better at least.

i keep feeling sorry for abby - making her sleep when she doesn't want to, waking her up when she wants to sleep. probably so puzzled! but then when they actually do what we want them to, i'm so absolutely amazed by these little babies. the fact that abby sleeps from 7:30pm-7am (with the wakes of course!) still astounds me.

Rachel, you're doing great! Oops.. abby's up. gotta go!

[Colin Macs Mom]

Trust me, the older they get the more they will amaze you.      

she might be puzzled for now, but that's how we get them to understand how things are - what the routine is.