Should my 45-minute napper go to bed earlier?

[tara72]

I was just reading another thread on here that mentioned morning wakings (between 3-6 AM). the last few days, my 4-month-old LO has been waking up 3-4 times a night. we usually feed her at the first waking (2.5 hours after she goes down, usually between 9:30 and 10) and also at a 2 AM waking. but lately, she wakes at 1 and 4 and maybe even 5. it's been tough. last night, for example, she went down at 7, woke at 9:30, 1, 2 (feed, but she didn't eat much), 4, and 5 (I think).

it's 7:45 AM, and now I have to wake her, but in this other thread, someone mentioned overtiredness to be a possible cause of night wakings. my LO tends to have one long nap (2 hours) during the day and 3 45-minute naps. should we possibly shoot for an earlier bedtime? like 5-6 instead of 6-7?

time to go wake her. thanks in advance!

 --tara

[Shaunie]

I'd probably stick with the 6-7pm bed time.  My 4 month old started to wake more frequently during the night recently too.  This can often be down to a growth spurt which can last up to 5 days.  Is she getting enough to eat during the day?

My DS only takes 30min naps during that day and maybe a 45min nap around tea time; bed time is 7.30 though we are aiming to bring this forward to 7pm.

[tara72]

oh how interesting that your 4 MO starting waking up a little more at night! actually, my LO has been having a hard time eating as much during the day as she used to. I think she gets 15-17 ounces during the day now, as compared to the e20-22 ounces she would get during the day a month ago. another complication is that she might be constipated (another story in other threads) from a mistake I made about 3 weeks ago. she hasn't been having many dirty diaper, and so we wonder if her system is backed up and she just can't fit as much in her tummy?

she will eat 3-5 ounces at her dreamfeed or the waking around that time. sometimes, though, she won't eat much at her 2 AM feeding, like last night. so I don't know if it's food or not?? when she first starting waking 3-5 times a night, we tried feeding her every time, but that wasn't it.

so we're still exploring options. bytheway, your LO is so cute!!

 --tara

[Shaunie]

Hi Tara,

If your LO is constipated, I imagine this would affect her food intake & therefore her sleep.  Also, babies have tiny tummies & can only hold so much fluid.  Other reasons for night-time wakings could also be a growth spurt which can last up to 5 days or she may have just felt a bit 'under the weather'.

Jonah is still napping for 30mins, is in bed at 7.30pm & wakes for feeds at 2/3am & 5am - he then wide awake by 7am.  If he wakes before 6/7 has elapsed in the 1st period of sleep, I give him a dummy which pacifies him for another hour or so before feed time.

I hope your lovely LO is soon back to normal.