Help!! 5.5 mo Waking every 2-3 hrs

[stheo]

My LO is 5.5 months and for the last 2-3 nights has gotten up every 2-3 hrs and I am exhausted.... Funny thing is last week she would sleep 7-7 straight thru so I dont know what is happening... I put her to bed at 7 and then she wakes up every 45 mins for the 1st couple of hours and then it is every 2-3 hrs after that.. At first it seems like she cant get comfortable and is thrashing all over the place.... i go in and she is all the way at the top of the crib turned in the opposite direction that I put her in.... i can pat her back to sleep and then she wakes up 2-3 hrs later... I thought maybe growth spurt but she doesn't seem any hungrier during the day and she alreay eats 7-8 oz every 4 hrs... She is refusing solids for the last 2 weeks due to teething.. and she doesnt seem to be waking up in pain..... She has 45min -1 hr naps but she has always been like that and sleep fine during the night with only 1 wakeup at 5 to eat.... Please help I am so tired and I have to work this weekend at night and would really like  good nights sleep... our routine looks something like this..


E 7-730 8 oz formula
A
S- 9-950

E 1100 7-8 oz
A
S1200-100  ( sometimes can stretch this to 1.30)

E 300 7-8 oz
A
S 330- 415/30

bath, massage, cuddle and bottle, bed by 700..   I know naps look weird but I put her down for nap after 2hr or 2.15hr  A time from the last time she got up so times might be a little different... Anyone know what is going on?

[Bella's Mom]

Have you thought about teething???  Mine is only 4.5 mths and she is already teething, which is causing her to wake at nights.  If you think that is the problem I would suggest teething tablets before you put her to bed. Also, have you started solids yet?? Sometimes that can cause gas if given too close to bedtime.  Hope that helps.

[stheo]

she has been teething for at least a month and I already give the teething tablets.....She doesn't wake up like she is in pain... sometimes I walk in and she smiles at me thinking its play time..... Also she has been on solids for about 2 months and she has been refusing them for 2 weeks ... on the solid board they say that one can stop eating solids if they are teeting.... but does teething cause them to wake up every 2 hrs  thrashing about the bed like she cant get comfortable.

[Jodi and her boys]

Usually waking up 45 mins into nighttime sleep is a result of being overtired.  Have you tried putting her down any earlier? 

She is still really young to be "serious" about solids.  I wouldn't worry too much about that.  2 hrs is a typical sleep pattern, which tells me she may be a bit overtired and having a hard time putting herself back to sleep.  Does she wake crying?  If not, wait and don't go in.  Sometimes at this age los tend to wake in the night, babble & play and then go back to sleep.

[stheo]

i havent tried putting to sleep earlier because I really dont want her getting up any earlier... some nights she wakes at 45 mins and some she doesnt... i guess i need to look close on those days to see what shes doing. but her naps are mostly 45 mins...i watch her cues and some I can extend and some times i cant.. sometimes she wakes crying others she just moves around and ends up at the top of the bed in the opposite direction and gets fussy and then starts crying. this morning she woke and played and then put herself back to sleep. its just during the night that is so different... She used to sleep until at least 5... eat and then back to sleep... but she has always woke 45 mins after being put down.

[Jodi and her boys]

Does she have a paci? 

[stheo]

no paci... she has never really taken to it so we hardly ever use one...

[Jodi and her boys]

Okay, then I would try wake to sleep for that 45 min mark.  Same with the 2 hr marks if they are that predictable.  Start with the 45 min mark, see if that makes a difference.

[stheo]

w2s wakes her up completely and has never worked and the night wakings are not consistent.. sometimes they are eveyry 2 hrs, 3 hrs or 4 hr, never the same time

[Jodi and her boys]

do you feed her when she wakes? If not, what do you do to get her back to sleep.  Sorry so  many questions, just trying to figure it out!
Thanks.

[stheo]

i dont usually feed her until at least 5 in the morning ....i wait and see if something else will work.... usually i just pat/shh her back to sleep or rock her until she drowsy then put her in crib and finish with pat/shh... like last night... she woke at 100... i pat/shh her back to sleep and then she woke at 200.. took 8oz bottle and went back to sleep until 700 this morning.... i try something else first and if she wakes after that then i feed her

[Jodi and her boys]

It actually sounds like a growth spurt.   I didn't realize until I read at the top that she has only been doing this the last few nights.  She could be hitting her 6 month growth spurt, which is a big one.  This could last for up to a week.  I say, keep doing what your doing, by trying to get her back to sleep. If she wakes soon after, feed her (like you did last night).  If she is taking 8 oz, I am pretty sure that is it.  Give it a week.  I can't believe I didn't notice that earlier!

I hope that helps 

[stheo]

last night she did good. i was pleased with just 1 night waking, ive been trying to get more in her during the day since she already drinks 7-8 oz bottles during the day... ive been giving her teething tablets also which has helped .... hopefully it is just a growth spurt and will be back to normal soon

[Jodi and her boys]

that's great.  keep me posted!

[stheo]

last night she woke up at 1100... patted back down and then again at 1230 so i fed her then and she slept until 600.... i try to get more into her during the day so that she wont wake up for the middle of the night and she wont eat anymore during the day.... if it were a growth spurt wouldn't she want to eat all the time..