Accidental parent... again

[thowells]

My son is 5 months old and wakes between 5 and 8 times per night with his longest stretch of sleep ever being 5 hours.  His routine is as follows:

5:30-6:30 am awake
8:00 am eat
8:30/9:00 - 10:30/11:00 nap
12:00 eat
12:30/1:00 - 2:30/3:00 nap
4:00 eat
5:00 cat nap for 40 minutes
7:30/8:00 eat then to bed
12:00/12:30 am eat
4:00 am eat
His activity time includes floor time, excersaucer, being held, going outside.

I am breastfeeding, usually one side at a time.  I have an over supply problem with a forceful letdown that he does not like.  It sometimes takes him an hour to eat because I can't get him to take a meal all at once.  (We have visited the lactation consultant many times!)  He usually sleeps from 7:30 pm to 12:30 am straight, eats, then is up every 40 minutes to an hour until 5:30/6:00 am. When he wakes, he is usually fussing, and when I wait to go to him, he cries.  I don't want him to wake our 2 year old daughter, so I try to get him back to sleep as quickly as possible.  Here comes the accidental parent part...  I usually use a pacifier, and or walk him back to sleep.  In general, he often goes to sleep with the pacifier and does not wake for it after it falls out.  He also sometimes falls asleep nursing, but usually does not need to nurse to fall asleep.  In fact, it is hard to get him to nurse unless he is really hungry.  When he was younger (between 2 and 4 months), we used shh/pat when needed and he used to sleep 4 to 5 hour stretches from 7:30 pm to 7:00 am.  Then with increased mobility, teething and accidental parenting, we have constant night wakenings.  I have not introduced cereal yet and he does not have a lovey.

Any advice is welcomed.  Thank you!

[Layla]

Do they share a room? I would try & use shh/pat rather than dummy & walking him to sleep. I understand the fear of him waking up the toddler (believe I am still afraid of that!). Are you able to put a white noise machine or a fan in her room so that she doesn't wake easily?

The other thing is the naps - is he taking 2-2hr naps & a 45min catnap? Could be that he is having too much daytime sleep. You might want to try & wake him from the nap 1.5hrs later & also do a slightly earlier bedtime.

9am - morning nap
10.30 - wakes from nap
12.30 - afternoon nap
2pm - wakes from nap
4.30/5 - catnap
7pm - bedtime

Does he need the dummy to sleep for naps?

[thowells]

Thank you for your response!  They do not share a room and I do have a white noise machine in his room.  He does take 2 two hour naps and a 45 min nap.  I agree, that is probably too much sleep.  He does not use the pacifier for naps usually.  The shh/pat hasn't been working lately, I think it could be too disturbing to him now.  I will try your advise!

[Layla]

If he doesnt need a dummy for naps, then I wouldn't even use it at night. Shh/pat usually stops working around 6 months & you would replace it with pu/pd. But still leave him fuss about & when he start "really" crying out for you, go in & do pu&pd.

Let me know how it goes
Layla

[thowells]

Last night was one of the worst nights ever.  His schedule yesterday and into the night was...

6:30 awake
8:30 to 10:15 nap
12:45 to 2:30 nap
4:30 to 5:15 nap
7:30 asleep (I started trying at 7:00)
awake at 7:40, 8:40, 10:40, 11:00, 11:40 (ate), 1:40, 2:00, 2:40, 4:40 (offered to eat, wouldn't), awake until 5:40 then slept until 6:40.

I want to try pu/pd, but I am not sure what is the best time to start, bedtme? nap? which nap? I'm afraid he will become fearful of nap/bedtime.  My husband travels for his job a lot and we do not live near family, so I will be doing this mostly on my own.  I'm so afraid of how long it could take to get him to sleep and how do I do it during the day and still watch my 24 month old? 

Thank you

[Layla]

He seems to be doing ok for naps so you would do pu/pd for the night wakenings. He won't become fearful (or shouldn't) because you are not leaving him to cry on his own. You are there with him. Babies usually cry at bed/naptime when they have been left to cry (like cio or c/c).

Have a look at the pu/pd board - lots of mums going through the same & lots of support there.

Everytime that he woke, was he crying out & how did you respond?

[thowells]

He cried every time he woke and I rubbed his back or patted his bottom.  I gave him Tylenol at 1:40 am. By 3 - 4 am I gave him the paci.  My husband walked him at 5:40 am so I could get some sleep.  I will go to the pu/pd board.   Thank you.