Ugh. Crappy sleep question #6272

[kate1482]

Hugs Lessel.

My 17wk old dd does the same thing at bedtime. I've tried earlier/later and she still wakes up 2-3 times before she is out for the night. (Well hopefully out for a 4 hr stretch. I'm up with her right nowafter only 3 hrs).

thanks for asking because I'm out of ideas. So far my best solution is a glass of wine during dd's redic 2hr bedtime 'routine'.

[imimahoney]

My 14 week old is now waking every 2-3 hours over night and she was doing 6-8 hour stretches. There is a growth spurt and a wonder week around now so I'm accounting the waking for that. It sucks but hopefully it will pass and won't be her new normal.

I would not say you have broken anything, a babies schedule changes all the time and often there isn't anything we can do about it.

Always try to put down for naps first but if that doesn't work, there's no shame in holding him. At least he's sleeping and you are getting some quiet.

I'm sorry, it sucks I know.

[t]

DD1 was just like this. I think she started her 4mw early. It was brutal. Honestly the only thing that worked to get bedtime under control was Ferber, but we waited until she was 5+ months to do it. It was seriously one of the best things we did for her and us. Unfortunately nap time did not really improve until much later, like 6-8 months. I used to time naps with leaving the house because I could get her to sleep in the car, so I would run errands or just go to Starbucks drive through and drive aimlessly around town. Hugs. It really sucks.

[curbsideprophet]

So are you doing drowsy but awake for naps and bedtime? What if you wait until he is completely asleep?

[Deleted]

@pennypie DD is the same age. She's been uncharacteristically fussy the last few days, and eating constantly, like ever 60-90 minutes. She ate like 10 times yesterday! I'm assuming it's a growth spurt. So I would just KOKO for awhile longer and see if the growth spurt passes. I don't think there's anything wrong with holding a 3mo to sleep. It's fine to get sleep any way you can. Are you swaddling? A full belly, dry diaper, and super tight swaddle are the keys to getting DD to sleep.

[Deleted]

Jun 22, 2015 6:51:43 GMT -5 @pennypie said:

Jun 22, 2015 6:21:51 GMT -5 @supergreen said:

@pennypie DD is the same age. She's been uncharacteristically fussy the last few days, and eating constantly, like ever 60-90 minutes. She ate like 10 times yesterday! I'm assuming it's a growth spurt. So I would just KOKO for awhile longer and see if the growth spurt passes. I don't think there's anything wrong with holding a 3mo to sleep. It's fine to get sleep any way you can. Are you swaddling? A full belly, dry diaper, and super tight swaddle are the keys to getting DD to sleep.

On an average day he's already eating 9 times. He was fussy at the breast a few days ago but has been normal lately. We swaddle at night but not for naps because he'll still only nap for a half hour when swaddled.

Does he like napping anywhere else? DD likes her auto RnP. Sometimes if she wakes quickly after going down, I'll go in and rub her tummy while shushing loudly. Half the time she'll nod back off.

[bananapancakes]

@pennypie, your DS sounds so much like mine when he was that age. Just for commiseration and maybe a chuckle, here is a post I wrote when he was 3 months.

pandce.proboards.com/thread/349187/month-old-sale-trade

He's 14 months now and while he is still a much crappier sleeper than most, it has gotten better. He now naps 60-90 minutes at a time and sleeps for 9-10 hours straight over night (which means mornings start between 4-5 which sucks but still a huge improvement over what he was doing a few months ago.

Hang in there! I know what it's like to feel like your kid is broken.

[kams]

Big hugs. He is just the absolute cutest thing, I'm so sorry sleep is so tough.

DD1 was a nightmare sleeper for awhile. I tried everything. Literally. I kept a journal to record every little thing in case I was missing something in my sleepiness, like room temp, which swaddle, which white noise, etc.

I remember contorting myself to lean my breast over her face in the rock and play so that she would nurse to sleep and I wouldn't have to transfer her. I mean, it was ridiculous. I would cramp! And then a dog would bark and I'd be up there doing it again in 4.5 minutes...

That said, 4 years later I can't really recall exactly when it improved, but just that it did. Also, I remember being comforted by the idea that sleep isn't a linear improvement type of thing. It may regress here and there, but the big picture will improve. Also, our babies are tiny people that are as different as adults - they have different needs and desires and preferences, and it isn't their intention to be difficult (I had to remind myself of this a ton with dd1 - still do, kind of!).

[t]

@pennypie take the swing back out! I just remembered (newborn ptsd repression, maybe??) we used to swaddle DD and rig her in the swing buckles to get her to nap. We did this until she was almost 8 months for naps at home.

[glauren]

First off, your kid is not the actual worst I promise! Some babies just take a while to get better at sleeping, some figure it out right away.
3.5/4 months is a crazy time - there's a growth spurt, a sleep regression - and it's when a lot of babies start waking up to the world around them. They don't want to sleep because they don't want to miss a single thing.
I like to say my DS was always super advanced at hitting sleep regressions - he started the 4 moth wakeful at 3.5 months and it went on for a month, until he was back to his regular crappy sleep. For now, I'd suggest not worrying about drowsy but awake - just do what you need to to keep sane. You can always focus on breaking bad habits later if you need to. Also, can you tag your H in if you need to during bedtime? That will help you get a break.
I'm so so sorry. My DSs was just like this and now he naps 3 hours a day (in a row!) and sleeps 8-10 hours at night; it will get better!

[Deleted]

Keep trying things like the swing, and maybe try a transitional swaddle (zipadeezip) or something? P started really hating the swaddle at that age and we had to retire it a few weeks early.

Many many hugs. I'm so sorry.

[genet313]

Jun 22, 2015 6:59:50 GMT -5 @pennypie said:

Jun 22, 2015 6:54:45 GMT -5 @supergreen said:

Does he like napping anywhere else? DD likes her auto RnP. Sometimes if she wakes quickly after going down, I'll go in and rub her tummy while shushing loudly. Half the time she'll nod back off.

Literally nothing else works. We've retired the swing and RnP to the basement already. He'd just scream and kick in those. Car or stroller either result in screaming or a 20 minute nap.

Is my kid the actual worst?

I went through this with DD too re: being help and she did grow out of it eventually. Hang in there.

Also, have you tried the Merlin Sleepsuit?  We've used it the past week with DD (5 months today) and it's been a lifesaver for her naps.  She does anywhere from 30-2.5 hours now...we also  use it at night and it seems to help most nights as well.  

[luv2rn4fun]

Huge hugs! C was at his worst at that age. I sleep trained at 4 months when he was waking every 1-3 hrs and not napping unless being held. It worked and things are much better, although far from perfect (he's 6 months old). Sleep and schedules are constantly changing...as soon as I have him figured out it changes again. I would keep trying things...C never slept in the swing, stroller, and car rides usually did not work. He loved his RNP til about 4 months, loves his zippadeezip (been in it 3-4 wks). Hang in there- it will get better!

[Deleted]

Jun 22, 2015 11:18:24 GMT -5 @pennypie said:

Well, I think I've confirmed growth spurt today at least. Really fussy and nursing every hour.

DD too. Hang in there!

[madringal]

Do you use a paci?? Sounds like the constant nursing might just be to comfort back to sleep.

[Deleted]

Jun 22, 2015 12:28:13 GMT -5 @pennypie said:

Jun 22, 2015 12:25:54 GMT -5 @supergreen said:

DD too. Hang in there!

Ugh. Thanks. You too.

So far today is nurse for 5 minutes, sleep for 20...wake screaming bloody murder...nurse for 8, down again, wake again.

Aaaahhhhhh. I'm about a nanosecond from reaching for my formula stash.

If you want to keep BFing, don't reach for formula during a growth spurt! Breastfeeding is a demand-supply system, NOT the other way around. Right now he's going through a growth spurt, so his demand for milk is increasing because he's physically growing. So he's nursing constantly to increase your supply. DON'T supplement with frozen milk or formula, if you do your breasts aren't getting the signal to make more milk. Just keep nursing, alternating breasts. He's always getting something from your breasts, they're never truly empty. The growth spurt will pass in a couple days, and all the nursing will have increased your supply to meet his demand, and he'll go back to being satisfied at the breast.

[lo]

Jun 22, 2015 7:36:18 GMT -5 @this said:

Jun 22, 2015 6:59:50 GMT -5 @pennypie said:

Literally nothing else works. We've retired the swing and RnP to the basement already. He'd just scream and kick in those. Car or stroller either result in screaming or a 20 minute nap.

No advice that hasn't been mentioned, but I just wanted to suggest not giving up on these completely yet. Just because something doesn't work one day/week, doesn't mean it won't work the next. Babies are crazy.

Yes, totally agree with the above!

My DD started the 4mw at 3.5 months. It really sucks and I am sorry.

She would only really nap (besides being held) in a moving car or the rnp, which had to be rocked. Up until this point she hated the mamaroo, but around 4.5 months I tried to again for naps and she slept in it for naps every day until she was 9 months old. One day she freaked the f out being put down for a nap in the crib, and then the next she was fine with it. No idea what happened!! Good luck

[kams]

On days like that with dd1, I would unapologetically hang in bed with baby & remote control, and then eat the most delicious food because I burned calories all freaking day. It was the only way I could avoid being mad at the world.