That is the question! So far quite a while, Little Bear has been averaging 5-6 hour sleep stretch every night. However, this past week + that is NOT the case. He starts fussing after 2 hours, I'm able to rock him in his rock-n-sleeper and he goes back to sleep, then fusses again an hour later, more rocking, then fusses more intensely an hour later. So, at the 4 hour mark I finally pick him up and he gets mad that I change his diaper first instead of feeding him. When I finally do start feeding him he's extremely excited. I put him back in his rock-n-sleeper only to be awakened 2 hours later. Seriously? So last night I started feeding him around 2am. He fed for 20 minutes on the first side and then only 10 minutes on the second side and he was asleep. So, I put him back in his bed. Just minutes, maybe even seconds later he was "talking" and making other happy noises. He was
wide awake. So, I tried to rock him, but that didn't work. So, I picked him up and he started eating again. He ate on and off for the next hour and then I could finally tell he was really asleep because of how he was breathing. So, I put him back in his bed. Then, what do you know, but he was awake 2 hours later shortly after 6am. I was able to rock him and keep him comfy until I finally just picked him up at 6:30 or so and started feeding him. I'm soooo exhausted this morning. Because of how he slept last night and when he woke up this morning, I put him down for his first nap at 8:15 with no protesting from him at all. So my question is, what's happening? Is he going through a growth spurt? Oh, the other thing is that with 2 of his feedings yesterday (11am and 5:30pm) he wasn't that interested. He ate some, but not near what he normally eats. He even skipped his evening nap that started around 6:30. He acted tired, but would NOT go to sleep. I tried to feed him around 7:30 and he wasn't interested, then again at 8:30 and he still only "nibbled." When I started feeding him shortly after 9, he was extremely fussy. I finally gave him some gas drops. He eventually calmed down and I fed him. So, maybe he was having gas issues or he just was finally so exhausted, he gave in. He loves chewing on his hands and even my fingers, that I wonder if he's starting to teethe? I can't feel any teeth. I'm really hoping this trend doesn't continue. I have to work both Saturday and Sunday and would love to get some good sleep. After all, kids' lives are in my hands and I want to be able to function on ALL cylinders. His 4 month check up is this next Monday so we'll see what the pediatrician says. If any of you out there have any thoughts on the subject, I welcome them.
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No fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat time do you put him down for the night?
When Braden was an infant he'd go down between 7-8 for the night, but I'd wake him at 10 just to feed him and that helped him sleep more. I know a lot of parents say never to wake a sleeping baby, but it really helped him sleep through the night. Sleep is the hardest thing to get the little ones to do. Makes me nervous thinking about this next one =) The good thing is it doesn't last forever, but seems like it without much sleep!
The time he goes to sleep for the night varies. No matter when he goes down, I always try to feed him one last time around 10ish. He was doing so well for a while, that I'm rather curious why he's doing this now.
DeleteMy 1st thought is this - it's time to move him to his nursery. You both will sleep more sound. The "crying it out" part is never an easy thing to do but I'm sure your pediatrician would agree he doesn't NEED to be fed at that frequent of intervals throughout the night. He did the exact same pattern as you mentioned above Tuesday evening (super tired but refused his nap until he finally did fell asleep at 8:25). He is such a happy little soul when he is awake and is napping fantastically so just tell yourself "this too will pass." Your doing a great job at parenting!!
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering when to put him in his crib. He'd been doing so well sleeping long stretches at night. I love having him so close to me at night, but wonder if he would sleep longer if he didn't hear me and I didn't rush to pick him up. I try so hard to let him whimper for a while until he goes back to sleep. My other question is when to stop swaddling him for night?
DeleteWell, yes, it's time to put him in his crib, but sounds more like to me that he's 4 months old and that's what happens at 4 months ;) SORRY!! lol. His brain is on overdrive. He's learning to roll, trying to sit up, starting to get teeth, learning about his surroundings now that he can finally see....can you imagine learning all that at once?! At this age "sleep regression" is VERY VERY comomon. :) this too shall pass....I'd quit swaddling him and put him in his crib. Maybe even on his....GASP.....tummy.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.babysleepsite.com/how-we-sleep/4-month-old-sleep-regression/
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the info Hillary. He naps on his tummy in his crib during the day, so maybe this transition won't be too horrible.
DeleteIt will pass! I promise!! But it really sucks during the process....
ReplyDeleteI found with Robert that he "talks" in his sleep.. As soon as I put him in his room we only was up once a night, because it was me that was waking him up, not him needing me. By the time we went to CMH he had been sleeping through the night for MONTHS! Now I have a little boys who "screams" in his sleep at 1 year old. and still operates on a hospital schedule part of the time! Darn vital checks!
ReplyDeleteHe is probably ready to transition to the crib, and is going through a spurt. And teething is a definite possibility too. Both kids popped them out by 5 months.
I agree with many of the comments above... time to move him to his own nursery. Let him try to get himself back to sleep for a few minutes before going in to console/feed him. You and Mark need to be on the same page first about when and how long to let him cry it out, if you go that route. Also, I've heard (and witnessed) that every time a baby goes through a big developmental change - rolling, crawling, walking, etc. - that their sleep pattern changes as well. This won't be the last time that you go through a period of disrupted sleep. We're still dealing with it after more than 3 years with Olivia. Hang in there, friend!
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