Waking in the night like a newborn? ugh.

[Demerise]

Hi ladies! I could really use your suggestions.

Dd will be 4 months old on Sunday. From about 6 weeks - 12 weeks (about a month ago) she was sleeping amazing in the night. Going down around 9/930pm and not waking until 4/5am to nurse. Then back down until 7am to nurse and then up for the day and to nurse around 9/930am. It was perfect!

Now the little booger has decided to switch it up. Its been 4 weeks of waking up constantly in the night. She still goes down by around 9pm, but is up within 4 hours during that first stretch of sleep. And then up within every 2hrs there after. I am SO tired.

So my question is, should I try to get her back down without nursing? She does seem hungry and nurses like she does during a normal nursing session. But is it possible to for her to get "used to" those feedings and she will continue to wake? I'm sure she is acting like a typical baby? But I just don't understand how she went from that amazing sleep schedule to waking up like she is now. Its been a month -- can a growth spurt last that long??

Once again I'm SO tired!!! Help!

[YzmaRocks]

Growth spurt or teething. Or just being a normal little baby. Babies get up at night, it's just a part of being a mom :)

Can you co-sleep/bedshare? I attached my daughter's crib to my side of the bed so she is within reach and I can move her back and forth at night as needed.

It does get better. It isn't easy but it will get better!

[larissalarie]

This is totally normal and it will pass. Don't deny her a feeding, she's much much too young.

My youngest went from sleeping 7 hours between 2-4 months to waking a ton, every 45 minutes at times! 2 hours WAS a long stretch during that phase, so be glad it could be much worse :-) Mine took until 7 months old to start sleeping really good again, but the worst was over within a month.

Hang in there, it doesn't last forever, and bedsharing is a sanity saver!

[sreichelt26]

^what they said. My daughter's sleep patterns (night and naps) changed every week or two for the first year.

[gdiamante]

You went and told someone she was sleeping lots, didn'tcha? **grin**

Sleep patterns will change constantly. Yes, you nurse her. The waking is normal... the long sleeps were not really so common.

She will change the pattern frequently. 

[mollysmom328]

Man. . that would be nice lol.  We had a nice stretch from 2-5 months of STTN, then was waking from 45 minutes-2 hours for the next 10 months or so.  Now at almost 17 months I *think* it might be getting better.  Last night I was only up twice.  I hope it's getting better because I'm going back to work full-time soon and last year was awful with so little sleep :p

Quoting larissalarie:

This is totally normal and it will pass. Don't deny her a feeding, she's much much too young.

My youngest went from sleeping 7 hours between 2-4 months to waking a ton, every 45 minutes at times! 2 hours WAS a long stretch during that phase, so be glad it could be much worse :-) Mine took until 7 months old to start sleeping really good again, but the worst was over within a month.

Hang in there, it doesn't last forever, and bedsharing is a sanity saver!

[aehanrahan]

What they said. ^^^
The change in sleep pattern is normal and to be expected. It can be caused by a growth spurt, teething, new milestones, separation anxiety, and many other things.

[SewingMamaLele]

Just wait for the 7-9 month period... that's an awful time for sleep!  They wake up for all sorts of reasons during the first couple of years.  

Are you co-sleeping?   That's going to be your saving grace!

[Demerise]

She has been chomping on her hands/drooling like crazy for this past month. So a good possibility.

She has a crib in our room and ends up in our bed half the time... Usually towards early AM. I don't always sleep soundly having her in bed with me, for fear DH will hurt her. He moves a lot. But when he gets up early for work, I bring her in bed when she wakes to nurse. But she is just steps away, so its not a huge deal.

Thank you! Its good to know this is "normal" behavior. I never experienced this with my 4.5yr old dd.

Quoting YzmaRocks:

Growth spurt or teething. Or just being a normal little baby. Babies get up at night, it's just a part of being a mom :)



Can you co-sleep/bedshare? I attached my daughter's crib to my side of the bed so she is within reach and I can move her back and forth at night as needed.



It does get better. It isn't easy but it will get better!

[Demerise]

Thank you! Glad to hear. Its nice to know I am not alone. And 45mins at a time? I'd be a walking zombie - lol!

We share a room and she does come in bed w/ me some of the time. It makes it a lot easier! :)

Quoting larissalarie:

This is totally normal and it will pass. Don't deny her a feeding, she's much much too young.



My youngest went from sleeping 7 hours between 2-4 months to waking a ton, every 45 minutes at times! 2 hours WAS a long stretch during that phase, so be glad it could be much worse :-) Mine took until 7 months old to start sleeping really good again, but the worst was over within a month.



Hang in there, it doesn't last forever, and bedsharing is a sanity saver!

[Demerise]

I might have. ;) lol.

Its interesting, because her naps changed right around that time as well. She is now a cat napper. Frequently, but only 30 mins at a time. My 4.5 year dd never had these changes in sleep, so I wasn't sure what was going on.

Thank you. Still nursing her on demand. :)

Quoting gdiamante:

You went and told someone she was sleeping lots, didn'tcha? **grin**

Sleep patterns will change constantly. Yes, you nurse her. The waking is normal... the long sleeps were not really so common.

She will change the pattern frequently.