No sleep after 3am

[Mackenziesmummy]

Does anyone else have this problem? I have a lovely 5.5 month old and her sleeping was pretty good until we went on a holiday to Melb from Perth. She used to sleep 7pm - 2 or 3 and wake for a feed and then get up at 5am. Now she goes to sleep at 7 or so, wakes at 9-10, then 2-3 and then half hourly after that. I used to rock her and put her in the cot and creep out of her room but 2 weeks ago started to put her in the cot, she cried a bit and then went off to sleep. I thougth I might have cured the problem with this but no way. It may also be the dummy coming out and she is in a lighter sleep so she wakes up. With a hubbie who has to go to work, I normally get up and poke the dummy back in onyl to get another 30 mins or so until we both give up as she is wide awake about 5 - and so the day begins. She is also a bad napper during the day. She wont string two sleep cycles together. She goes for a 45 min on the dot sleep at between 7-8, 9.30, 12 and 3. She progressively gets tireder during the day and grumpier. She feeds when she gets up during the night, and has a decent feed and goes back to sleep without a fight. I think that I shouldnt feed but if I didnt I wouldnt get any sleep at all and she would get more and more upset with each settle, but at the same time I want to try and encourage her to get rid of one of those feeds! I have started her on farex in the mornings [although she seems to have the farts and gut ache by lunch time] and sweet potatoe or pumpkin at night. THis is not helping the sleeping as I thought it might. We are off to Bali with her on Satruday so that might mix it up a bit and either be better or worse!!!!!! Just one night with 5 hours straight would be wonderful!!!!!!!!

[lupa]

have you tried leaving her at the 2-3am mark? my DS went through that around that age and he ended up just having a winge for 3 mins and went back to sleep. From then on he didn't wake up.

I try not to rush to DS whenever he cries/winges after waking up (unless it's a desperate cry), just to see if he will go back to sleep. A lot of the time he does.

[amymay]

Hi,

Not sure if you have read or be interested but save our sleep books has great routines, solid food routines and i have done this for 8 weeks old and ds 2 is 17 weeks old now and i swear by it. you still have some ups and downs but generally days/nights are great. the only change i make is dont dreamfeed i just feed 1 x per night when he wakes. he usually starts day between 6-7am and i am happy with that as he goes to bed by 7 each night.:)

[vickih]

I had a similar problem with my DS and he has just turned 6 months. Drove me nuts and it felt like I had a newborn all over again!

Is she about to start rolling/crawling? There are some that think that babies will have horrendous night sleep just before reaching a developmental milestone as their brains are on overdrive. It could also be teeth? It could also be needing more solids?
All those possibilities went through my mind a few weeks ago as I was going insane. DS was also sick and had just had his needles and I just took away his dreamfeed. But then all of a sudden, it all changed back- don't know why! (i'm not complaining!) now sleeping through again (might cry once but we leave him and he goes back to sleep within minutes), and I have upped his solids to twice a day, and will move to 3 times in a week or so.

so... it could just be a phase. to get us through it, i started making DH go in at night when DS was crying. we left him for 5 mins or so, then went in to pat and shoosh him. that way DS wasn't expecting a feed as he would if i went in. made DH tired as though, but it was worth it for a week or so.

maybe try leaving her to cry, but after you get back from bali. get strict again once you've settled back into home etc.