Hi moms, my three month old has a night waking problem. On most nights after midnight until about 3 or 4am, she wakes me up sometimes every hour, sometimes every half hour. When she wakes up, I first try to put the pacifer in her mouth, if she doesn't accept it, I then try to feed her, and if she doesn't want that, I try to sooth her back to sleep. Usually the pacifer works, unless she's hungry. She usually wants to eat once at night - the other times, she just wants the pacifier or wants to be soothed or something.
I have to go back to work soon and can't imagine continuing like this. Is it too soon to sleep train her? I'm not sure how to sleep train (ie. cry it out) when she still wants to eat at least once at night. Any advice?
It's been a while since I've had a baby, but Dr. Sears is an expert who has some great advice that will help you! Good luck :)
http://askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/sleep-problems
I agree it is a probably a growth spurt at this age. Sleeping comes in goods and bads. Just when things are going well and the sleeping is good, something comes up- a growth spurt, developmental milestone, teething, cold. Just keep consistent and each phase will come to pass.
I think sleep training starts to be appropriate aroun 3-4months of age- some great books: Weissbluth- healthy sleep habits, happy child; jodi mindell- sleeping through the night. But personally I think it is much easier at around 5-6months.
I understand the fear of going back to work- which I did at 9 weeks and 16 weeks with my two. But the sleep issue is never going to be "resolved"- even my 4 yr old has phases, but it does get better overal- every week and every month does get easier. So hang in there. Both my kids were sleeping 12 hrs at night by about 6-8 months and it is such a wodnerful feeling to sleep through the night and feel like yourself again. In the the long run, these months are very hard but also very brief. Enjoy the cuddles:)
Sounds like a growth spurt to me. They typically happen around three and six weeks, as well as at three and six months.
On a slightly separate note, I'm totally jealous. My 16 month old started sleeping through the night *last month*. Yeah, jealous. But happy for you.
:+)
Typically you'll get the best results from sleep training after they are 6 months old.
I'm not sure what time your last feeding is, but I think 3 month olds can go "all night" which is about 5 or 6 hours...lol. So, depending on when her last feeding is, you can expect her to wake up 5 or 6 hours later. If you can get her last feeding to be around 10:30 or 11, you have a shot of getting her to sleep until around 5.
You can do a couple things.
1. attach her pacifier to her with one of those attachy thingies that clips on her shirt. Teach her to find her own paci. I also know parents who have put a gazillion pacis in the crib to increase the odds of her finding one when she wakes in the middle of the night.
2. Sleep near her crib - when she wakes up you can stick the paci back in her mouth without either of you becoming fully awake.
3. get rid of the paci- then she won't need it to sleep.
None of those options really worked for me. We did a basinett that was the same height as my bed, so I could just reach over and pat her back. Sort of like co-sleeping but with individual space. That worked marvelously, but that arrangement isn't for everyone.
As I remember, it gets much better around 6 months, with them being able to sleep longer stretches on their own. Hang in there!
