Baby's not sleeping!

[Rachels]

Help! My three-month-old daughter has always been a pretty good sleeper, but in the last 5 days, she suddenly is waking every hour or two at night and having trouble staying asleep during her daytime naps. She and I are both completely exhausted. She seems gassy at night, but isn't inconsolable-- just wants to nurse and nurse and nurse. I think she's in a growth spurt. Can anyone remind me that this is survivable? I'm walking into walls. Does it sound like a growth spurt to you? How long does sleep interruption tend to last if that's what it is? I feel bad complaining, because I know we've gotten off pretty easy so far, but this is sudden and extremely different. What should I do?
-Rachel

Sounds like a growth spurt to me. My daughter's had a few, and they usually seem to last about two weeks, and then the sleep patterns would settle again. (She's sixteen months and just finished another one.)

If that's what this is, it WILL end! It just FEELS like you haven't slept for half a year. I was so exhausted, I'd sometimes sit on the side of the bed and cry. I'd freak out over incredibly trivial, weird things. Don't even ask about the Simpsons Blow-up, or the infamous Porridge Bowl Incident.

If you can, arrange for your partner or a sitter or a grandparent to take DD on walks in the spaces between daytime feedings, so you can stay in bed and try for a nap. If DD is in another room at night, have your partner go and get her for at least some of the night feedings, and take her back when you're done, and do the diaper if necessary. If all YOU have to do for at least SOME of the feedings is roll over, feed, and go back to sleep, you'll get back to sleep faster and more easily, which adds up to more Z's. Be remorseless in demanding this help from your partner - remind them that a rested mommy is a mommy who has a ghost of a chance of redeveloping a sex drive some day...

Good luck!

Cheers,

KathyO

Check out this article to see if this could be the reason: http://thebabycorner.com/boards/show...hreadid=117237

Could also be teething. Evan got his first teeth at 3.5 months....

That was a great article -- and how true! I've noticed DD pulling off a lot more now and just staring at me or anyone who walks into the room or the cats, etc.

It could also be a growth spurt. I think DD went through one just now. She woke up a couple times each night two nights in a row (and she had been sleeping through the night since 6 weeks). I also had a viral infection at the time, and noticed that she wanted to eat a ton more (not so great when you're feeling crappy). My mom said that her babies always wanted to eat more when she was sick. Maybe your milk is a little less or the quality isn't as good.

One thing about our DD is that since she was born, she was always really sensitive to her surroundings. So much so that we bought a white noise machine from Target (it has 6 different sounds, from heartbeat to ocean waves - our favorite right now is rain). It has a timer and we usually set it for 15-30 minutes when we put her down. The third night that she woke up in the middle of the night, I dragged myself in there and turned on the machine again for another 30 minutes, just see what would happen. She fell right back asleep. I stood there staring at her open-mouthed until I realized I could be sleeping, so I went back to bed.

Don't know if any of this helps, but I do know what you're going through. Don't worry, the baby will go back to normal sleeping patterns. Although that article said that your milk might not increase, I KNOW mine did after DD's growth spurt because I'm suddenly a lot bigger in the chest area when I get up in the morning. Let your baby increase your supply, and soon you'll both be sleeping a lot better.

oh, one more thing (sorry so long), you said that the baby wasn't gassy, but one thing I learned from one book said that sometimes the baby is having trouble getting stuff out, so if you pick up their legs and bend them so their knees are to their chest, then pat their bottoms (with the diaper on :)), it gives them a target. You wouldn't believe how much this helps with our DD. Sometimes it just calms her down, sometimes she "produces."

HTH!

My breastfeeding book said to expect growth spurts at 3 weeks, 6weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, and I found that to be right on target. She might also want to nurse if she if uncomfortable (gassy or whatever). You might try some Mylicon; it can't hurt her and if she has gas she should get nearly instant relief. I remember intensive feeds related to growth spurts being quite temporary, maybe a few days at most.

The other thing to consider is that sometimes their sleep is disrupted if they are reaching a significant developmental milestone. Lots of things change at 3 months, so she may just be trying to process all of the new developments in her brain. Again, it's temporary. You'll both get through it and someday you'll be expecting your second child and you will have forgotten all about those sleepless nights until you read the bulletin boards! Then you'll slap your forehead and say to yourself, "what was I thinking that I could do this again!!??" ;-)

Sarah,

That white noise machine sounds great! I like the timer option. Right now we're using a nature sounds/music tape for DS as he is afraid of the dog barking right next door, but we are going through batteries like CRAZY. Where would I find it in Target? And what is it called? TIA!

I actually use one since DH snores (well, not really snores, but breathes loudly and it drives me insane!). My brother works for GNC, so I got one as a Christmas gift a few years ago. Anyway, I found this link so you could see the one I have (sounds like the same one as above).

http://www.homedics.com/sensory/deta...17&product=104

OK, I found the link at Target:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000067DW1

Evan and Dad usually get up before I do. A few days ago Evan walked into our room (with Dad right behind him) and he discovered my Sound Spa on my nightstand. Now he LOVES to push the buttons and turn it on and off. Whenever he would change the sound, he would look over at me with the cutest little look of surprise on his face! We've considered getting one for him to "play" with (supervised, of course), thinking it might keep him away from the answering machine--another "cool" grown-up product with lights and sounds. LOL!

The one I have takes batteries, so we took it on vacation with us to help ME sleep! ;-) My favorite is the Ocean Waves. And I just let it run all night--I don't use the timer.

Mine is a Homedics, so we must have the same one as Sue -- it is fabulous! DH is hoping DD grows out of it so we can have it in our room. Though since DD's room is right next to ours, we can often hear it as we are drifting off to sleep. I think at Target it was around $12. I'm not sure where it was -- probaby in household (I'd just ask someone who looks reasonably responsible). Although, since Sue posted a link, you might be able to order it online. Since she also bought it at GNC, I'd say to check out other web sites.

It has the battery option, which is great. We bring it with us in the car when we drive to Monterrey (an hour and a half away) because DD gets antsy in her carseat that long. Even if your DS doesn't like it, you might! Good luck!

Maybe a little rice cereal mixed with breastmilk wouldn't hurt.

My ped mentioned at the 2 month check up that generally you wait until 4 months to introduce cereal but she said if my son started waking up every couple hours at 3 months then she suggested starting the cereal early (my son was 15 lbs at 2 months).

I've also had success with evening fussiness doing the bicycle maneuver with my son and doing the 'I Love You' belly rub from the Dr. Sears Baby Book. Either it really helps or at least it takes his mind off whatever is bothering him.

Good Luck!

Catherine