Upon bringing home our new little girl, my husband and I thought her sleeping habits were a fluke. However, for the last 8 weeks, like clock work, she would go to bed at 8pm and sleep between 6-8 hours straight through, only waking for one feeding. Just this week, however, she will go down at 8 but wakes up just about every 1/2 hour to hour. My husband and I let her cry for a few minutes to see if she will settle herself down, but to our dismay, she continues this awake/sleep pattern until about 11:30. Once asleep, she then wakes a few hours later. Is it normal for her sleep pattern to change? Will it change back? Her daily schedule has not changed. She still naps for about 3 hours in the afternoon and cat naps on and off like she always has. We have noticed that she has been drooling more, but I thought it was too early for teething. My husband is worried that she is manipulating us already, but I thought it was too early for her to understand how. We are distraught and would like to hear from some parents who have had similar issues and perhaps get a few suggestions.
Yes it is normal. She may be going through a growth spurt and needs more food. Do you have a night light in her room? try turning it off for a few nights. We did this with our daughter and she slept better. I can't say too much though, our daughter woke up once a night since she was born and now sleeps 12-14 hours every night. Try to put her to bed when she starts to get really sleepy and cranky.
Your baby's sleep will change throughout her life and it is not too early for teething (my 2nd got his first tooth the week before he turned 2 months old and his second a week later); it could also be a growth spurt (where she needs to eat more frequently again, especially if breastfeeding), or her need for more contact/reassurance from you as she becomes more aware of her surroundings. I will tell you my bias right now that I have never looked at my children as 'manipulators' - I think that is an awful term to label a child, especially a baby who only knows what her own needs are and uses crying eventually as a way to get you to understand them. I always think to myself 'I really don't know for sure what my baby is feeling' - what if she has an upset tummy or a headache or a growing pain or is feeling scared. Consider that this is the time to build a strong bond with your infant which starts with them learning they can trust you. I have 2 neighbors that did 'sleep training' and they have daughters who have irrational fears and can't go to sleep by themselves at 10 YEARS OLD. We spent our baby's newborn period learning them and their signals and though it is real easy to listen to others' talking about your baby manipulating you, I would rather be realistic with my expectations for sleep (as in you may not get any for a few years) and spend the time comforting them and establishing a trusting relationship than dealing with emotional, fear, and attachment issues later. Each of my 3 children have/had different sleep and comforting needs. BTW, my last two were amazing sleepers in the beginning then went through months of night wakenings which seemed to be related primarily to teething. My 3rd is 13 months old and we are just starting to get back to sleeping 4-6 hours at a time at night. Your instincts are right - there is nothing to 'fix', only to give and that is why parenting is not easy. I try to find books that seem to fit with my philosophy and make sense to me at these times. Dr. Harvey Karp, Sarah Buckley, Elizabeth Pantley (check out her website www.pantley.com for lots of sleep info), and Dr. Sears are some good references. Your baby is normal, just love her. (and make sure you nap when she does and get some extra time in when help is available!)
My daughter does the same thing she was waking every hr or so the 1st month now shes 2 months and goes to bed about 10-11 and wakes up @ 6-7 however she bumped up her bottles from 3-4oz to about 6oz like the other person wrote there getting growth spurts and I checked w/my dr cuz I thought she was eating alot and she told me this is normal also the way my daughter was gaining weight concerned me seems like everytime we went to the dr and it could be like a 3 week time span she would gain 1lb n 1/2 but its all normal. Everything will come into play within the next month or so hopefully good luck hun!
H.
Congratulations on your new baby daughter! It's such an exciting and new time. Seems to me you are doing everything you can, and correctly and its to nice to hear how hands on Daddy is!
It's been my experience with my 2 children that they do go through growth spurts and during those times their sleep and eating will change. It might be time to increase her feeding amounts to help her sleep longer at night. Depending on her weight and development, she should be starting cereal around 3-4 months and that will keep her satisfied longer.
You could check the text books for the teething issues, I think its a bit early too but I have heard of children getting teeth around 3-4 months old, they are all so different. My son didn't get his first tooth until around 6-7 months. He will be 10 months next week and now has 6 teeth.
Just try to relax and enjoy her. She will definitely let you know what she needs and by now you know her cries of hunger, pain or the need of a diaper. Have the Tylenol/Motrin ready for the teething fun, its just around the corner too and her sleep may be interrupted for that occasionally so be prepared.
I doubt she is "manipulating" you at this young age but I promise that will come very shortly! They are constantly testing and learning, its really amazing to see how smart they are so young.
I wish you lots of luck!
L.
My first was an early teether and got her first at exactly 4 months. It's probably a bit early for that, but sleep patterns do change many times in the early months. I used to say a "routine" is something that happens more than once in those early months. Sleep can be disrupted for any reason. I have found that growth spurts and skill spurts often bring changes or disruptions in sleep patterns. Sometimes they return to "normal" but other times you are stuck with the change. My 2 and 4 year olds still have changes with ther growth.
It's too early to try to really control her sleeping cycles and set a routine for her. Basically you just go with it and try to get sleep when she does. It sounds like she is generally a good sleeper so hopefully she'll continue to be that way.
I'm reading this fast so I'm not sure if I'm overlapping here...
My daughter (3rd child) slept through the night (8 hrs) beginning her 3rd night home...a godsend! At 5 mos, she began waking & at 8 mos. she had surgery to place tubes in her ears. The sleeping went back to being all night again! The youngest any of my children were with teething was right at 4 mos. I'd have her ears checked, just to be sure. At this age, there is no manipulation...the first wks. they sleep through ANYthing & EVERYthing...that soon changes!
Good luck!
Hello Perkasie Mama,
She isn't doing it to annoy you, even though it feels that way in the middle of the night. She is really really young to be manipulating, and in the true sense of the word "manipulate" means to attempt to control a situation. So...even if she could manipulate, she would just be trying to get her needs met.
Maybe try for an hour nap in the morning, and another hour nap in the afternoon. Let her cry a teeny bit, but not much longer than that. And otherwise, wait until she is about 3-4 months before trying to stick too much to a schedule. Her schedule, however, wacky, needs to be your schedule.
That aside - are you co-sleeping, or is she in her own crib? This may make a difference. Also WARMTH is really key - but not heaters which for some reason seem to disrupt sleep. Good wool long johns from a good source like nova naturals should keep baby nice and cozy and also keep head covered at night (and ears) with a good night cap. (A night cap might be incorporated into your routine as well :) )
Anyway, just relax and don't worry too much about schedules. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you of routine and schedules - just try to make it through these few months.
(And finally, if she has colic, get help! She might have bad gas or tummy pain).
peace
perkasie J.
