Sleep regression?

Beginner Joined: Aug 13 2008 Posts: 18

until about two weeks ago my three month old daughter was waking up maybe once a night between 3 and 5 am, to nurse, but otherwise sleeping from 8:30-7 or so. (actually, I think she would wake up sometimes and then fall back asleep, since I would find her twisted to look at things in her crib...). she was sleeping in our room and she started waking up many nights when we would get ready for bed, so I moved her out.
but now the past week or so she's been waking up maybe 3 times a night, or more. she will eat but not a lot - ie, in total not more than she would eat all at once before - and sometimes will go back to sleep almost instantly with a pacifier. she seems to have lost the ability or desire to put herself back to sleep. I've heard it's common for sleeping to get worse at this age. but still... advice?
also, I have a feeling part of the waking is because she started with a babysitter and sees less of me (though still a good two hours in the morning and three before bed) - can a baby this young process that and wake up at night to see her parents (her father too was home and is now back at work...)? I feel bad trying to stop it if she is just waking up to be with us but it lowers the quality of our interactions during the day when I am shuffling around in a daze...

Executive Member Joined: Jan 14 2008 Posts: 451

I can totally sympathise with you, OP. My baby's 4 and a half months old now. She was getting into a decent routine, sleeping up to 7 hours at a stretch, but the past few weeks she has been waking up every 3 hours, and on a bad night every 2 hours! She's also decided that 5am is a good time to wake up...

I'm shattered, and would also appreciate any advice. I guess the only thing keeping me going is that you don't see many teenagers waking up at 5am!

Posted: Thu, Jun 18 2009, 12:11 am Post subject:

all my kids at about 3-4 months regressed in sleeping they used to go for a really long stretch and then they started waking up again every 3-4 hours

try to make it as boring as possible when your baby wakes up at night. don't talk to her or look her in the eye it will make her excited to see you. just feed and put back to sleep. is your baby waking the same time every night or different times. if its different times it might mean that your baby is hungry. if its the same time every night its a habit. so try to wake-not fully awake though- your baby up an hour before she would wake up on her own and put her back to sleep if you do this 3 nights in a row it will break the habit.