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Daytime catnapper = poor night time sleeper?

2 replies

ick1efeet · 25/10/2009 08:33

My dd naps fairly well during the day, she starts to get sleepy after 1.5 / 2hrs after being awake and settles well in her cot for a nap. She sleeps anything from 30 to 45 mins before waking.

She therefore has approx. 4 naps a day, totally around 3 hrs and settles well for bed at aprox. 7pm. She sleeps well and I feed her at 10.30pm, she settles again well and wakes for a feed between 2 and 3am. The problem is that she then wont settle after the 3am feed and is often up and wringling and squarking until I get her up at 7am, she then wont take her 7am feed.

She is 4.5 months and I don't mind feeding her at 3am but do mind her not settling again after it. Could the poor sleeping during the day be having an effect? She is formula feed and I'm worried that she's ready to drop a feed but has choosen to drop the 7am instead of the 3am.

Has anyone had a simlar experience and what can I do about it? Thanks for any advice you can give me.

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anjlix · 25/10/2009 20:30

It is quite possible that too much sleep in the day makes her want to play at night. Happens to me too . I had this problem with my DTs for nearly 2 months when they would not be hungry for the 7a feed since they were feeding somewhere between 2a-5a. The way I dealt with it was to offer some water first then bottle. This way they would be hungrier at 7a. Also I fed them closer to 8a to build a better appetite and keep the rest of the day on track. Once they dropped the middle of the night feed they demanded to be fed at 7a. If she is too playful at 3a then try to keep her up at 10.30p for up to 1 hr of play. This can help in getting her beans out . Along with that try to see if you can cut out the last nap or shorten it to 20mins or so.

Hope this helps.

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ick1efeet · 25/10/2009 22:43

Thanks anjlix, hadn't thought about waking her at 10.30pm as usually dream feed. Neither have I offered water as she wont take it during the day, but perhaps she will in the night, i'll give it a try.

I've tried giving her the 7am feed later, she'll happily go without and wait until her 10.30am before she gets cranky.

I'll try your suggestions tho, thanks.