3 month old: Growth spurt or a bad 'un?

[McRoo]

I can only assume that Ds wished to celebrate the 3 month anniversary of his traumatic birth by giving me one of our most horrendous 24 hours together. Wednesday night to Thursday he woke up every hour and a half for a feed. All day yesterday he was absolutely horrible. Screaming uncontrollably, feeding every hour and a half. Yesterday was the first time I just had to walk away and leave him crying because I was so angry/upset I didn't dare pick him up. The little sod also wouldn't go to sleep when he was tired throughout the day but his behaviour last night was the absolute icing on the cake.

He had barely slept all day so was fast asleep by his usual time of 8:15. I put him to bed. Elated. He then woke up screaming at 9:10 and didn't stop crying and stayed awake until 10:45 no matter what we did. Falling asleep at 10:45 I then hoped I wouldn't be needed for the usual 1am feed. HOW WRONG I WAS. Up screaming at 1:00 and did not go back to sleep, or stop crying, until 2:30. Thankfully he then took pity and slept until 6:30.

Is this a growth spurt or is he just evil?

Babies aren't evil but you sound at the end of your tether. It sounds like a growth spurt with the regular feeding. The crying and waking and barely sleeping sounds like he was chronically overtired. How do you get him to sleep? Could you put him in a sling, pram or go for a drive in the car to try to make him sleep sooner and for longer?

Have you got someone around at the weekend to give you a break and maybe get some sleep?

I second the overtiredness 'diagnosis' and suggestions of sling/pram/car to get some sleep into him. It is so hard not to get angry with a baby who screams and won't sleep (been there) but he's just too little to know how to go to sleep when he is tired (seems daft but it's the way they are made for some reason). if you can get some decent amounts of sleep into him I suspect he'll be a much happier chappy and so will you. Long pram walks are a good way of burning off the frustration I find and they get you out of the house too.

I know he isn't really evil. Just my poor attempt at humour in a horrible situation.

He normally gets to sleep during the day with just a bit of cuddling and humming but it didn't work yesterday. He fell asleep in the car yesterday on a 5 minute journey & I even drove around for a lot longer to make sure he was definitely asleep but, as soon as we got home, he woke up.

Other than a trip to the supermarket yesterday we didn't go out and I know that didn't help me or him. We are already on our first walk of the day and will do another this afternoon. He has also fallen asleep in his pram which is very unusual for him.

I am at the end of my tether. He used to be a cracking little sleeper so this has hit me so hard. I also felt so so guilty when I walked away leaving him crying. I know it was the right thing to do because I wasn't in the right frame of mind to be holding him but that scares me.

McRoo you're doing great. It is SOOOO hard when they won't sleep, especially when you think they've cracked it then something changes.

I had exactly what you describe with DS1, including having to just walk away when I was scaring myself. Walking, slinging etc gets fresh air and daylight into both of you and gives you some exercise and endorphins.

With DS2 who is now just approaching 12wks I'm doing all I can to prioritise his sleep to avoid over-tiredness. That means I walked about 10k the other day and had him in a sling most of yesterday: it's draining, but made the night easier and is helpful for my thighs. It's tough with Ds1 around as there is somuch exciting stuff happening but hasto be done for the sake of all our sanities.

Btw I find really helpful an App call "the wonder weeks" - as in there are some weeks you wonder why you had them major developmental leaps in a babies' physical & mental capability at certain times, beyond standard growth spurts. There is one due about now... There is a book too but the app is cheaper, based on what sounds to my inexpert ear solid research and certainly followed it with DS1 although discovered it a bit later. Helpful when there is the "what on earth has happened to my baby??" question.