Any ideas on DDs unusual behaviour?

[TerrysNo2]

DD (15 weeks) was sleeping 7-10 and 10.45-7 although odd wakings in the night due to growth spurt at 8 weeks, coming out of swaddle, dirty nappy etc.

The last 2 nights she has woken at 2am and 3.30am respectively just crying quietly (not like she usually does when she wakes) so I go in and offer her a feed which she will take half heartedly for 40 mins. Rather than falling asleep on me like she usually does with night feeds she stops wanting to feed and starts crying and arching her back. We tried rocking, walking, leaving her in her cot but she just cries and when we pick her up claws at me and DH.

After 2 hours the first night, and 1 hour last night we resorted to calpol and she fell asleep 10 minutes after having it and we've woken her both mornings at 8am and she is not really hungry.

I don't think its a growth spurt but I've no idea what's causing it.

Any ideas?

If she's not hungry in the morning it's unlikely to be a growth spurt... If the calpol is working could she be teething? If she's just crying quietly it could be she's woken and wants to go back to sleep but is either bothered by something a bit (teeth) or doesn't quite know how.

4 months is a classic time for sleep to start getting a bit rubbish as the development really starts to pick up and I think it's about the time the circadian rhythms cement and sleep cycle begins to lengthen (google it to ckeck timing). It sounds from your post that picking her up etc is not really helping - have you tried leaving her in her cot/crib/basket and just resting a hand on her instead? She's probably old enough to start appreciating reduced interaction, though it may take a while to get used to so if you decide to try you will need to be strong and hold firm for a few nights even if she cries. We had 2 months of trouble and at 5.5 months we sorted it, by that age DD was ready for no touching at all, just sitting next to her.

thanks for your reply fififrog she woke again last night at 3.30am and after changing a pooey nappy I put her back in her cot and just sat next to her, she kept drifting off but then waking again crying after a minute or two so I think she was in pain. 2.5m of calpol and 10 mins later she was asleep and stayed asleep!

I am assuming its teething atm!

I think the back arching is actually trying to get back to sleep. Try putting her down when she does that and either shush and stroke her. Check or just rest your hand on h so she knows you are there. This has worked for both my DCs

Sorry that should read shush and stroke her cheek or just rest your hand on her

Thats what I did last night AvaMaria - it did work eventually but only after calpol so I am sure she is in pain as she self settles really well the rest of the time.

Not looking forward to a repeat tonight but I have to remember that it will pass!

I think that I read a long time ago, that arching the back may be a sign of wind, could this be the case?

I agree scrivette- arching is usually wind/reflux related- does she burp when you pick her up?

Hi there!! My DD has 1 night Feed, and although I can her in 10 mins, I can end up being up a few hours cos of her terrible wind. If I can't get it up I just try to make her as comfy as possible. Sometimes on her back, sometimes upright!! ( which means on me, propped up in bed!!) the description sounds the same as my little one, and e plains why calpol works!? Xxx

On her side, not her back!! Xxx