Is this just bad habit

[Notenoughhands]

My first ever post on MN and hoping you knowledgeable people will be able to advise me! My 17 week DD2 has, over the past month started waking every morning at about 3am. If this had always been the case I wouldn't be bothered but she had been sleeping through from 10-6ish for a couple of weeks before this happened so i have seen the light....! I started by feeding her (she is FF) and she would settle again then for 3 nights I just picked her up and she went back to sleep on me, only waking when I put her back in her cot so that makes me think she is waking out of habit rather than hunger? I've tried reducing the amount I give her and reducing the formula amount in the water but nothing seems to be working. Last night she woke at 3.30, snuffled around a bit letting out the odd cry so I then put the kettle on to warm her milk and the noise of the kettle sent her back to sleep. She weighs 15lbs and although is not a consistently good feeder during the day she normally catches up on the ounces at 6.30pm and 10.30pm feed. Anyone had an experience like this please?

All I can suggest is that you search on "4 month sleep regression" - it's really common for a baby who sleeps well to change the rules once they hit 4 months. (and 9/10/11months...and 18 months!!). Our baby only started sleeping through at 11 months but we heard of lots of others who had slept really well until they hit 4 months and it all went crazy.

Thanks very much for your response. I was dreading those 4 words but hope they are better than a habit! We have an 18 month old with virtually all her teeth so she has trained us well for painfully unsettled nights!! So exhausted, listening to DD2 now who is very much awake as went to bed early tonight.

Oh you poor thing. Our son is now 11 months and sleeps the whole night often but cries out in his sleep so I'm still waking up several times, adrenalin kicking in, etc only to find he's asleep! I'm sure things will change for you soon.