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12 week old constant early evening waking (7-11pm). FATEdestiny around?!

34 replies

crystalgall · 15/01/2016 15:15

DD 12 weeks is changing every week as expected. We went from all daytime naps in arms and refusal to sleep on back to sleeping on tummy in bed (not great I know but it was a revelation). Now she has 3-4 naps a day ranging from 30-2 hrs sometimes!

However evening has gone tits up. I used to be able t get her down from 8ish-11pm dream feed. She used to be rocked to sleep with dummy and put down.

However she has been able to settle for naps with just the dummy and sometimes for nights too.

The last week it's all
Gone to pot. She goes down earlier around 7.30 but is up constantly wih in 20 mins and usually 10-30 mins on and off until dream feed at 10.30-11. It is exhausting. We just spend all evening up and down.

She's quiet as long as we pat her bum constantly but I can hear her sucking dummy furiously and generally restless. She doesn't seem capable f going off in to a deep sleep.

Nights are varied. She can go from 11 to 2-3am and then between 6-8am.

I read abou night wakings but hardly anything out there about this early evening nonsense!

Any advice?

FATE i see you a lot on these boards. Help please!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
FATEdestiny · 20/01/2016 20:45

Evening fussiness is normal. I wouldn't bother with an upstairs bedtime at all. Baby is only 12 weeks and doesn't need it.

Continue daytime napping downstairs with you (in bouncer, or whatever you use for daytime naps). Feed nap, feed nap, feed nap.

FATEdestiny · 20/01/2016 20:46

in the bouncer again on her tummy

That is exceptionally dangerous.

crystalgall · 20/01/2016 20:57

Sorry. Not completely on her tummy. She's sort of sideways. She won't sleep facing up at all. She wants to snuffle into something. And it's how she sleeps in bed.
I never leave her so can see what's going on. It's not ideal though I know Sad

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crystalgall · 20/01/2016 20:59

I know yu are right about just letting her feed and nap but I can't help feel she just NEEDS to be in bed and have a proper bedtime. It's not rational but I feel if I don't make her do it from now she jus wont get it later.

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Blooming69 · 20/01/2016 21:04

You need to establish a routine pronto. Your baby's daytime naps should be structured properly (wake baby up if they are sleeping for too-long periods). Read Contended Little Baby by Gina Ford. It is fantastic.

Blooming69 · 20/01/2016 21:07

OP, a baby's feeds (especially FF which should never be demand-led) should be structured. Wake baby at 7am and feed her, structure her naps and follow the feed times advised by Gina Ford. Your baby will soon know the difference between day & night, I promise. Do it now.

FATEdestiny · 20/01/2016 21:14

I can't help feel she just NEEDS to be in bed and have a proper bedtime

She does. When she is older. She doesn't at 12 weeks old. Have you heard the saying "trying to run before you can walk"? You are trying to run a marathon before you can even stand up.

Proper bedtime will come crystalgall. It develops naturally. Your baby isn't ready at 3 or 4 months old. This is normal. 5 to 7 months old is normal.

Why are you wasting your time and stressing yourself going up and down the stairs? When she's ready for bedtime, you'll be able to put her to bed, spend 10 minutes or so settling then enjoy the rest of your evening uninterrupted. She's not ready yet - so what are you gaining by unnaturally forcing it?

Just drop this expectation because this insistence on bedtime could well end up creating you far more problems in the long run.

She wants to snuffle into something

Sounds like she would like a comforter toy/blankie type thing. Have you got one to give her?

crystalgall · 29/01/2016 17:58

DD is 15 weeks on Monday and our issue continues.

She's been doing really well and does all naps upstairs. They can last from 45min to over 2 hours and yet early evening wake ups continue.

I'm loathe to keep her downstairs from 7-11 because I know she can sleep up there easily. She does it every day.

So I keep going with bedtime routine and put her down. And she's still awake within 45 min. Sometimes reinsertion of dummy works. Sometimes patting works. Sometimes patting makes it worse.

Any other ideas? Esp about what I might be doing wrong?
(I'm just here for a moan really)

Blooming. Wish Gina Ford worked for me. But it really doesn't.

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crystalgall · 29/01/2016 17:59

I know I'm totally ignoring you FATE. I don't mean to and you're prob right. And yet I'm still doing the same old.
A bouncer won't really work as she can't do more than 20 mins in it at a time.
Oh and she does have a soft toy but she
Doesn't seem to want to hold it

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