Confused by DD sleep pattern (16weeks)

[HouseOfSix]

DD is a good sleeper and has been since birth, but I'm just slightly confused by her sleeping patterns overnight.

If she stays up with us until 10/11 and then goes down she often sleeps through until 5, quick feed then 8/9 before getting up for the day.

This was fine as a tiny baby as she was napping all day long but more recently she has been grizzly and tired from about 7pm so I've taken that as a sign she wants to go to bed earlier which seems natural. The problem is when she gets to sleep earlier (about 8pm) she will rouse at 2am and then every single hour thereafter. Sometimes 30-45 mins... she is rousing for comfort I think as she has a tiny feed and then drops off. For half an hour...

It happens every time. I feel like by trying to follow her natural cures that she wants to go to bed earlier, she's having worse overall sleep. Has anyone any suggestions?

There's a sleep regression at this age.

And feeding for comfort is perfectly normal.

Hi OP. My ds is 16 weeks old also and is in a good routine now which is as follows. Just posting as hopefully it'll help you out. We did similar with ds1 at this age too.
I find its hard for them to be awake more than 2 hours really at 4 months

6.30am - wake up
8am - nap
9am - wake up
10.30 - nap
11.30 - wake up
1.30 - nap
3pm - wake up
5pm - nap
5.30 - we wake him up
7pm - bedtime

He sleeps through the night. Not sure why your little one is waking through the night if she goes to bed earlier, but is she in a good nap pattern throughout the day?

Alternatively maybe she has her natural bedtime confused if she sometimes stays up late in which case u could try bringing it back by 30 mins a night gradually till she's used to it

We had having a similar problem too house. My ds is 15 weeks, he goes down at 7 and is sleeping until anywhere between 12 and 4 for a feed, this was getting later gradually but now is back to around 12.30. I don't mind this feed as he will go straight down but then ALWAYS stirs from about 3am until 5.30am when I give up and put him in with me for the last hour. Sometimes he just stirs every 20mins and I put his dummy (I know I know - reflux baby though) back in ad Infinitum, other times he fully cries and I do pupd. I never feed him as he's not hungry, he will wake at 6.15 normally and wait until 7 easily for his bottle. He just seems to want to 'get up' in the night and gets cross when he realises this isn't happening. Bahhh sorry I'm not offering advice, just moral support!! It's a regression and it will get better, this is my mantra at 4am every morning.

@WhyTheHeckMe what is your feeding routine in the day? Our routine is very similar to yours but wondered how much/often your baby feeds?

Thanks for the replies. We have no routine during the day really. I'm finding it hard to implement one as she has an older brother who we basically spend the day entertaining, taking to classes etc and she is just along for the ride. She's so placid and lovely she just grabs a nap when she can. I feel bad!

She went to bed at 7 last night and did ok, up every 2-3 hours but unfortunately the toddler got up at 4.30 and refused to go back to bed.

I've had two wonderful sleepers. I'm not used to this!

whytheheck

It is VERY normal for babies to wake, often frequently, during the night

Just because yours sleeps through does not mean we should expect them all to. This is how unrealistic expectations start and stress and 'should'

Hi my baby is nearly 16 weeks and I was finding the same with him wanting to go to bed earlier but then waking up hungry at 2 or 3. I don’t know if you’ve tried it but I’ve found a dream sleep useful. Between 10-10.30 I do his nappy (whether it’s wet or not) which makes him stir and then feed him. He feeds half asleep and I’ll leep tickling him so he keeps eating until he does 1 suck each tickle. It’s helped him go back to sleeping through til about 5.30-6am.

Arbrighton I've never suggested it's normal to sleep through.
My first ds was a terrible sleeper until we implemented a routine in the day and set a rigid bedtime also.
Then things improved dramatically.
The op asked for advice and I offered some.
The only thing I can think is that you misread this :

"Not sure why your little one is waking through the night if she goes to bed earlier, but is she in a good nap pattern throughout the day?"

Because by that I meant I don't know why her earlier bedtime means she wakes, as opposed to a later bedtime then resulting in not waking.