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Next steps for better sleep at 3 months

3 replies

Charlotte390 · 28/10/2024 14:04

My baby has just turned 3 months and is possibly starting her sleep regression - I say possibly because she's never been an amazing sleeper apart from the first 4 weeks or so. Until now we've been quite lax with no routine as such, just partner taking her late evenings and early mornings so I can get some extra hours in. She's EBF, and I've been feeding to sleep to get through the newborn stage (although want to change this in the coming weeks).

Usually she comes to bed around 10.30 having had a contact sleep for an hour or so on my partner and a change. Then I feed again, and cosleep for maybe 2-3 hours. I feed, and then she wakes every hour until 5ish at which point she becomes quite active. Sometimes I can get her back to sleep and put her in her crib next to the bed for another hour, sometimes I just let her sleep on me. Then DP gets up with her.

Her daytime naps are generally contact naps unless she lets us put her in a bassinet (usually this is only through a growth spurt sleepy stage).

I'm trying to get her used to sleeping in her crib more but at the moment she wakes after a few minutes and cries any time she's put in there (drowsy but awake results in immediate tears). I've tried picking up/putting back down but this seems to get her more aggravated each time. I'm also trying to introduce a vague routine (feed, change, dim lights, cuddle), but it tends to end with another feed to calm her after multiple times trying to put her down.

I guess what I want to know is should I be getting her used to the crib with her daytime naps now, and if so how do I do this? Or is it too early still? I don't want to do CIO, and think she's probably too young for even gentle sleep training, right? Today I've just been messing up every nap she takes by trying to place her in the crib after which she immediately wakes and cries.

I don't mind cosleeping, but finding it trickier now it's colder, and would ideally like her in her own bed next to ours. I also get pawed at all night long because she's at eye level with my boobs so it's not actually that restful for either of us! (I usually feed lying down in the night but it becomes uncomfortable, then I sit up once or twice too).

Sorry, not the most linear question but I basically want to start helping her sleep better if I can!

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Bobbybobbins · 28/10/2024 14:44

Your experience sounds very similar to mine at that age. I ended up cosleeping and having naps on me/in pram/car til 6 months old when I felt they were ready for sleeping on their own.

We did do some gentle sleep training then. Once they were able to fall asleep not on the boob, they started also having day time naps in their cot.

Personally I think 3 months is too young. Some babies at this age will be able to settle themselves and sleep alone but I don't think it is typical.

FamilyStrifeIsHard2Bear · 28/10/2024 15:03

I have found the beyond sleep training fb group and website really helpful to understand and set realistic expectations of normal infant sleep for my children

Charlotte390 · 28/10/2024 18:14

Great thanks both! Yes definitely agree that she's too young, and actually have done more reading today and have decided to put less pressure on it, take her lead and trust that she will be ready eventually. There's so much crap online I need to ignore 99% of it!

Will check out that FB group for sure

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