What to do when she just doesn't want to go back to sleep in the night?

[KelaH]

Hi all. DD is 13 weeks, and until recently was reliable sleeping 10-6 overnight. However in the last week or so she has started going to sleep at 7pm and sleeping for several hours, waking up unpredictably at various points during the night. Sometimes she will go back to sleep no problem, but other times she is just not interested in sleeping - doesn't cry, just is obviously awake and making noise.

For instance, last night she woke up at 12.30, I fed her but she didn't go back to sleep. Tried putting her back in her basket to go back to sleep, but she was just babbling and kicking and totally awake, so I got her up and came into the living room (and went on MN!), and waited until she was a bit more tired and I could get her back to sleep - we eventually went to bed at 2.15 .

I do keep the lights low, don't play with her etc, and am not sure what else I can do to get her to go back to sleep quicker - any advice?

Unfortunately getting her up is prob not a wise thing to do as it just re-inforces the behaviour.

Leave her in her basket babbling and kicking and being totally awake - she may have been going to chunter herself back to sleep.

Are you ff or bf? Increase the amount of feed offered by putting her to both breasts twice! If ff increase the amount of formula in the bottle?

I am bf, I've tried feeding her more but she has recently started screaming if I offer her the breast when she isn't hungry. Leaving her in the basket causes two problems - she will wake DH who has to get up at 6 for work, and she wriggles out of her swaddling, to the point that it goes over her head which isn't good. Will try it tonight though as DH doesn't have to get up till 9am.

She's maturing so falling asleep may take longer now - sometimes it takes me ages to drop off and sometimes I just lie down and it's the morning! Her way of going to sleep amy involve being awake for a little while first.

Can you feed her with the lights off yet? You might find a plug in low light better than bedside light - they just give out a sort of orange glow!

Good luck for tonight.

Oh yeah, I feed with lights off, (very handy streetlight right outside!!). Just so frustrating - just when I think I know what she is doing/wants, it all changes!!