Argh! Trying NCSS and now waking every 5 mins!

[momma-z]

Please help. My almost-5-month-old began waking every hour a couple weeks ago. At first, I'd nurse him back to sleep as usual, but after awhile that stopped working so well and I wouldn't be able to pull him off. I started trying NCSS at bedtime, pulling him off my nipple before he was completely asleep, which works after a few tries, and putting him in his cradle next to our bed. But for the past couple nights he's been waking up every 5-10 minutes!!! Even if I let him completely fall asleep on my breast out of desperation he's up every 5-10 minutes until I go to bed and bring him into bed with me (and then he wakes up every hour or so until morning). I can't go to bed at 6:30 with him, and honestly I don't want to. While I like cosleeping for part of the night (say, from 2:00-6:30) I don't want to do it for the whole night. What am I doing wrong? Has anyone else tried NCSS and seen a setback before things improve? Is this a normal thing for a nearly-5 month old, something that will improve on its own?

[Louisep]

I don't really have any advice but I feel bad that no one has replied to you.

NCSS didn't work for us and DS went through a normal sleep regression at the same age that lasted for quite a few months. At his worst though he was waking every 1-2 hours so I don't have experience with the every 5-10 minute wakings.

Have you considered the usual suspects - growth spurt or teething? Do you think your supply is okay? (No real reason to suspect there's a problem, just wonder if there could be a correlation with the more frequent nursing). Have you changed anything like his clothing? Washing detergent? Is he on the verge of a developmental milestone?

You're certainly not doing anything wrong. It's a really common age for sleep to go downhill and if it were every 1-2 hours, I would say learn to sleep (or at least rest) nursing, cosleep and nap at every opportunity until it passes.

Hopefully someone will reply who has had experience with the more frequent waking.

How long has it been going on for?

[momma-z]

Thanks, Louisep. A few weeks ago he went from sleeping three hours in a row, to sleeping only 1.5 hours in a row, and about a week ago he went to waking every 45 minutes (the length of a sleep cycle, I think). The 5-10 minute waking (sometimes 15 minutes or so, tonight) has just been going on for a few days. I don't know if supply is the problem, but he doesn't fuss that much at other times of the day or even later in the night (wee hours of the morning) and I still see milk coming out after he pulls off my nipple or I pull him off.

My husband is responding to his waking every 3rd time right now - it takes him much longer to get him back to sleep - but it doesn't make him sleep any longer.

Were you able to do anything to improve your LO's sleep or did it improve on its own? Did it improve all of a sudden, or was it a gradual thing?

[Louisep]

Originally Posted by momma-z

Were you able to do anything to improve your LO's sleep or did it improve on its own? Did it improve all of a sudden, or was it a gradual thing?

I wish I could point to a magic bullet, but I think it was just a gradual improvement. He is really active - never stops moving - and is high needs, and I think poor sleep just comes with the territory.

I tried NCSS for a long time, maybe it helped some. I tried a lot of different things (earlier bedtime, later bedtime, more naps, fewer naps, elimination diets, colder room temp, warmer room temp), and nothing seemed to make a difference. Constantly trying to figure out what the problem was just drove me slightly neurotic I think! Eventually I just had to accept it and learn how to get the most sleep for myself.

Is your LO crying and if so, in what way? I know it's hard to tell sometimes but I'm wondering if he's in pain, it really could be teething. Have you tried any pain relievers? It might be worth doing so just to see if it makes a difference. It's interesting that he sleeps marginally better when you're in the bed. He might be having separation anxiety as well as whatever else is going on.

Hang in there and look through some old posts - there have been some recently from mothers whose babies are waking frequently in the night.

[FiveZip]

I concur with Louisep. You are not doing anything wrong.

My DD has always been a light sleeper, but slept fairly well (waking every 2 hours to BF) until she turned 4 months old. That is when she started teething and her sleeping pattern went downhill. She became a late riser in the morning, around 10am, and at night, would not go to bed until 2am. DH and I used to say at loud, "2 out of 3 of us are ready for bed!" She also woke up as soon as I put her in the bassinett after falling asleep BFing, becoming an ultra light sleeper. Luckily, I am a SAHM and DD is my only child. I caught up on sleep during the day with her. I decided that she would adjust her sleeping when she is ready so I never pushed her to sleep earlier.

Growth spurts REALLY seem to affect my DD. She does wake up often, even now at 17 months. We bed-share (ever since the change in sleeping pattern - it was easier for me) and still BF at night as well. It seems to take weeks before she settles into a pattern of sleeping a bit longer at a time (loosely speaking, since there is always something new that changes her behavior). Even though I get frustrated as well during these times, I try to let it ride and wait for the phase to pass.

We never tried NCSS so I can't help you there. I believe as long as you have ruled out medical reasons, he should be fine. Perhaps, you might want to delay using the NCSS method until later, and watch how he behaves in the weeks to come. The NCSS may have had nothing to do with the waking 5-10 minutes if it's due to teething/growth spurt. Some babies, like my daughter, are more sensitive to changes, and maybe they need the comfort of being next to mama during these times. Good luck!