need advice on what to work on

[jwynne]

I've always had to either rock with paci or breastfeed to sleep my dd who is now 16 weeks.  Lately I can put her down in crib with paci and she drifts of herself not always but 80% of the time.  The problem is she rarely naps for more than 45 min unless i pick her up and rock her or breastfeed her to extend the nap.  Also nights are not that great either. 

She goes to bed around 7:30

sleeps till 11:30 when she wakes up and wants her paci

wakes at 1:30 to eat

wakes at 3:am for paci

Wakes at 5:30 to eat

wakes at 6:30 to eat again won't take paci

sleeps till 7:30

Also she takes naps in the crib and sleeps in the crib till 1:30 am at night but after that feeding she won't go back in the crib.  I try for up to 3 or 4 times to put her back but she wakes up 5 min later and after 40 min to an hour of that I give up and bring her to my bed.  which is a mattress on the floor next to the crib in her room.

Now I don't know what to work on first is she really hungry again at 6:30 after eating an hour before?  should i cut out that feeding? 

Also I've been reading the "no cry sleep solution"  and am wondering if it's worth it to work on the gentle nipple removal or should i keep the paci to phase out feedings in the future.  I'm hoping she can replug herself at 6 months old or so.  Also don't know what's up with the no crib past 1:30 am situation.  I kind of don't mind because she wakes up so much towards morning I kind of like her in my bed so I don't have to get up.  Don't really know what to do any advice.  As long as I can get myself to sleep pretty fast I don't feel that tired in the morning but I have nights where I can't fall asleep before she wakes up again and those nights suck.

[skycheattraffic]

If she doesn't take the paci, I'd just nurse her. In fact I find nursing much easier so I'd just nurse, period. At 14 weeks she is very little and breastmilk digests very fast so I'm not surprised she would want to nurse again. Nursing btw is a lot more than providing food; it quenches baby's thirst (important to keep her well hydrated in the summer) and provides comfort at a very deep level. If you have a good rhythm going with her spending some time in the crib, I would keep that and just take her to your bed at the 5:30 wake up (or even earlier) and just sleep through her nursings. It is impossible to over feed a nursing baby. She will take what she needs when she needs it and drift off to sleep. Cosleeping for more time each night might give you a better rest. I tried the no cry sleep solution but things improved for us a bit and I just nurse my 15.5 month old down whenever she wakes at night. She's up an average of four times a night but nursing her down is the quickest way back to sleep. I'd love to cosleep more with her but she's too active -even while asleep- and on a bad night she sleeps on my lap while I nap in a recliner.

[jwynne]

i would nurse more but I think she has reflux and the more she eats at night the more she wakes up.  she ingest so much air when she nurses and if i am unable to burp her ( i try for up to 40 min sometimes) she wakes up with spit up. She also refuses to nurse sometimes. and i have to give her paci.  the funny thing is sometimes she needs paci for 30 sec before she accepts boob - so weird my husband and i laugh when i showed him.  Im going to doc on monday to talk to him about her eating.  she only stays on breast for 6 min and eats about every 2 h during the day.  She gets lots of hiccups and needs to be burped pretty much all day long. 
 

[babybluebirds]

My little one is 16 weeks and doing the same thing. For a few weeks he was sleeping in his crib till 6am. Those days are already long gone!!

I simply bring him into bed with us as soon as he wakes otherwise he wakes even more and l just can't be sleep settling at that time of night. He has been waking this week again between 3 and 4 for a feed. We cosleep again after that feed and he sleeps for another 3 hours. We then feed again and are up for the morning. About an hour after he is the sling and naps in there for a couple of hours or more. He will not nap in the crib and l do worry about the day he is too heavy for the sling.

No answers... just that you are not alone. ((hugs))

[transylvania_mom]

Wow, you have a really avid nurser, OP! I understand what you are going through, I've been there myself, and it's not easy. I would take the baby in bed with me, that way you may sleep or rest while she's nursing.

I would really NOT ask your pediatrician for feeding advice, unless my baby was FTT. You might risk him telling you to let your baby cry, or give her formula, or that you don't have enough milk (I've heard this story so many times). I also would not bother burping a BF baby.

My dd would not nap more than 30min-45min at that age, and continued to do so for the first 8 months. Now at nearly 3 she has a solid 3 hour nap, and I didn't do anything to contribute to this schedule.

My point is, this might be your baby's natural sleeping pattern, and it will get better in time. I wouldn't mess with it. You can *encourage* her to sleep more, but you shouldn't force her by cutting out feedings etc. Keep up the good work!