Wonder week, growth spurt, or something else???

pb_bride

DS is 2.5 months old (11 wk 2 d) and EBF.  He has been sleeping pretty well at night for the past 2 weeks, going for 5 or 6 hour stretches.  Earlier this week he had 4 nights in a row of 7 hour stretch!  He usually goes down at 8:30-9pm and wakes up once at 3:30-4am to nurse.

However, starting 2nights ago, BAM, he started waking up every 3 hours at night!  DH tried to soothe him by picking him up and rocking him, but DS ended up crying so I got up to nurse him.   

Last night he went down at 9pm, woke up at 12MN (I nursed), and again at 2:30am (I nursed again), and again at around 4:30am!  At that last waking, I ended up giving him a paci (we rarely use a paci) and he eventually calmed down and went back to sleep for 3 hours.

During the daylight hours, DS hasn't changed at all.  He isn't fussy (except when tired), and he isn't nursing more often.  He naps well too.

So what I'm wondering is, is this due to wonder week 12 (DS is 12w from due date), or is this the 3-month growth spurt that is 2 weeks early (but he isn't eating more during the day)?  Or some kind of sleep regression, though I read that it doesn't happen until 4 months? 

I just don't know if I should keep nursing him at night if he wakes, or try giving him the paci instead.  He nursed a full session both times last night.  I don't want him to go hungry if he is; yet I don't want to nurse him just because he's awake. 

Petunia844

I honestly have been much more relaxed since I stopped trying to "figure it all out."  Some nights LO sleeps well, some nights not so much... sometimes he just has a cranky day... as long as it's not a consistent problem where he seems to be in pain or super irritable I personally just don't worry about it.  Babies just change constantly... maybe it's a wonder week, maybe it's growth spurt, maybe he just doesn't feel like sleeping.  I dunno... I just feel like I'm more relaxed if I just roll with it. 

MadamePresident

We just got over a week and a half of nights where my little girl would wake up a few times to eat, which isn't normal for her. I just assumed she was growing or something.