Stumped -- baby sleeps 45 minutes and then is awake...

IlliniQT · September 2011

So I am looking for suggestions, have tried basically everything you ladies have suggested and nothing has worked.

LO goes to bed, usually drowsy after nursing, falls asleep immediately, and then without fail is awake 40-50 minutes later. We have a pretty established routine down for bedtimes, and had worked 5-6 weeks in a row. And then suddenly stopped.

The latest thing we tried was increasing the temperature in the nursery since this all started 2 weeks ago when it got cold in IL. So we bought an oil heater (which pedi said was safe) and a digital thermometer that shows us the temperature in his nursery outside of his room so we could monitor it and make sure it doesn't get too warm, and tonight, same deal. Up in 50 minutes on the nose!

We have tried putting him to sleep awake or sound asleep, swaddled and unswaddled, paci and no paci, we keep the evenings quiet and have tried bedtimes from 6pm-11pm. I have never been so stumped, and everyone around me, including the pedi is stumped too.

I am pretty sure it has something to do with him not transitioning into the next sleep cycle, and I read online it may be because he's uncomfortable, but I can't figure out what about him is uncomfortable. Once he does fall asleep for the night, he sleeps well waking every 4-6 hours to nurse and goes right back to sleep after that.

I am trying to roll with it, and not get frustrated but sometimes it's really hard. I go back to work in 2 weeks and if we're still working with these type of evenings it's going to be really hard.

I know I am reaching to get any more suggestions, but I am hoping maybe I'll catch someone's attention who has been through something similar and may have some ideas.

Thanks ladies!

lauti · September 2011

Google the 45 minute intruder. It's how long a baby's sleep cycle is.

There are a couple of strategies that people use to try to help it along, one being wake to sleep. I believe the rationale is that you go in a few minutes before they usually wake and rustle them gently, maybe put the paci back in etc... and they transition into the next sleep cycle without waking. I'm sure Google will be more help.

Stef611 · September 2011

I remember my DS did this when he was little for naps and yes your are right about the 45 min sleep cycle . I think I found in the baby whisperer books about a method where when it his 40 min you automatically go up there and wait - as soon as you see him stir and begin to wake you shush , pat , or just hold you hand on them to maintain them in their sleep cycle . I hope this makes sense . Good luck and I believe there are baby whisperer forums where they discuss this as well .

IlliniQT · September 2011

We are already doing wake to sleep, and it hasn't helped. Thanks for the info though, I will work on some of the other techniques -- thanks again!

Marcilene1 · September 2011

I don't pretend to be an expert, but I was going through this for about 6 weeks and also tried everything. I wound up just wearing my baby and walking around the neighborhood for hours trying to get her to sleep and stay asleep. I was going crazy! It's all getting better now, all on its own. Give it time...It will get better!

IlliniQT · September 2011

chrismo1013:
I don't pretend to be an expert, but I was going through this for about 6 weeks and also tried everything. I wound up just wearing my baby and walking around the neighborhood for hours trying to get her to sleep and stay asleep. I was going crazy! It's all getting better now, all on its own. Give it time...It will get better!

Thanks so much for the encouragement -- when did it start for your LO and when did your LO finally start getting over it?

Marcilene1 · September 2011

It started around two months and it just started getting better one week ago when she was 14 weeks old. Actually in this one week (Sunday to Sunday) she just has begun to show a pattern of developing 3 naps a day (still short, but getting longer and not nearly as cranky in between), she is now all of a sudden interested in her toys, babbling more, liking the car when she used to hate it, etc. I wore her all the time, fed on demand, bed shared and was so worried that I was setting myself up for disaster, but just the opposite I was setting her up to feel secure and I'm so glad that I trusted my instincts. Hang in there, you don't have far to go! (Although, believe me I know it can feel like forever!)

IlliniQT · September 2011

I really appreciate the support -- sometimes you just need a reminder that this too shall pass, and I'm still doing a good job!

goodykt · September 2011

I hate this for you, I keep reading your posts and don't have any suggestions, but maybe you're trying too hard, ya know? Not sure if it's the same with a baby but happens in life. So maybe if you back off it, everything will balance out? I don't know and don't mean to sound "smarty" cause I sure don't mean it that way. These little humans sure are mind boggling!!! Good luck, hope it all works out ASAP for you!!!

MrsL.inMarch · September 2011

My honest guess is a hungry belly. We tried everything, 45 min intruder, warmer, colder, sound machine, everything. The only thing that finally broke the cycling was supplementing with a bottle (pumped milk or formula). I would breastfeed, then see if you can get another ounce or two in.

hepcats · September 2011

Totally random but I just thought of this: have you tried adding a nightlight?

catie333 · September 2011

goodykt:
I hate this for you, I keep reading your posts and don't have any suggestions, but maybe you're trying too hard, ya know? Not sure if it's the same with a baby but happens in life. So maybe if you back off it, everything will balance out? I don't know and don't mean to sound "smarty" cause I sure don't mean it that way. These little humans sure are mind boggling!!! Good luck, hope it all works out ASAP for you!!!

this actually was the case for us. Maybe he could sense my frustration, maybe it was his age, I'm not sure but as soon as I started taking a more lax apprach to sleeping and not timing, stressing, counting cumulative hours, getting frustrated and doing everythign under the sun to get him to sleep---it all worked out. I put him to sleep drowsy but awake. For naps- if he yawns once, I put him down. For nighttime I swaddle, use sound (lullaby or hearbeat/womb), paci and I put my hand on his belly and "jiggle" him to sleep. If he wakes a little while later, I replace paci and jiggle some more. i also found that if his sound machine is on a timer and cuts off too early in his sleep cycle, he wakes. So I just let it stay on...

As other posters said- sometimes it is just somethign they have to grow out of and it's not you. You are doing a great job!

Want a personalized experience?

Stumped -- baby sleeps 45 minutes and then is awake...

Re: Stumped -- baby sleeps 45 minutes and then is awake...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards