XP- waking/sucking... what is going on?
PhillyGal34
member
My DS is almost 5 months old actual/ 3 months adjusted for those on mobile. He was sttn. 9 to 10 hours a night from 3 to 4 months and before that and since then he's been waking up once a night. Suddenly the past few nights he's been waking up 2 or 3 times and he doesn't seem hungry. He just wants to pacify himself. He wakes up smacking or with his hand broken out of his swaddle to suck on it. He also has recently started needing to suck on something to fall asleep.
He never did this before but when I rock him to almost asleep he sucks on my biceps and then wakes up completely as soon as I put him down. He hated his paci until this week and only likes it when he's asleep or falling asleep now. Before this he always put himself to sleep. He has no signs of teething although I thought he might have been a few weeks ago I think it was just a spurt and he's not fussy at all so I don't think this a growth spurt. I miss my sleep! Help please! Also I don't want to rely on a paci if I don't have to.
Eta he just woke up and I tested him with the paci just to see. He took it and fell back asleep in 30 seconds. He's also obsessed with sucking on his hands all day.
Re: XP- waking/sucking... what is going on?
My lo is about the same age as yours. He has been sucking his hands a lot for the last few weeks (even his thumb sometimes). And my arm (or anyone else's that he can reach). He was never much of a paci boy but has really been enjoying it when he's falling asleep. But, I have been lucky with his sleeping. He has been sleeping like a champ for the last few weeks! I don't swaddle my lo. Maybe he's ready to have his arms out of the swaddle so he can suck his hands without having to wrestle them out.
Where is your lo sleeping? Mine is still in his r 'n p. The transition to his crib is not going very well.
Maybe I will try not swaddling him tonight and see... he is still in the co-sleeper but we want to move him to the crib. He naps there sometimes but doesn't seem to want to nap long anywhere! we need to set up his monitor in the nursery before we move him there though and I've been lazy doing that. I'm thinking I shouldn't move him and stop swaddling at the same time though... which should I do first??
You could try a one arm swaddle. We had to do that for awhile since my LO would fight out of the swaddle but couldn't sleep well completely unswaddled. My LO only took a paci to fall asleep but gave that up early on. Once she had an arm free she would start sucking/smacking on her hand, arm, fingers, etc. She still does that to help her fall asleep.
We ditched the swaddle first but only because I wasn't quite ready to have her in her own room. We did do the crib transition shortly after and there were no issues. We had been doing naps in her crib, we played in her room, changed her, rocked her, etc so she was very used to the area.
We actually all sleep better with her in her crib. She moves a ton so she has the space now which I think she likes.