12 week sleep regression & swaddle question

natalie559 · December 2014

Hi Moms! My 13 week old started having some major sleep regression about 10-12 days ago. Previously for at least 6-8 weeks she's woken up only once a night, then for a few nights woke zero times. She's now waking 2-3 times per night, only sleeping about 3 hours at a time. When it started I caught a cold around that time so thought maybe she didn't feel good. When she would wake up I would feed her, she seemed hungry, then she went right back to sleep so I started thinking maybe it's a 12 week growth spurt. The waking continued so I starting thinking maybe she is waking up frustrated that she's fully swaddled, so I've been putting her in the sleep sack with her arms out. She is still waking up so I thought maybe I should try putting her back in the full swaddle, although she seems to really like sleeping with her arms up by her head.

So my questions are does any have a similar experience or have any idea why such a different change in her night time sleeping pattern now? For those that swaddled at night are you continuing to do so? If not when did you stop and how? I read online that around 3-4 months you should stop swaddling. . .

This momma is sleepy!!

knottie7ace63e861c80b99 · December 2014

I stopped swaddling mine at 2 months. But I do notice he wakes more frequently toward morning. he always sleeps the first 4-5 hrs and then he wakes several times before morning. I think they are getting more will power to stay awake cuz he fights naps also. I think it will get better soon

Tch4lfe · December 2014

My daughter has always had sleeping problems and didn't care for the swaddle because she liked her arms out. We have found the Merlins Magic Sleep Suit to be a great transition from the swaddle! Good luck!

mana8503 · December 2014

We were swaddling with arms out since 1 month after she somehow figured out how to Houdini an arm out of the sleeve and through her neck opening. But now we just put her in the sleep sack just after 2 months. I think she was over swaddles anyway so there was no change to sleep. We had the growth spurt around week 11, but it only lasted 3-4 days, nothing like you're describing. Growth spurt into a leap maybe?

pshaortao · December 2014

There's a growth spurt around 3 months and a developmental leap about 12.5 to 13.5 weeks after the original due date. It gets better after than until the next leap two weeks later

hadeelb · December 2014

My LO is 15 weeks today and we have had a bad sleep pattern start about 1.5 weeks ago. He's was up 1 or 2 times a night but now up almost every 1-2 hours after an initial 3-4 hour stretch and he had dropped his evening nap so he's awake for 2-3 hours before going to bed. I have tried to get him to nap at that time but he just refuses with all his might! I think we are in the 4th leap which is a looooong one!!! Urg...I feel your pain!

favretk · December 2014

The exact same thing is happening with my LO! She was doing 5 hrs and then 4 hrs back to back and it was amazing!...and for the past almost 2 weeks it's been no longer than 3.5. She turned 3 months 2 days ago, and I also went back to work last week so I don't know if it's cuz of that or growth spurt/leap.

RedBaramid · December 2014

On average, we only wake up once per night, and then usually 3 hours later in the early morning. We still swaddle (She'll be 3 mnths old on Sunday) when she really fights sleep or has a tummy ache, otherwise she loves her sleep sacks(So right now a lot since we're leaping but otherwise we'd gone over a week without use). I've also read you should stop swaddling at 3-4 months but I've also read that your baby will tell you when they are ready to stop being swaddled, so we are going to continue to swaddle for as long as it fits and she seems to enjoy/need it. I honestly don't think you should stop swaddling just because they are "an age" if they find it comforting and it helps them sleep, then by all means, swaddle away. I basically swaddle myself in a blanket every night, why would I deny that pleasure to my child?