How do you know what's optimum?
Hi, our 6.5-month-old daughter used to be a pretty good sleeper from about 2 to 5 months. Since turning 5 months however, things deteriorated pretty much overnight. She's gone from waking one to two times per night to 3-5. I know this can be perfectly normal and may pass in time, but I also want to be sure that we've thought of everything we can to try and improve it any sooner. So thought I'd share what we're currently doing here just to see if anyone's got any ideas - because I'm sick of hearing my parents tell me it's time to move her into her own room and close the door. Any thoughts appreciated. Thank you!
07:30 wake her for the day. We almost always have to wake her but very occasionally she might be up 10 or 15 minutes before this by herself
During this window we have introduced having breakfast since about 5.5 months old and she seems to really enjoy it
About 10: 00, nap one either in the pram on the way to going somewhere or I feed her to sleep and put her down in her Next to Me. In both cases not hard to get her to sleep. Most often 30 to 40 minutes. Wakes quiet and content. I rarely wake her unless we have somewhere to be
About 1:00 p.m. nap 2 pretty much always in pram. Again not hard to get her to sleep, usually 30-40 minutes and wakes quiet and content.
4:30 to 5:00 p.m. nap 3 in pram or car. Up to 30 minutes depending on how much sleep she's had earlier in the day and exactly what time it has fallen. Try to protect at least a 2.5 hour wake window for bed. I know this is a little short but on days where it's been longer she hasn't slept any better and the alternative seems to be just missing out nap three entirely which doesn't feel like a good idea
Total day sleep is between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, at around 80% of the time will be less than 2. She seems to manage fine on this and we haven't had any dysregulated spirals in months.
After she wakes from nap three we have a solid tea. I usually try and make sure there is 2 hours between that and her going to bed. Again sheseems to love it. I breastfeed just before to make sure she isn't just filling up on solids though.
She has been exclusively breastfed however we are trying to introduce some formula feeds so that my husband can do more. Most often he does this as the final feed before her bedtime routine because of his work pattern. We leave at 10 to 15 minute burp window afterwards
7:30 p.m. bedtime routine, bath pyjamas cuddle
8:00 p.m. breastfed to sleep and transferred to cot
Currently, she is most often waking around 11:00 p.m. 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. At 5:00 I just bring her into bed with me to try and protect the last few hours of sleep for us all. In between these times she also does a fair bit of stirring. If it looks like she is going to wake we turn the Rockit on attached to her Next to Me which seems to soothe her and prevent full waking. Usually that 11:00 p.m. wake she seems disgruntled whereas the other wakes she is more babbly and content. We have been trying to use other means to get her back to sleep if it has been less than 3 hours since she went to bed, but invariably I end up having to feed her. This isn't hard to do and often she's actually only awake for 5ish minutes before she's clearly back asleep on me.
The other slight issue we have is that she is about to outgrow her next to me. We have a wooden cot for her but wouldn't be able to use the Rockit on this so are reluctant to move her into it until we're not using that as much.
In terms of obvious development, since the sleep deteriorated, she's begun sitting, is working on some teeth (although it doesn't seem to suffer that much from this just now and I can't actually see any yet). No rolling.
I know her sleep is within the realms of normal and many people have it harder but I'm very tired and we just appreciate any ideas. Thank you