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Posted by Stephanie on November 05, 2001 at 11:17:45:In Reply to: Help!! 3 1/2 mo. old only sleeps 3hrs. at night posted by Sleepless in Seattle on November 05, 2001 at 10:37:17:
If your child is wanting to eat at night, and goes back to sleep if you feed him, then by all means FEED HIM! You should NEVER keep a baby this age from eating at night, because this is a period of rapid growth. Your pediatrician should have told you to expect a growth spurt at about this age. This is totally NORMAL for a 3mo old baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics makes it clear that babies should be fed WHENEVER they show signs of hunger, even at night. (crying is a LATE sign of hunger, some signs include rooting, sucking fists, mouthing blankets, and general restlessness) This is very important for your child's health, as infants can receive up to 1/3 of their total nutritional intake through night feedings. Holding your child off by letting him cry is not going to solve the problem and could result in a condition known as "failure to thrive", where the child fails to recognise his own hunger signs and does not eat enough to grow properly.
NO sleep expert (including Ferber and Weissbluth) recommend letting a baby cry himself out under SIX MONTHS OLD. Before this age they are physically incapable of regulating their own sleep patterns by this method. (and many people believe that "crying it out it unecessary at any age!)
I seriously doubt your child's new sleeping pattern is related to your road trip, but is because he is GROWING! Your baby is not "spoiled", he is just responding to his body's changing needs. You don't have a sleep problem, you have a totally normal, hungry three month old. :-)
One thing that may help is to bring your baby to bed with you. This is a totally healthy practice that is common throughout the world. It is not a "bad habit" but a wonderful way for your baby to get the nutrition and skin to skin contact he needs, and for you to get more of the sleep YOU need! (Of course, you should not co-sleep if you take drugs, even things like Benedryl, that would dull your awareness of the baby in your bed, or if you drink, or smoke. Use common sense and don't have too much bedding or pillows, and don't co-sleep on a waterbed or couch. These are not much different from the precautions you take when you put a baby in a crib) Even if you are not breastfeeding, you can still get more sleep if you co-sleep, because you will wake before your baby is in full cry. This lets you feed him and get him back to sleep much faster. Many babies will refuse to eat if they have been crying for more than a few minutes, even if they are really hungry.
Another way would be to have him in a crib or bassinet right next to your bed (an arms-reach sleeper that attaches to your bed is a great idea!) This way you can hear your baby start to stir before he gets too upset.
I know that waking every 3 hours is difficult, but it is just part of being a parent. It will not last forever, and in fact, should probably pass in a month or two. However, I must tell you that if it does NOT pass, this is NORMAL, too! Some babies need night feedings much longer than others. There is nothing wrong with this, and it should not be discouraged. This is only the beginning of the many sacrifices and inconveniences you will experience as a parent, and it really helps to face it with a positive attitude. I used to look forward to those night-feedings as a special time I could spend with my baby, and I determined to be happy about it, because it was good for my baby. Now I can look back at those times, not as something I am glad is over, but as something I will always cherish.
Best wishes for you and your new baby!
Stephanie
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