Reply To: 3 month old sudden sleep problems

[Emma H]

Hi Caro,

Thanks for answering all of my questions!

Based on what you said I have a few suggestions:

Transitioning Out of the Swaddle

As your little one is rolling over from back to tummy, it’s important for safety reasons to transition him out of the swaddle and allow his arms to be free. This ensures that if he rolls onto his tummy while sleeping, he can use his arms to reposition himself and free his face if needed, which helps protect his breathing.

It’s also worth noting that once he starts rolling onto his stomach, he may begin to prefer sleeping in that position. If that happens, continue placing him in the crib on his back to start and let him find a comfortable position on his own. Just make sure his crib is completely free of any stuffed toys, bumpers, or loose items like blankets to ensure a safe sleep environment.

The adjustment to being out of the swaddle can take anywhere from 3–7 nights, during which his sleep might be disrupted. During this transition, it’s important to avoid introducing new settling techniques (like feeding him to sleep if you didn’t previously do this), as he may start to rely on these methods to fall asleep.

Teething

If you suspect teething, the discomfort typically lasts only a few days, and pain relief medication can help alleviate the pain. Look for signs of teething, like a bluish or grey cyst on his gums where a tooth is about to break through. However, if there’s no cyst and he seems generally happy during the day when awake, it’s likely not teething causing the sleep disruptions.

Feeding Tips

To help increase his daytime feeds, you could try this approach: after he wakes from a nap, take him into a bright room to fully wake him up. Once he’s been awake for about 10 minutes, move to a darker, quieter room for feeding. Since his sleep pressure will be low right after a nap, he’s unlikely to fall asleep during the feed, and the darker room will minimise distractions, helping him focus and feed for longer. This routine can also help you implement the wake, feed, play, sleep cycle more consistently.

Also, I am not sure if you’re breastfeeding but if you are, something to note is that the time he spends breastfeeding isn’t always a true indicator of how much milk he’s getting. Babies can often be very efficient at feeding and may drink a substantial amount in as little as 5 minutes, while others may take longer. If his feeds are shorter but he’s gaining weight, having multiple wet nappies each day, and his stool isn’t hard, it’s a good sign he’s getting enough milk.

Pooping Overnight

Unfortunately, this is something that tends to resolve with time. The gastro-colic reflex triggered by feeding can cause bowel movements overnight. As his circadian rhythm matures, his body will begin to sync, and nighttime pooping should reduce. For now, continue with the wake, feed, change, feed, sleep routine during the night.

Screaming When Entering the Room for Naps

This could be a sign that he’s not yet tired enough to fall asleep. When he starts complaining, try changing the scenery—swap toys, go to a different room, or take him outside. If he calms down, it’s likely boredom rather than tiredness and keeping him up for longer would be helpful. If he continues to fuss, he may be ready for a nap.

Maintain a Consistent Wake-Up Time
You mentioned that 6:30 a.m. is his usual wake-up time. To help with the timing of his naps, try to keep this wake-up time consistent, allowing for a 30-minute window if needed.

If possible, aim for his first nap to start around 8:30 a.m. This would give him about 2 hours of awake time before the nap, which is ideal for helping him settle. At nap time, take him to his crib and use the Settling Pyramid technique to help him fall asleep.

The first nap of the day is usually the easiest for babies to settle into, so establishing this routine can set a positive tone for the rest of his sleep schedule.

Using the Pacifier

If you find that you’re constantly needing to pop the pacifier back in and it’s interfering with his ability to fall asleep, it may be time to help him learn to fall asleep without relying on it. Here’s how you can approach this:

1. Let him suck on the pacifier while you complete the nap routine to help him relax.
2. At the end of the nap routine, lay him in his crib with the pacifier still in his mouth.
3. Use the Settling Pyramid technique to help him drift off.
4. Just before he falls asleep, gently remove the pacifier by placing your little finger between the pacifier and the corner of his mouth. This breaks the seal, allowing you to remove it without too much disruption.

For some babies, this method works beautifully, and they fall asleep without the pacifier. For others, it may cause stirring or full waking. If removing the pacifier causes him to fully wake up, you have two options:

1. Continue Using the Pacifier
   If the pacifier is working overall and the occasional need to pop it back in isn’t too disruptive, you can continue using it. Simply replace it as needed until he falls asleep.

2. Eliminate the Pacifier Completely
   If you’d prefer to phase out the pacifier entirely, start by consulting your pediatrician to ensure it’s safe to stop, as pacifiers are associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Adjusting the Nap Routine
I was also wondering if you would be happy to adjust your nap routine slightly to:

Turn off the lights and close the blinds to create a calm, dark environment. This can minimise distractions and help signal to him that it’s time for sleep.

Next, put him in his sleeping bag and offer the pacifier. Cuddle with him briefly on the bed, but be mindful not to let him fall asleep during this time. As, a quick nap during cuddling can reduce his sleep pressure, making it harder for him to settle fully when placed in the crib.

Turn on white noise and sing a lullaby while standing and gently rocking.

Once he’s calm, place him in the crib and use the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep.

If settling him in the bedroom is challenging (in that he screams as soon as you enter the room), you could put him in his sleeping bag and offer the pacifier in another room, like the living room. Then walk around with him for a few minutes to help him calm down, and then transition to the bedroom to complete the nap routine.

Do you think these things are manageable?
Emma