5 mo baby snacking all night!

[nerdymum]

We have a 5 month old DD. She is a lovely baby, rarely cries. After the newborn stage she settled into a great routine with a cluster feed in the evening, another one between 2-3am and then a morning one around 6, followed by a nap until 7.30-8.

Those were the good times! Then we had the 4 month regression, and all went out the window. Now we seem to have a night time snacker and I'm knackered all the time.

Now she goes to sleep around 7 after a cluster feed (sometimes feed-nap-feed) and wakes up every 30 mins, sometimes she settles with pu/pd and a song, others need a bit of mummy dummy. Same in the night. She wakes up every hour from 3am until 7 to snack a little and then pass out. Around 7 she would have a proper morning feed

We are co-sleeping at the moment as the 4 month regressiom was bonkers. I want to move her into her cot (Snuzpod) but she wakes up every time we try to move her.

I'm scared we are creating really bad habits and also I'm supertired and cranky all the time!

Any advice is welcome, although please understand that I won't try CIO, or at least just yet.

[Windthebloodybobbinup]

Hi
No magic solutions as my 5 month old is the same- but has been like this from day one! Will go three hours max between feeds but a typical night is 7 pm put down, 930 feed, 1130-12 feed, 1 am rock to sleep, 230 feed, 4 rock to sleep, 530-6 am awake. I've found that it is better to put him in his own room- u think I was waking him up by moving in the bed and I also interpreted every noise as needing attention. Can't say it's massively better but now he is in the next room (both doors open) I think the actual wake ups are fewer.

[LBOCS2]

Watching with interest as we have exactly the same situation. I have backache from sleeping awkwardly and last night in desperation I tried to introduce a dummy - she's 6mo!

[Starfish25]

Hi, my lb used to be like this. He would wake up several times a night for a feed and would just about take an oz but a friend suggested to give him his dummy when he cries and play his soft music to him to help settle him. I felt so mean doing it but once he had his dummy he would settle pretty quick. Now he is 9 months and has his last bottle at 7pm and his next one at 6am xx

[nerdymum]

Thank you Starfish25! I think that she might be going through a growrh spur as she wakes up around 3 and empties both boobs but her snacking is more comfort seeking. Will try dummy and stroking hair/singning softly.

Windthebloodybobbinup, some of my friends said that they noticed an improvement when the babe was moved to a bigger cot, as if they were happier with more space. We are in the process of moving house (not fun!) so I might try putting her to sleep in her own room.

LBOCS2 - Is your baby EBF? I've been looking for websites that suggest very gentle ways of start weaning from the breast as a comfort tool. Apparently if babies fall asleep nursing, when they stir/wake up in the night they expect the same scenario (mum around, suction) and cry if this is not happening. I think it can be applied to formula fed babies too though!

[nerdymum]

Yes, posting at 5am... guess why!

[TallulahTheTiger]

Am with you!! Bloody knackered and the same snacking!'

[LBOCS2]

Yep, EBF. DD1 was the same. The problem is waking up enough to rock her/soothe her back to sleep rather than just popping a nipple in her mouth which is easy. She's moving into her own bedroom tonight so we'll see how it goes...

[nerdymum]

I hear you. At 3am I'm like an open buffet if that means a bit more of sleep!

This website has a gentle method I might try - www.pinkymckay.com/how-do-i-stop-breastfeeding-my-baby-to-sleep/

LBOCS2 Let us know how you get on with you DD in her own bedroom!

[BlueBee31]

Hi nerdymum,
My DS sounds just like your DD. He's just turned 6 months. Was a good sleeper and napper until 4 months, then it all went tits up when we experienced the dreaded regression (crying out every hour, feeding for 5 mins if that, stopped napping even when cranky and overtired). Got through that, had a couple of weeks of good nights (not through the night, but solid stretches of sleep), then back to waking every 1 or 2 hours at 5 months. Easiest way to settle him is nipple in mouth, but sometimes he'll be rocked/bounced by DH. I've found the past couple of months more knackering than the newborn stage. But, like you, reluctant to let him CIO.
I've been hoping that this disruption to his sleep is linked to a Wonder Weeks "leap" that is just coming to an end and that he's going to turn a corner and start sleeping better at night (at least for a few weeks...)
In the mean time, I've bought that Elizabeth Pantley book called the No Cry Sleep Solution. Doesn't seem to be a solution as such, but has some ideas that you can start to use and helps you structure a sleep plan for your lo. It doesn't promise instant results, but is more 'gentle' as an overall approach. Sarah Ockwell-Smith also offers some reassurance on this phase in her book/blog.
What's helped me this past month has been having DH get up with him in the morning while I spend an extra hour in bed before getting up. Also getting earlier nights and squeezing in naps at the weekend. Basically sleeping when I can.
Hoping it's a "this too shall pass" thing. Will keep you posted...

[BlueBee31]

Jeez. That was a mega-long post. Soz!

[LBOCS2]

It's 4am and I've just dealt with the first wake up. She would normally have woken 2+ times by now and be about to come into bed with me. I got so concerned that I went to check on her at 2.30 as we hadn't heard a peep! Tentative fingers crossed that this was the solution we needed (i.e. Taking the boobs away!)