14 week old waking me for night feeds again after 2 glorious weeks of going 7 hours! I am exhausted.

[patiencemostwanted]

After at least 2 weeks of dd going through the night, she has been waking for feeds the past 3 nights at 2-3 am! She is EBF and sleeps soundly outside of these nocturnal feeds. I feed her approx 6pm. She is settled in her cot by approx 7 and I wake her for a dreamfeed at 10.30. She is back asleep by 11. Dreading tonight as last night I had to feed her again by 6am after feeding her at 2.30.
She is definately hungry - in fact she is starving again during the night...
I am ensuring she gets enough during the day (although she has been emptying both breasts at every feed in the last week or so)

Please tell me this is normal (my first dd definately went for at least a month- 6 weeks prior to weaning through the night)

I am going back to work end of Feb and worried that by then I will be at my wits end...

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Very normal, yes

They have regular growth spurts which sounds like this is. Keep on feeding on demand and it will be fine.

[patiencemostwanted]

Thanks!
I am feeding on demand and will continue to do so- I know the night waking isn't forever, it just feels tough after 14 weeks!

[brazilnutsyum]

I have same problem. DS started to sleep through the night at 9 weeks but then reverted back to being up every 3 hours through the night at 12 weeks. He is now 16 weeks and still up every 3 hours. Aaarggh. I keep thinking that this will not go on but as he gets bigger and bigger am wondering if it will go on until he is weaned onto chicken casserole!!

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Very normal I'm afraid and am also afraid to have to say at the kind of nights you're getting tbh ! DS2 is 1 today and see my nickname for the amount of sleep I'm getting !
You'll be fine - keep offering lots in the day and you'll notice an increase in milk again in a few days - but can't promise DD will sleep through though - did you have a dream DD1?
Also just to say that night feeds are important for maintaining milk supply - higher pro-lactin levels or sth? Made me feel better anyway...

[patiencemostwanted]

Brazilnutsyum- I am with you on the thoughts on casserole!

HSFAY- My DD1 was about the same but I know I definately had long stretches through the night without feeds for a good few weeks. She was weaned at 16 weeks as that was the guidelines then (5 yrs ago)... The night waking after weaning was not hunger after that but other things...

I keep offering 2nd breast at every feed to ensure she gets enough during the day- she empties both in about 15 mins flat!

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Let us know how you get on - any change yet?

[patiencemostwanted]

Last night was 4am vs 3am but I think that was down to dreamfeed being 45 mins later....

Spoke to a friend today who said she introduced a bottle of formula at the evening feed when her ds started to get hungry again at 3-4 months...must admit I did that with dd1 so dp could take a feed off me (and I was rubbish at expressing last time) ... however less keen this time around. I feel like there is no need.

I suppose the other thing is, last time around I would have been getting my baby rice ready etc for 16 weeks ... this time I am thinking- will this night waking for feeds increase and increase and I need to wait longer before weaning...

Will let you know what happens tonight...

[Tapster]

Sorry my DD slept excellently until 14 weeks and then all hell broke lose until 7.5months - don't think you wanted to hear that. Baby rice will probably not help and may well make it worse. It is a really unsettled time for lots of babies.

[patiencemostwanted]

OK another 3am feed last night but I guess on reading everyone's responses up there I need to get over it and just get on with it....

At least she settles down quite quickly after the feed....

Thanks - It feels good to know I am not alone!

[brazilnutsyum]

No you are not alone! DS was up every 2 hours the last two nights - definitely getting hungrier. It's amazing how you do just get on with it and you don't feel as bad the next day as you think you might! And that's with a 3 year old DD .