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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

How to make an ebf baby sleep?!

15 replies

Loveallmyboys · 27/03/2015 03:44

He's 5 months now and for the past 2 weeks(could be longer?) he's been attached to me and I've been saying 'oh it's a growth spurt!' Well, I now think he just wants me for comfort and quite frankly, it's driving me crackers!
He will only settle if he's in bed with me, sucking. He won't take a dummy either!
Wtf do I do?! I have 2 other kids to function for... Coffee is my best friend!

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Eminybob · 27/03/2015 05:07

Oh this is a hard one. I've just been through this with DS, but a bit later, between 7-8 months. He just wouldn't unlatch after his night feed(s) or go back in his cot.

I tried replacing my boob with a dummy - he'd never had one before and he wouldn't take it, but advice I had from here says that if you persevere it might work?

I ended up bringing him to bed after he woke up (after never doing this in 8 months!) so at least I could get some rest. I still do this when he wakes early.

I have mostly moved on to formula now (very recently) and only breastfeed him in the night and I have to say he is sleeping a lot better - in fact he hasn't stirred since 8pm I'm only awake now as I'm so used to it! I've been awake since 4 convinced he will be up any minute.

It's early days though, so I'm not counting my chickens.

Sorry I can't give you more advice, but I certainly feel for you.

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Eminybob · 27/03/2015 05:09

Oh I jinxed it, he's just started to wake up!

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Eminybob · 27/03/2015 05:35

Ok, I just used a little trick I'd forgotten about before.

When he has stopped actually feeding and is just suckling and mostly asleep, slowly detach nipple from mouth (I'm sure he'll start stirring at this point) and start gently rocking instead. I find it lulls DS back into sleep. Then wait wait wait until you're sure he's properly asleep and transfer to cot.

It took me a while to get the hang of this and it doesn't always work but it did just now so I really must get some sleep!

Feel free to ignore if you have already tried this

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youaremychocolatecake · 27/03/2015 05:42

Mine didn't. I eventually stopped breastfeeding at 14 months but r still wakes up, just for a bottle instead. Albeit it's only once compared to 10 times. I'm not a strong advocate for harsh sleep training methods, they get there eventually. I have to drag my 5 year old from his pit now and he was the worst sleeper ever!

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Loveallmyboys · 27/03/2015 14:30

Stopping bf isn't an option yet as DS was very prem and it took me a long time and LOTS of tears and patience(and pumping!) to get him ebf!
Just bought a different kind of dummy and he gagged on that too!
Maybe time to be cruel to be kind and just persevere with letting him settle himself...?

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museumum · 27/03/2015 14:50

Read the Elizabeth Pantly no cry sleep solution. She has a technique to gradually remove the nipple and get an ebf baby sleeping without suckling. It's not in any way instant but it did work for us. I got it on kindle app.

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Loveallmyboys · 27/03/2015 21:07

Thanks. God I just wish he'd take the effing dummy!! 30 mins he was in his crib for til he started screaming! Left him for 5mins then fed him. Put him back in crib and he instantly saw his arse and is now crying again. Oh what fun!

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Micah · 27/03/2015 21:15

Try cutting down the coffee? If he's sensitive to caffeine could be keeping him awake too!

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Loveallmyboys · 28/03/2015 08:03

I'm really sensitive to caffeine so only have one cup a day and it's never after lunchtime

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BananaDrama34 · 28/03/2015 19:57

OP, no advice but I feel your pain (literally!). DD nearly 4mo will only go to sleep on my nipple. She's currently been there for an hour & just roots until she finds it again if she comes off!! This will probably go on until around 10PM & it's the same every night. I just keep hoping it's a phase.

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juniorcakeoff · 28/03/2015 20:05

Loveallmyboys this is probably a really annoying thing to say but have you tried using a cherry dummy like this. It was the only one that worked on my premature baby, he had a poor suck when born and just didn't seem to feel the fancy orthodontic ones in his mouth. Also I think the fact that they are latex made them more agreeable, when he eventually took a bottle it was when I bought the NUK latex teats here.

Given that he was early, you could also be experiencing the bastard 4 month growth spurt a bit early. Only 2 of mine had this, but both times it lasted over 2 weeks and afterwards I had an insane amount of milk.

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Loveallmyboys · 28/03/2015 21:45

Who bloody knows?! He's almost 24 weeks(14 corrected) so god only knows when a growth spurt will rear it's ugly head?!
I bought latex cherry tears yesterday and they made him gag and retch! he's so dramatic sometimes
He's had oral thrush the past few days and quite likes the taste of the medicine he's having. I've been popping a tiny Drop on his dummy and he takes it for a short time. I only sussed this earlier today, so I may try that tonight.
Saying that, last night, I put my vest top into his crib with him and he slept til almost 4am! I've been awake since, but hey baby steps! Praying for some decent blocks of zzz tonight...

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TRexingInAsda · 28/03/2015 22:06

Maybe it's the crib he doesn't like then. I had ds in bed with me - never had a crib. He fed at night but it didn't bother me too much because I didn't have to get out of bed, or even wake up properly!

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juniorcakeoff · 28/03/2015 22:11

Well bloody hell put the vest top in again . One of mine I did the old muslin down the bra thing and put it next to his head one night, he went insane thinking he might get milk from it. Oops.
Given that he is only 14 weeks really you might have to put up with the new baby craziness a bit longer but it's hard when you have others I know. Prem babies are a bit shit because the worst bit lasts longer. However my early baby was the most chilled out baby of all of mine post 6 months, so there is hope.
Sorry the latex dummies didn't work I did think you've probably already done £50 on dummies and you don't need some cow off the internet telling you to buy another one

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Loveallmyboys · 29/03/2015 03:55

Laughing at some cow on the internet!
Well he's now full of snot! Wonderful. He woke for a feed earlier on. Couldn't tell you what time, as all this clock-fuckery really throws me!
He's back in his crib now having been fed lying down in bed with me and snot-suckered and seems settled... For how long, is anybody's guess!