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Infant feeding

Help! 4 month old baby waking lots in the night

3 replies

spottedandstriped · 22/08/2008 08:53

Not sure whether my story is usual or not...

My baby started sleeping through to about 5am from 7pm from about 6 weeks, then at 3 months and after the discovery and correction of a posterior tongue tie he immediately started waking up in the night. I could cope with this as it was around 11pm, 3am and then 6am. The last three days however we have had one extra waking! so last night was 12:00, 2:30am, 4am and then 7:30am. During the day we are lucky if we get to 3 hours between feeds. Needless to say I am shattered and desperate.

I have been giving him one bottle of formula at 7pm when he goes to bed otherwise he is breastfed unless I am desperate (I have had supply issues and have been on domperidone because of the tonguetie). I started giving him baby rice yesterday which I think he was ready for, but it is clearly going to be a while before this has any impact. I am wondering whether I should consider giving him the hungry baby formula for one feed a day (either at 7pm or later at say 10:30pm?)
Does anyone have any experience of this type of behaviour and any ideas what to do. I am so tired I don't know what time of day or night it is!

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Wisknit · 22/08/2008 09:12

It's tough when they start waking more often and you have got uwsed to a pattern.
It could be all sorts.
Teething?
Just a developmental stage
Growth spurt.
Baby rice has less calories weight for weight than breast milk or formula so maybe try leaving that til nearer the 6 month mark.
Maybe if you tried going to a BF support group? They might have some more suggestions.
Hope you get sorted out soon and a little more sleep comes your way

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BouncingTurtle · 22/08/2008 12:20

Wakeful 4 month old

Here, spottedandstriped have a read of this - it is perfectly normal and will not last.
It is NOT an indication your baby is ready for baby rice , and baby rice will not necessarily help him sleep through the night, as Wisknit said baby rice has less calories than BM/FM.
I would carry on giving the usual formula - hungry baby milk contains the same amount of calories than first formula but has more casein so is harder to digest.

HTH

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JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 22/08/2008 12:27

Bouncingturtle is right, though it may be hard to believe now, these things don't last and he's likely to be back to normal in a few days. It's often growth spurts which upset their sleep routine the most, but they are temporary, and this will pass!

You must sleep when he naps during the day as much as you possibly can. It's the best way to get through this.

Are you co-sleeping? sometimes they'll sleep through longer next to you than on their own.

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