Sudden poor sleep and feeding

[Figgygal]

Just don't understand what's going on here he's been awake at 11.30, 2.30 and 5.30 I've had to feed him each time to get back down he's only 14 weeks so seems early for a regression he's honestly sleeping worse than he did when born he's only usually ever awake once in night. He doesn't have a dummy so might be using bottle to settle .......or he could actually be hungry once he's woken even if it's not hunger that's waking him if you see what I mean

I can't feed him every 3 hours day and night he will explode this is bloody ridiculous he's already on 91st centile and taking 7x6oz bottles in 24 hours or he was. This is the third night in a row he does have this bloody cold so it could be he's all snotty but What if he gets used to it and then wants it all the time

HELP

[Heirhelp]

Every three hours is pretty normal for a 14 week old to want to feed.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Every three hours is perfectly normal at this age. 14 weeks is still tiny!

[Artandco]

Do you only feed him every 3 hrs during the day? I would increase to every 2 hrs in the day . 7bottles in 24hrs isn't very much

I would aim for bottles at:
7am
9am
11am
1pm
3pm
5pm
7pm
9pm

Then he might go 9pm-7am without feed or might need one overnight still. So 8-9 bottles in 24hrs

[DrWhy]

I suspect mine started the regression about then. That's the pattern he was doing at a few weeks old, it gradually spread out until we had one wake up about 3 or 4am then that got later until we had a few nights of sleeping through at about 12 weeks then it went totally to pot, a few nights over Christmas where he'd wake 6 or 7 times. Since then it's gradually improved again, usually 2 wake ups after a dream feed at 10.30, sometimes only one but much more random than before, he's now 18 weeks. He's found his thumb (won't take a dummy) and I'll sometimes hear him move then resettle with a thumb sucking noise!
I know people talk about the 'four month sleep regression' but it's a developmental step and like rolling or sitting it will surely occur at different babies at somewhat different ages. Alternatively if he's having a growth spurt he might just need more food!

[Highlove]

Sounds very normal - three wake ups st that age is actually not that bad, though I know it's really exhausting. And especially frustrating when he's previously slept well. Both mine have hit the 16 week regression around 14/15 weeks - it's very much an average. Sorry, though - it may be normal but it's still hard!

[ODog]

3 hrs day and night at 14wks is very very normal. In fact it's the good end of normal.

[MedicMama]

Baby's sleep isn't linear.

They don't start out the worst they will ever be and then steadily improve.

Usually they are great for a bit, shit for a bit, better again and just as you think you've cracked it... it'll go tits up again.

Sounds like your LO is perfectly normal.

[mimiholls]

Every 3 hours sounds pretty good for a 14 week old.

[Caterina99]

My DS was feeding every 2 hours (mostly formula with a mix of expressed milk and bf) at that age through the day. That seemed to allow him to go a bit longer at night, but he still usually had one or two night feeds. It did vary though and they have growth spurts and developmental leaps at all sorts of random times.

[Figgygal]

Kids eh
Thanks all think I'm just a bit surprised because as I said he's only woke up once a night since he was about 2 weeks old I knew it wasn't going to last prepared for crap sleep just hate the uncertainty of what's prompted this I.e cold, hunger, discomfort etc

He's 91st centile for height and weight he's s big chunk and taking significantly more than the formula volumes recommended already (his brother was same but he slept through from 8 weeks) I'm just worried that I give him a bottle too easily but then I know I could try and settle him for hour or more and end up having to feed him anyway

[Heirhelp]

The info on the side of the formula us just a guide. Every three hours is fine.

[seven201]

My dd is 7 months and wakes up at roughly those times still. Sorry! You do get used to it though

[clarabellski]

Around that age my DS was on 8 bottles of between 6 - 8oz a day. It does settle down over time.

And that's a classic - lulling you into thinking they are sleeping through the night then 'bam, I think I'll have that 4am bottle again please'. It seemed to happen every few weeks during that first 6 months, with no reliable pattern!

If you can, try to g with the flow for a while. You've got ages yet to worry about routines/spoiling him.

[Figgygal]

Last night bottle at 8.15 he went to sleep then was up 12.30, 2.30 and 5.30 he took a full feed at each of them I cannot accept he's hungry at all of those when up until now he's slept 7.30-3 then 3.30-7 but nothing else will settle him

[MedicMama]

Why can't you accept that he's hungry?!

Have you not heard of/read up on growth spurts?

This is normal baby behaviour - as everyone has been telling you.

[Figgygal]

Im not arguing he isn't hungry it just seems crazy he took 60oz yesterday he's 15 weeks old.

[LoveMyLittleSuperhero]

My DD 13 weeks, fed at 6pm, 8pm, 10:30pm, 1am, 3:30am, 5am and woke up again at 7am for another feed, she's taking 240ml (8oz) a time! She's on a high centile and just does this every few weeks before we have to go on a clothes run because she's outgrown everything it usually settles down again a few weeks later and she goes back to only waking 2-3 times a night and having normal size bottles.
Sorry but I think he is having/about to have a growth spurt and is hungry.

[MedicMama]

Why does it matter how much he's taking?

Amounts on formula tins are a guide. An average. The best way to feed babies is on demand, led by them. If he's hungry, feed him.

[Figgygal]

Medic he is fed whenever he needs it I'm
Not starving him or going by the tin since stopping bf because it wasn't working he's always been ahead of the recommended intake on the tin.

sorry for being a bit surprised that he suddenly is looking for quite so much more than he was last week.

[MedicMama]

So if you accept he's hungry and you're happy to feed him then what exactly is the problem?! What advice are you looking for?

[Figgygal]

Oh I don't know maybe some reassurance that he's not going to explode? That so much milk isn't a problem? That other people have experienced such a sharp increase in need for feeds at a similar age??

Thought that was the point in mumsnet?

[MedicMama]

But you have received that advice/reassurance.

And then came back again saying you couldn't accept he was hungry?

To reiterate, everyrhing your baby is doing is normal. Just chill.

[mimiholls]

He's not going to explode! They take as much as they need at this age so you are guided by baby. You're not going to overfeed him.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

If he wasn't hungry, he wouldn't eat - you can't force feed a baby.
Sounds like you're doing the right thing, feed him however much he wants, when he wants - you've already told us he's a big lad on the 91st centile so I'm not surprised he needs more milk - the guide on the formula tin is for the "average" baby. My DS is tiny. 14 weeks old and still on the 2nd centile....he's on prescription formula and still feeds more than the tin recommends!