3 month old sleep

[Gavotte]

We were doing really well until a couple of weeks ago - just two wakes/feeds on average between 10.30pm and morning. The last two weeks... Well. Often I haven't got back to sleep from the last wake up before she's after more. Thought it was 12 week growth spurt arrived early but then it went on. And on. Last night she was taking a small amount (couldn't keep her awake for more) about every 20 mins between 1.30 and 6.30.

Any ideas? She eats regularly during the day (too regularly - often every hour) so should be getting enough milk. We cosleep. It's also a bit desperate as I'm back at work full time (from home so I can bf her) so can't catch up on sleep in the day.

[GailTheGoldfish]

Are you me?! I posted a similar message on a thread on here earlier. I feel your pain, sorry I can't help but am watching with bated breath for a knowledgable poster to come and solve both our problems!

[Gavotte]

Oh dear, Gail - sorry to hear you're suffering too! Had a quick look at your entry and the only thing I can offer in getting her down after a feed without waking her is to feed lying down with her head in the crook of your arm, then to roll your own body away slightly when finished so she stays in the same place (using your arm as a pillow). It's not the staying awake that's a problem for us; it's the bloody frequency of the wakings.

[GailTheGoldfish]

Mine is getting wriggly which means co sleeping is a bit more tricky than before but I will persevere! Are you feeding her back to sleep Gavotte? That seems to be what resettles DD the quickest.

[Gavotte]

Reluctantly, yes - as I think it may be compounding the problem - but it's definitely the easiest thing to do at 3am in the fifth feed of the night!

[Gavotte]

Bumping this - 15 weeks now and it's just as bad - every hour feeds (at least!) during the night. I don't really know what to do - am exhausted!

[madeuplovesong]

Have a 14 week old and we had similar difficulties at the same time. He went from one wake up per night to 3 or 4 it was an absolute killer. It's a personal choice and you may have already done it, but we moved him into his own room and we are now down to one wake up a night, and (whisper it) quite a few nights sleeping through til 6 or 7. He goes to bed circa 8pm, I usually feed him to sleep, and we do a dream feed around 10 or 11. At first this was with a bottle of ebm but it made no difference. Breastfeeding him (both sides) seems to stretch him out for a few extra hours. He is now refusing the bottle as he must have worked out that the boob was available, which is a bit annoying as we introduced that feed to give me a bit of a break. However if it results in 6 or 7 hrs of sleep for me I don't mind. This has been working for about 10 days since we moved him out of our room who knows whether its coincidence or not but He's definitely not coming back in! There is a huge growth spurt/developmental leap around this age which I think explains the change in sleep (see the wonder weeks). Hope that helps in some way and fingers crossed for some better sleep for you soon, it is really horrific, I ended up getting mastitis as a result of exhaustion 10 days ago!

[Gavotte]

Thanks, madeup - we may be trying a version of that tonight (with me sleeping in a different room, and just coming in for a 2am feed and a 5am feed, so she can't nibble). She has no idea what she's in for... Last night was pretty typical - gave a bedtime feed at 10.30, then she was feeding again at 11.30, 12.15, 1.15, 2.00, 3.00, 4.30, 5.30 and 6.15. Yikes. The HV thinks two nights of this may work. We'll see. Have also tried bottle at bedtime to fill her up (EBM) but she was having none of it!

[madeuplovesong]

Oh my goodness that is hard going. The first night we put him in his own room I heard him waking up several times but he just went back off to sleep after a bit of wriggling and grunting. I hope your new strategy works report back tomorrow!

[Gavotte]

Not so much - intravenous caffeine may be the only solution now!