Help! 8 week old's sleep getting worse!

[LadyoftheLake123]

DS is just over 8 weeks and until this week has been a pretty good sleeper. We had very frequent wakes our first couple of nights home from hospital but he then quickly started sleeping in 3hr stints at night, increasing gradually to 4 or 5 hours, even a couple of 6 hr stints a week or so back. But the last few days something seems to have changed and he's started waking every couple of hours (or even more frequently) during the night! I'm aware this is pretty standard for babies his age, but seeing as his sleep was so much better before I'm confused as to why he seems to have gone 'backward'...

[LadyoftheLake123]

We're using the Wonder Weeks app which says he's currently going through a developmental leap. Could it be this? Has anyone else experienced a sleep regression around this age? Will it get better once the leap is done??

[fizzicles]

Their sleep does get worse sometimes as well as getting better. I don’t have any advice for you, just solidarity as I sit here with 9-month-old DC who has started doing the same. It won’t last forever – this too shall pass.

[LadyoftheLake123]

Thanks @fizzicles So confusing but I guess they like to keep us on their toes, eh! DS just dropped off again so I'm hoping for a bit more sleep while I can get it... hope you get some sleep soon too!

[crazycatlady5]

Sleep doesn’t just gradually get better it goes up and down for at least the first year. There are regressions, leaps, teething etc. Buckle down and have a strong coffee or big glass of wine

[FortheloveofJames]

Babies sleep isn’t linear in the first years. It can go up and down. They have so much going on- growth spurts, regressions, teething, development leaps and learning new skills and this can all effect sleep. Unfortunately once they do a longer stint it doesn’t always mean they will continue to. Some people are lucky to get good sleepers from the get go, but that’s not normally the case.

Baby sleep is forever changing and new patterns emerge before you know it.

Best advice is to just find ways to dealing with whatever gets thrown at you. Sharing night feeds if your bottle feeding or trying EBM if BFing. Taking breaks when you can. Sleeping when baby sleeps if that’s possible for you etc.

DS was up hourly for weeks on end and it was tough. Make sure you look after your self as well! . This too shall pass.

[LadyoftheLake123]

Thanks @crazycatlady5 and @FortheloveofJames for your replies. You can tell he is my first, can't you! Last night was a bit better so I'm hopeful we're moving out of this particular bad spell, but it's helpful to be aware there'll likely be more as he gets older. DS is EBF and I've not had much luck so far with expressing/bottle feeding but will definitely persevere - adding in the odd bottle would be a big help. And yes to strong coffee!!!

[LadyoftheLake123]

(And cake!)

[FortheloveofJames]

If you want to introduce a bottle I’d say the earlier the better so keep trying. My DS is just over 6 months and has never taken it. I’ve tried literally everything and he’s just not interested, including leaving him for 8 hours. This means I’ve done every single feed, and also means that no matter how exhausted I am I cannot get a break from him.

If you can get wee one to take some expressed milk, even if it’s just during the day you can take yourself off to catch up on some zzzzz’s. I know in the dark days even just being able to go for a long nap on a Sunday when DP was home would have helped.

You’re doing a fantastic job and this won’t last forever!

[crazycatlady5]

My 10 month old has always refused bottles I tried for 6 months and then gave up as it was too stressful. I tried again recently and she loves drinking water out of a bottle but my milk? NO CHANCE. She gets furious and spits it out! I think some babies are just like that x

[FortheloveofJames]

My DS LOVES water out his cup, gets all excited by it. I’ve tried to put my milk in it and as soon as he realises it’s not water he doesn’t want to know. Any recommendations on the type of cup you use?

[Lemondrop99]

Massive sympathy. I'm right here with you. My 8 week old used to wake at 1am and 4am for feeds and otherwise sleep pretty much 7pm-6.30-7am. For the last three nights he's been waking more and earlier. Last night he was up at
8pm
11.30pm
2.15am
3.45am
6am
7am

I'm shattered!!! Today I'm working on some structured nap times and age appropriate awake times rather than just letting him conk out in his sling for hours a day as I had been doing (because tons of day time sleep wasn't affecting his night sleep).

I've heard of an 8 week sleep regression where the mother's melatonin supply in baby starts wearing off and they have to produce their own. Getting out in daylight hours and dark room at night is supposed to help with this and adjusting their body clock. I don't know how accurate any of this is.

Fingers crossed it's just a phase. I was going to get away with a reasonably good sleeper at least until the 4 month sleep regression!

[Lemondrop99]

Re: expressing. Try a Hakaa manual pump. I just suction it on to one boob when feeding off the other then ignore it. I usually get around 80mls per feed, literally by doing nothing! Easier and quicker than and electric pump.

My breastfed DS drinks out of Mam bottles without any complaint

[crazycatlady5]

I second the Haaka! Great when you’re still at the start of your Bf journey as it collects the letdown, at 10 months it doesn’t really work for me anymore as my supply is established but at the beginning it was ace x