5 month old - sleep advice please!

[May257]

Hi, my baby is 5 months old and has never slept well, he can do 3 hours first start of the night then 45mins-2hours after that, as the night goes on he can’t sleep next to me or the cot and has to lie on me and be breastfed to sleep. I’m v tired and have another little one to look after, any advice on what to do? Is this the sleep regression? Will weaning help with sleeping longer? TIA

[FATEdestiny]

Have you tried a dummy instead of feeding to sleep?

[May257]

Hi @FATEdestiny I have tried the dummy but sadly he doesn’t like it and hates bottles to. I have stopped the feeding to sleep association during the day by having milk then play then nap time and hopefully in time it will click.

[PinkCookie11]

Have you got a white noise machine?
Honestly it changed it my life and wish I got it sooner

[Michelle444]

Hi, I have a nearly 5 month old who has slept through the night since 3 months.
I don't know if this is something I do or if he's just like that and me and my partner got lucky. He always has his full recommended intake of food during the day, he got himself into that habit and I just followed. Slowly he started eating less for his night feeds until he eventually stopped them. I didn't really think about the feeding until my health visitor mentioned this could be why he sleeps because he's had what he "should" in the day.
My night time routine is every other day a bath. He has a story each night. Then I take him to the bedroom and do skin to skin, with some relaxing music and a light projector machine on but the main lights off. He usually falls asleep / naps and gets relaxed. I will change his nappy after an hour of this and put him in his night clothes. He sleeps in a sleep sack which I keep on my pillow so it smells like me. I usually will also put his night clothes near me when he's having skin to skin. He will then have a tiny feed and I'll put him to bed. I put on a white noise machine when he's in bed. He sleeps about 9 hours each night without waking and he happy and smiley in the morning.
The only time he did get up was after his vaccinations but that was only twice in the night for a short time.

I've always done skin to skin with him since birth and he still seems to enjoy it so I've continued. I've kept the same night routine since he was born so I think that may help him.

[May257]

@PinkCookie11 I have tried the white noise some nights using my phone and going on YouTube it settled him for ten mins but then screamed, I will look into it more though thank you

@Michelle444 I agree a consistent routine is key and we’ve done bath every other night then bed clothes cuddles milk then try and put drowsy but awake. My little boy knows it’s bed time and gets v upset getting dressed for bed and getting his sleep bag on. He has a good amount of sleep in the day and goes to bed in between 6-6.30 so not over tired. Thank you for all of your advice.

[FATEdestiny]

What's his daytime routine like? When and for how long does he nap? Where does he sleep?

[Laur89]

Hey @May257, I could have written this post myself! My son is 5 and a half months and has always been a terrible sleeper, I also have an older one to look after too so I understand the exhaustion! He will do a few hours in a row when I first put him down, then it's hourly or less the rest of the night 😆🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ x