Somebody please help!

[iwantasecondone]

I am in bits. DS (24 weeks) was sleeping through/waking once a few weeks ago but has been going downhill ever since. He was waking 2, then 3 times for the last two weeks. Night before last he woke 5 times, last night...well, last night I don't even remember, but it hurts. He refused his bottle last night (FF at bedtime, otherwise BF) so was BF and the waking started at 930. He usually goes til at least 130 before waking.
He sleeps about 3 hours during the day and has no problem going to sleep on his own for bedtimes.
What is going on? It doesn't LOOK like any more teeth are on the way. He is learning a lot, but surely that wouldn't make him wake up screaming 11-13 times, going back to sleep if he has a cuddle?
Sorry for rambling post...am so tired. Any suggestions?

[DiscoDizzy]

Sounds likes he needs something else to fill his little tum. Have a chat with HV

[iwantasecondone]

Btw he is feeding every 3 hours or so during the day and having 2-3 meals. HV just tells me to give up BF. I dont like her.

[iwantasecondone]

.

[sagecat]

ouch poor you! is your wee one on solids at all,if not he may be hungry for more than just milk. That could explain why he was sleeping better and is getting worse.

I hate to say it - but a bit of tough love and try control crying? Is he in his own room? I had to move DD over to her own room at 6 months just so i wasn't woken all the time and we didn't wake her - we all benefited.

It could be many things maybe ask HV too - best of luck

[iwantasecondone]

He is on solids.
Last time he refused his bottle it was teeeth, but I can't see anything. Ho hum.
DS is in his own room, but after 4th time last night I moved in there as it's too soul-destroying to keep going downstairs at 2 am. By 2 am we were co-sleeping.

[sagecat]

IMO no need to give up BF you can do this and FF and give soilds without any problems so i would ignore HV on that one.

Teething - although you can't see anything we found that it wasn't the teeth breaking though that caused trouble but it was when they moved up though the gums.

I just don't know what else to suggest - apart from the tough love

[iwantasecondone]

So if it IS teething, what can you really do? Dont want to give nurofen/calpol constantly if it's going to go on and on. Teething granules are great for calming, but they aren't pain relievers. Guess I just wait it out and start hallucinating from tiredness.

[pudding25]

Bonjela? Check with the dr about how often to give the nurofen/calpol? Maybe get him checked out by the dr anyway to ensure he does not have an ear infection or something else which is bothering him.

[pudding25]

And ignore your HV. Why should you have to give up BF, I don't get that logic.

[iwantasecondone]

She thinks that all BF babies' problems are down to silly mummies not giving formula. It's a cure-all, don't you know?
Thanks for the advice. Have at least decided it's teeth as he currently has both fists and a toy in there scraping his gums...

[iwantasecondone]

He has refused a bottle yet again. Have calpoled him (nurofen earlier) and he's asleep with 8 fingers in his mouth. Am dreading what's to come. He could barely breastfeed today for having fingers in constantly. Have tried gels, they didn't seem to work. ???

[TheGabster]

Totally feel for you. I am having similar problems at the moment. Not sure if this is any help, but when my LO (7mnth) refuses the bed-time bottle because of teething, (FF unfortunately ) we wake him and give him a dream feed. I'm not sure if he is unusual because I can literally feed him in his sleep and he will just suck until the bottle is dry, and then go straight back to sleep. Would/could it work for you?

Good luck.

[iwantasecondone]

Gabster-Was going to try that last night but he didn't stay asleep long enough...horrible. Am trying to stay awake until about 9 to try again...yawn.

[pudding25]

Stupid, ignorant HV

Hope it goes better tonight. My dd is only 4mths and just started the teething fun.

Good luck

[pudding25]

My HV today told me that massaging the baby's gums with bonjela helps a lot. Don't know if you have tried that?

[moocowme]

try some nurofen just before bed and see if he sleeps a bit longer. if he does then its teeth and you might have to give another dose later in the night.

[nowwearefour]

could just be little digestive system getting used to non-milk foods. something similar happened to my dd2 when she turned 6 months and i put her on solids. solids arent the panacea everyone thinks. are you giving banana? that causes particular problems in my dd2. think about cutting back on solid meals to eg 1 meal per day maybe just til things settle down?

[yomellamoHelly]

What are you feeding him for his tea? GF suggest babies should get the bulk of their proteins - so their main meal - at lunch time to avoid problems at night. Tea is then much lighter - say soup, sandwiches, scrambled eggs etc.... Might this be worth a go?

[osborne]

having same problem and its third baby. i should have cracked it by now! think to some degree its habit. think she may have to cry a little with five min reassurance. mine moves a lot and gets stuck which often wakens her more than normal. not sure mch can be done,my first slept through at six weeks but not great now, second was a nightmare til seven months and brilliant now and this one in between, have had same upbringing.

[iwantasecondone]

His tea is fruit and rice as he is only 5 months. He hasn't eaten any solids for two days now, anyway. I gave him nurofen at 630 last night and he slept til 930/10. I am just wary of giving too much nurofen to an under 6 month baby. GP said it was a bad idea? Tonight he has had nurofen at 4, calpol at 630. He still fell asleep cramming his hands in his mouth. Will try and keep him dosed up, I guess.

[empressorchid]

Does your LO have a dummy - I take it by what you've said he doesn't. If he does, we used to put teething gel around the base of the dummy when DS was teething and it really helped him. Saves on giving too much calpol/nurofen if you don't want to do that.

Hope you have a better night tonight.

[iwantasecondone]

Did have a dummy and gave it to him again today after 2 months. He just bit it in a way that made me scared for my nipples! He wont suck it. Did get those great Tommee Tippee gummy soothers for that exact purpose, but he is intent on eating the hard plastic bit.
Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies!

[iwantasecondone]

JOY! Just snuck in and managed to at least get 4 oz down him in his sleep. Maybe if I go back in at 1130/12 and redose him and dreamfeed I could actually sleep tonight...wonder what that is like....

[iwantasecondone]

RL friend has just suggested anbesol liquid. Anyone used this?

[TheGabster]

well done - hope the rest of the night went as well.

Never heard of anbesol but assume it is a bit like Assheton powders - an alternative remedy. Have used powders but found only really useful during the day. Only things cut it at night for us are calpol/bonjela or turning the monitor off .