9 week old sleep problems

[Lamby55]

So my little prince turns 10 weeks old this weekend and he has gone backwards in his sleep. He used to sleep for 4 hours then a further 2. Now I’m lucky if I get 3 hours and at half 4 he will be unsettled unless he sits on my breast for 2 hours!!! He was 9lb 6 when he was born and so my mum keeps saying he’s bigger than average and perhaps he’s ready for a bit of formula to help fill him up at night. I feel like I’m failing at breastfeeding if we go down this route but I’m desperate to try and get a more consistent nighttime routine! Any tips? Am I being too anxious to change and will things naturally /improve change?? I will need to do a couple of days work in September so I’m anxious that I need some time helping him adapt to formula pre September

I remember that period well - sympathies.

I'm afraid they do go backwards and forwards with sleep. I never had any success with formula and I find the 'fill them up for longer' stuff fairly out dated advice. It caused me such stress trying to get mine to take a bottle and then it didnt make any difference.

It WILL get better. After he turns 6 months you can do some gentle sleep training - if you want to - and that should make a big difference. Up until then get as much rest in the day as you can. I assume you have a consistent night routine, room is dark white noise etc.?

I dont believe in the wonder weeks stuff or magic cures - I just think they are too small to follow routine. And believe me - I gave myself a nervous breakdown trying.

I could ask how his naps are etc but you will honestly get 50 people telling you 50 different routines are the 'right' one.

P.S. him waking a lot at night is NOT a sign that you are failing at breastfeeding. At all. We place so much pressure on ourselves and it's all so misplaced. Your baby is healthy and happy - you are doing a brilliant job and you do NOT need to formula feed unless YOU want to.

My lo is 11 weeks today! He can go a maximum of 3 hours between night feeds which has only recently increased from 2 hours. He is lasting a bit longer in the day between feeds but he feeds say atleast every hour and half.
We Co sleep which helps with the night feeds because he can basically help himself while I'm dozing.
There's no magic answer to getting babies to sleep longer. As pp said when they reach 6 months you can begin sleep training.

He is 9 weeks old, this is completely normal.

All completely normal. Also, if you are happy breastfeeding I wouldn't introduce formula unless you have to, if he needs more milk he will be on the boob more and you will produce more (all being well). For going back to work, have you got a pump to try expressing some milk? It is not for everyone but I find pumping easy, DS on the other hand has never taken a bottle!

Thank you so much... pre baby I was all about routine and then after various battles decided I just need to go with it! But each week I then have a wobble and worry I’m developing bad habits by letting him get into bed with us at 4:30 wearing the sling in the day etc!!! It’s s constant mental battle! Moral of the story...I must just trust my instinct!!!

Formula used to be much heavier and filled babies up largely because it was harder to digest. This is probably what your mum remembers. Today’s formula won’t necessarily make your baby more
Full of help him sleep longer.

@Lamby55 I was exactly the same. I remember starting a thread on here where I was simultaneously called a failure for not getting my baby into a successful.rouine AND an uncaring mother because I didn't want to cosleep and.breastfeed all night long.

The best advice i can give you (this is all with hindsight and, like I say, I was a nervous wreck about it all) is to try to stick to awake windows (I can't remember how long they are for a 9month old - do a quick google) and then get him to nap by any means necessary. For bedtime have an established routine. They are.the best things you can do to help him at this stage.

FWIW we hired a sleep consultant when DS was about 8 months. I'd have laughed in your face if you'd told me I.would be doing something like that but honestly it was money very well spent. It gave me a routine to stick to and strategies to help. He slept through the night pretty quickly but even when he didn't I was much more confident because someone was guiding me.

He's 9 weeks. He's teeny tiny. 3 hours in one go is amazing. Sleep isn't linear at this stage, and you can't sleep train a child this young.

Size of baby is no indication that they need formula (or solid food, or anything like that). As long as you're feeding your baby whenever they display feeding cues, and baby is having wet and dirty nappies appropriately (and is a healthy, full term baby), then breastfeeding responsively is enough. Formula will likely upset him more - different to what he's used to, might upset his tummy, will certainly change his bowel habits.

All you can do at this stage is follow your baby's lead. Sleep when he sleeps. Get your partner to stick him in a sling and pace the floor with him if he's still unsettled after a big cluster feed to get you a bit more sleep.
You're not failing at breastfeeding at all.

if you're breast feeding, they'll be feeding every 2-3 hours even at night as it's easily/efficiently processed (had this for all three of mine for the 18+ months I breast-fed). September is a tight deadline. You'll need sleep. So yep, suspect that you need to supplement. It's not failure, its modern life xxxx