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Baby Sleep - HELP!

6 replies

OvenChick · 06/11/2025 07:47

I have a baby, just turned 5 months.

She is breastfed, and I usually feed her to sleep as she doesn't settle any other way in her cot. Won't take a bottle or dummy. She will fall asleep in the day if in the car or pushchair but this isn't helpful in the middle of the night. She has three naps per day now.

For the first few months of her life, baby slept fine, woke up at 1am and 4am for a feed and went back down. I felt smug and rejoiced in how easy parenting was going to me for me - hah!

More recently she will go down okay for the first stretch at 7pm, but any wakes after 1am-ish are a nightmare. She just wants to be fed and fed and fed, and cries when put in her cot even if she had stopped feeding and fallen asleep 15 mins before the point of transfer!

Even if I do successfully put her down in her cot after a feed, she then wakes every hour and will only settle by being fed.

I am sure she isn't hungry, as feeds well all through the day plus feeds at night, and has started having some solids before bath and bed.

Calpol has made no difference so don't think she's in pain.

The room is temperature controlled and she has appropriate clothes/sleeping bag on.

She won't accept being rocked back to sleep by me or DH - she just cries and cries and cries, and with me she tries to wriggle down to my breast.

So. How can I settle her another way and stop feeding her to sleep without her being distressed? How can I ensure she gets more sleep? (I have accepted that my sleep will be poor, am more concerned about her not getting enough rest).

All and any advice welcome. Thanks in advance wonderful people!

OP posts:
OvenChick · 06/11/2025 08:44

Bump - calling anyone with any experience!! 🙏🏻

OP posts:
Peonies12 · 06/11/2025 08:47

Honestly I'd just feed her and co-sleep, if you can do so safely. I have a 13 month old who only settles with boob, she will usually stay in her cot til 2/3am (now she usually sleeps through til this time), then we co-sleep / cuddle / feed until morning. It works for now, I don't see any reason to stop. her wakes have gradually reduced over time so I'm hoping that'll just continue. She has never had an independent nap with me, only pram/ car/ contact. She naps fine at nursery!

OvenChick · 06/11/2025 09:05

@Peonies12 thank you for your reply. She would not be safe in our double with us, but we could think about getting another bed I suppose.

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OvenChick · 06/11/2025 09:05

Although I really would rather she have her own safe sleep space tbh.

OP posts:
Peonies12 · 06/11/2025 10:35

OvenChick · 06/11/2025 09:05

@Peonies12 thank you for your reply. She would not be safe in our double with us, but we could think about getting another bed I suppose.

Yes so I share our spare double bed with baby from 3/4am. We're going to get a single floor bed in her room soon so I can share that with her instead. have you thought about a floor bed? I know people who've done them from 6 months.

NaiceSnake · 07/02/2026 22:24

Both my babies were like this and its really really normal. I got a double matress and put it in on the floor in their rooms and co-slept with them. Absolutely saved me! Would really recommend

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