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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Got my baby to sleep less than an hour ago...

66 replies

SourSweets · 26/09/2013 03:23

And he's awake again for another feed. He's 8 weeks old on Saturday, I thought it was supposed to get easier by now?! Will he ever go for longer than 2 hours between feeds?

Husband is happily snoring beside me having the wonderful excuse of going to work in the morning. I have a throbbing headache and I have to cook bloody lunch for friends tomorrow!

Aaarrrrgghhhhhh!!

OP posts:
Original poster
SourSweets · 26/09/2013 09:31

I know what I'll do about lunch: I'll change it to just tea and cake. Then I can just buy a cake and it so t be such a long afternoon. Done. (Thanks for that idea Fingerbobs!)

OP posts:
CreatureRetorts · 26/09/2013 09:32

mrsspagbol

Have you spoken to a BF counsellor? Your little one could have silent reflux which is like heart burn and happens regardless of what you eat... Both of mine had/have this. Soya was another (and quite awful) trigger.

FreeButtonBee · 26/09/2013 09:37

Your baby is 8 weeks, they are not real friends if you have to entertain them! At the very most, go and buy bread, cheese and pate and some pastries, throw the baby at them when they arrive, have a shower and put the above in the table. Honestly, my twins are 7 months and friends came round on sat and THRY brought dinner with them for us all and they washed up and left at 10.30. This is your time to accept every favour and bit of help going.

Also I found with my sicky unsettled baby, that's holding them upright for 20 mins after a feed really helped. Had to do this for ages but it worked so I did it.

Fresh01 · 26/09/2013 12:29

When BF I got told to think of first side as starter and main course and second boob like desert. Sometimes you want none of it, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot!

Best method I found for winding, shown to me by a mother craft nurse overseas. Lie baby on tummy over your forearm so head at your elbow and their tummy area on the palm of your hand and your fingers holding their nappy between their legs. Tilt your arm so they are angled towards your body so they don't fall. Then rub up and down the length of their back. Means they can burp/puke/fart or poo whatever is needed as you are rubbing up and down back to move wind. They can also fall asleep as their head is supported in crook of elbow.

The sleepless nights do ease otherwise none of us would have ever had any more : )

petalsandstars · 26/09/2013 14:34

If baby is asleep after the first boob then try winding over your shoulder and changing nappy, purposefully letting legs out etc to wake them up then try to get baby to latch on tthe other boob once they've woken.

They might not want it in which case just put back down to sleep but most likely will have at least a few minutes.

Also the way I do it is the first feed start on the left then have the right boob second. The next feed start on the right boob and have the left one second. Etc etc. .

This way if baby only has mainly foremilk from the second boob they're more likely to get to the hindmilk from that boob when they have the next feed as you start on that side.

Plus at this age probably a growth spurt too.

Original poster
SourSweets · 26/09/2013 21:10

God it gets more and more complicated! Foremilk and hind milk?

I will try that method tonight though, thank you.

I'm in bed already. Fingers crossed we all get a good night tonight!

OP posts:
Fresh01 · 26/09/2013 22:07

Fore milk is thin and watery, hind milk is thick and creamy. If you express some milk into a container it separates into the different layers. You want them to get as much hind milk as they can.

Hoping you get sleep tonight.

Original poster
SourSweets · 27/09/2013 03:34

Ah ok.. Well I did the 2 boob method at midnight, and he slept for 3 hours after that, a total of 3 and a half hours between feeds!

Feeding him again now and did the wake-up-nappy-change-second-boob so hoping that will last too. He keeps falling back to sleep though!

OP posts:
LeggyBlondeNE · 27/09/2013 03:53

Re 'fore' and 'hind' milk Essentially, milk gets fattier steadily across the course of a feed, and/or the emptier the breast is. Either way, a bigger feed ought to help spread them out, good luck with the rest of tonight!

mrsspagbol it could be worth cutting dairy completely fora months trial. Since you are sensitive, baby is more likely to be as well and I found with my LO that even tiny amounts in my diet made a difference.

petalsandstars · 27/09/2013 04:00

That sounds more positive, at that age 3 hours ish is about as long as my babies went between feeds.

DC2 is 4 months old now and is just starting to go for longer than that stretching to 3.5 to 4 hours some feeds at the moment. Fed at 10.30 last night and awake at 3.30 now for the next one, that's the longest stretch for a long time for me.

Original poster
SourSweets · 27/09/2013 06:30

10.30-3.30 sounds lovely! I hope you were in bed right after that 10.30 feed!

He was ready for another feed 2 hours later this time, but I pushed it to 2.5 before feeding him. He's now sleeping again but very noisily.

MrsSpagbol how was the GP? I hope you're having an easier night too. Thinking of you and your little one.

OP posts:
petalsandstars · 27/09/2013 07:49

Yes straight away so I managed a 4hour stretch of sleep which was lovely. hopefully if you keep feeding him the same way all the time he'll get more milk in the day too which should also help the nights.

The way I was told to think about it though is that when they want more they put their order in overnight to send
More signals to your body to increase your supply for the next day, so sometimes he will want feeding more frequently again but then it will most likely settle down.

You'll also find a growth spurt at around 12 weeks and probably 16 too. It's worth having a look at kellymom website as their is some fab bf advice on there.

MoneyMug · 27/09/2013 08:03

My DS is 9 weeks now and also wakes up every 2 hours for a bf. My 2 year old wakes up nearly every hour too. She won't let DP put her back to sleep so I have to do everything, so I know how you feel. The baby has a cold at the moment, so was awake half the night. Sad

You've probably heard this 1000 times but you really need to sleep when the baby does during the day. Even just a half an hours nap in the afternoon will male a difference.

I found getting up in the night with my first newborn a lot harder than getting up with a toddler and a newborn because I just wasn't used to it. Honestly you will get used to it and your baby will start sleeping better eventually. unless you've got my DD

Sorry I've just read that back and it's just a rambling mess but I blame it on the lack of sleep. Wink hopefully you'll know what I mean.

HadALittleFaith · 27/09/2013 08:06

mrsspagbol I'd ask for an assessment for tongue tie. It might be worth having a breast feeding assessment to catch the latch because that can be a factor. My local sure start centre offers a latch assessment, it's worth asking.

Sour glad you got a longer stretch. I offer both sides to DD most of the time (just one say if I'm topping her up before a car journey). I like the idea of main course one side and pudding the next! Yes the amount she takes from the second side varies but it seems to satisfy her.

aliciagardner · 27/09/2013 08:08

Sour sweets, glad it's a bit better already. I was just going to respond pretty much as fresh01 did - do offer both sides and if you need to wake up by changing/ tickling feet/ touching cheek to wake up and make sure DS is absolutely full, do it. Do it in the day as well as night, it won't make much difference at this stage but when DS is a little older and tummy bigger, there's a chance he can take most milk in the day and therefore sleep longer stretches at night.

I wouldn't get too wound up about fore milk and hind milk, you'll worry yourself over nothing. Just make sure that DS finishes a full boob (ie. your breast is soft and no longer feels full before switching sides). Milk doesn't magically change from fore to hind, it's a gradual progression as the feed goes on, so not a huge amount you can do other than 'finishing' one side. Agree with pp that kellymom has some good articles on this.

Baby gaviscon could also be worth trying via prescription if the winding isn't working, but sounds like it's better with more winding already?

How was the tea and cake?

northernlurker · 27/09/2013 08:12

It is relentless at the time but it passes. I've had three. Dd2 who was born in winter was the worst night feeds - it was cold. We co-slept a lot so I didn't have to get out of bed!
One thing I found helpful washaving the radio on. There's all sorts of plays and comedy on 4 extra all through the night. You don't feel quite as despairing in you're listening to something good and it won't wake your partner. (As if!)

Original poster
SourSweets · 27/09/2013 16:45

Thank you Petals I will take a look now.

I took him to be weighed this morning and he's on the 91st centile so no doubts that he's getting enough milk!

Thank you Alicia, he seems to bring up wind fine but he'll just be very noisy in his sleep, grunting the whole time and straining. He's not constipated so I'm not sure why he does it. He was at least going straight back to sleep after feeds last night though. I feel so much better for it this morning!

Mrsspagbol come back and let us know how you're getting on!

OP posts:
fairy1303 · 27/09/2013 16:51

Cancel your lunch. It will get easier. DS was like this. He's 13 weeks now and sleeps much better. Hang in there. Can you express a bottle so DH can give it at say, 11, then you will at least get a couple of hours?

petalsandstars · 27/09/2013 18:35

Yay, glad you feel better today. My first was a really noisy sleeper for no apparent reason so we moved her into her room quite early on with a monitor. But it is easier to be in the same room really for night feeds on the whole.

Hopefully you'll get more rest tonight too. I've had one born between 91st - 98th centile so know it can be relentless sometimes

Peopleshouldsmilemore · 27/09/2013 20:21

Hi there,
Just wanted to say that your gp can refer you to a paediatric who can prescribe more potent reflux medication. The grunting and straining noises sound like he is very uncomfortable and gaviscon is often not enough to make a refluxing baby comfortable, if that is the problem. Good luck x

Original poster
SourSweets · 29/09/2013 04:40

Do you think so? I hadn't thought it was reflux, he doesn't even wake up so sometimes and the grunting tends to be his standard noise rather than crying. He very rarely cries. He grunts when he's hungry or when he needs a poo. How can you tell if it's reflux?

Yesterday he went 2.5 hours between feeds all day and tonight he's gone 3 hours and then 3.5 hours (almost)! Thanks to all who gave advice, I've followed it and its only ruddy bloody working!

OP posts:
Original poster
SourSweets · 29/09/2013 05:10

Come to think of it, he is quite a sicky baby and is happier sleeping more upright, in his bouncer or if I angle the Moses so it's tilted upright a bit. That does point to reflux doesn't it?

Poor boy! How did mummy not realise that sooner! I'll get him some baby gavison today and see if that helps, if not will take him to the doctors.

OP posts:
HadALittleFaith · 29/09/2013 08:06

That sounds like it might be reflux. DD is the same. We got into a vicious cycle - she fed, had reflux (her breath smelt acidic), then she'd feed to try and settle it only making the reflux worse. Sometimes she arches her back and pulls off feeding too. Gaviscon really helped this.

mrsspagbol · 30/09/2013 13:02

Hi everyone, sorry to not be able to name you all individually but LO doesn't sleep for long.

Thank you for all the advice and recommendations and I am sorry for the delay in coming back to update.

OP - hope all is well with you and you are continuing to make headway with the feeding routine, boob swapping etc. I am sorry I diverted your thread!

As for me, it all came to a head this weekend and we ended up at A&E last night. The paediatrician was FAB - I could have kissed her but that would be weird ...she listened, observed, did not dismiss my concerns and seemed really clued up.

So we are on Ranitidine for silent reflux as of this morning. Not a lot has changed but a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders as I was so tired of being fobbed off with bloody effing "is it colic?".

LO is sleeping, and actually self settled for once and I feel more positive. I know it might take a few days to work, or not work, but still - I feel vindicated as I knew something was not right.

Also feel DH is taking my maternal instinct a bit more seriously.

Anyhoo - don't want to take up any more time on OP's thread Blush but if I get a chance will start one re: Ranitidine and CMPI which was also suggested last night. Have ordered a dairy free cook book this morning.

Oh and ps - also getting tongue tie checked as feeds have become ridiculously fussy so thanks for the suggestion upthread.

Thank you all - hugs (don't care if it's Mumsnetty or not)

HadALittleFaith · 30/09/2013 13:42

Oh brilliant mrsspag! I'm so glad your instincts were listened to. I hope things continue to improve :)