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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Please help me with my baby! Waking up over 10x in 7 hrs!!!

15 replies

kettleTop · 09/02/2019 07:40

She's 11m old. No other issues, not ill, nothing. She just has never slept well. I've persevered this long as I thought she would just naturally improve but hasn't.

I need help. I'll be starting work in a month or so I won't be able to cope.

What shall I do. She bf to sleep and then keeps waking up.for no reason just looking to latch on to me. Sometimes she's up every 20mins for a couple of hours.

I need help. Please.

OP posts:

ChristmasFlary · 09/02/2019 07:43

Have you tried a dummy?

Increased her food intake? Bottle of water only during the night.

Ds2 hated the dark so got a light show that projected onto the ceiling

Merryoldgoat · 09/02/2019 08:18

What’s her diet like I’m the day?

I have a 1 yo and he’s not a good sleeper but upping his food and formula has helped.

BendingSpoons · 09/02/2019 08:23

If she falls asleep feeding, then she expects to still be feeding when she wakes up. Is there any other way of getting her to sleep? (I know it's not that easy!) Alternatively could you start to night wean, say you won't feed between 12-4 and gradually increase it. Will be worse for a while but might help? Good luck, sounds very tough.

Original poster

kettleTop · 09/02/2019 08:38

Merryoldgoat didn't think of that. She's a pretty rubbish eater. She ends up just playing with her food and not really eating much. How can I get her to eat more. She just doesn't seem interested

OP posts:

Merryoldgoat · 09/02/2019 08:56

Are you doing BLW or are you feeding her?

How much milk/formula is she getting?

EekThreek · 09/02/2019 09:04

I'm in the same place with my just gone 1yo. Last night was the last straw and I didn't bf her at all. She was pretty angry, there were lots of tears and shouting, but I just rocked her back to sleep every time. Me and dh are exhausted this morning.

Mine has started eating less in the day and I think it's because she's getting milk all night, so I'm hoping to flip the balance by refusing to feed in the night. Probably not the recommended approach to do it cold turkey but I can't handle it any more. I'm away with work for two nights next week, another one in April and two more in May, that I know of. I need her to not rely on me in the night!

Good luck op, you have my full sympathy!

Original poster

kettleTop · 09/02/2019 09:11

EekThreek I have thought of going cold turkey with her and not feeding her at night but im too soft and weak! I am too tired and give in. I wonder if I have the same issue and she's getting too much milk so not eating well. She is eating less now than when she was 7/8 m.

OP posts:

Cornettoninja · 09/02/2019 09:13

That’s hardcore, poor you

Things to consider - teething - ibuprofen is much better than paracetamol but you can alternate them (I used to go by the dosage guide and stagger them two hourly on the worse days).

Has she got a bug or is she bunged up at all. There’s so much around at the moment, maybe invest in some snufflebabe menthol products and prop the head end of her cot up.

It may be that she’s hungry. You can offer food and try and make it a play thing to encourage it. This book www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1785040561/ref=asc_df_178504056158419844/?hvlocphy=1007050&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=310561939160&creative=22110&hvpone&hvlocint&creativeASIN=1785040561&th=1&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforum-21&hvtargid=pla-418222813878&hvrand=11109386769711876889 is excellent anyway and helpfully categorises what’s appropriate for what age and exactly what they can do. Personally I wouldn’t hesitate to offer more milk at this age if I was concerned and she wasn’t sleeping.

Is she getting cold at night or early morning? The temperature drops significantly after 2am it might be worth adding a thin blanket when you go to bed.

It may just be one of those horrendous phases they go through and her awareness has had a development. Have you noticed any new skills/interests emerging lately? Worst one imho, if you can share the load do it and if not don’t be too hard on yourself. Nothing wrong with pj days and CBeebies while you fuel yourself on coffee and doze.

What I can promise is this is not forever. There will be a new infuriating phase to replace it soon enough, you’ll survive it.

Apple103 · 09/02/2019 09:15

I'm certain it's because shes hungry and filling up on too much milk. She is waking up to fill up. My ds did the same. More protein in her meals and she will sleep better.

Delatron · 09/02/2019 09:16

It does sound like the problem is the feeding to sleep. She will wake up and be distressed she’s not still feeding. Cut down the milk at bedtime and up the food in the day.

BlackeyedGruesome · 09/02/2019 09:16

Either cosleep with a boob out so she can help herself or give water in the night. Get DH to attend to her as she will smell your milk.

creamcheeseandlox · 09/02/2019 09:31

She needs to learn to fall asleep on her own/self soothe. ATM she needs you to feed her to sleep and so will need that every time she wakes as she doesn't know any different. Once she can do this she will be able to go back to sleep when she wakes in the night. My daughter sucked her thumb for example so she could soothe herself back to sleep. Dummies same idea. You are her dummy/thumb atm so will expect you to be there everytime she goes to sleep. You need to get this sorted ASAP really. Cold turkey or crying it out are harsh but do work.

FruitCider · 09/02/2019 16:03

I wouldn't normally suggest this but have you considered staying out somewhere overnight for 3 nights to stop your baby from overfeeding at night and eating more food in the day? Return home during the day so your baby can nurse then x

Confusedbeetle · 09/02/2019 16:13

As others have said the breastfeeding is the issue, Not only is this a disaster for sleep but also for eating, she is not hungry!. focus on the day, if she has a daytime nap make sure she goes down without a breastfeed, Work towards her having 3 meals a day, Put her to bed without breastfeeding to sleep. If you crack all those the nights will follow.

EekThreek · 09/02/2019 20:33

I totally get it, I've fed her overnight this long because it's easy and quick and I can get back in my nice warm bed faster! I'm taking the hit now knowing (hoping) that before long she'll start sleeping better again!

This is the baby that, until the 4m sleep regression, fell asleep herself and was doing 9 hours in a row from a couple of weeks old. I completely broke her by feeding her back to sleep when the sleep regression hit!

Unfortunately there's no easy/gentle fix, but there will be a point where, weirdly, you're that tired that you'll find the energy to fix it. I hit it last night, so I'm going with it.

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