DS2 (4 weeks) taking longer and longer to settle back to sleep after feeding at night - help!!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

DS2 is 4 weeks tomorrow. He is mostly breastfed with the odd bottle of formula - it all seems to be working fine

The night feeds were initially fine - feed from one boob, burp, change, feed from other boob and he would go back to bed - hr and half maximum

However, the last week its all going downhill...he falls asleep, I put him in basket, put my hand on his chest to stop arms flailing, put blanket on him (1 layer, cellular due to heat). He is asleep and looks contented...I go back to bed and start to drift back....15 mins later, he wakes and starts - last night this went on for four hours - obviously fed him again as well as it had been more than 2 hrs since his last feed

Its not a growth spurt, gas or reflux...its getting too much as it took four hours to settle him back last night and I have DS1 to take to school when term starts tomorrow.

I expect to be up in the night with DS2 and don't have a problem with it, but I cannot take being up for 4 hrs..

Help!

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Can you keep him in bed with you? My ds always sleeps longer/deeper after the first night feed in my bed.

No...Dh is a thrasher...he could move to spare room but to be honest, am not a fan of co sleeping anyway - as nice as what it is, I want my bed for me - its the only little bit of space I get these days!

Could it be caffeine in tea or coffee? i try not to drink more than 2/3 cups of tea a day and I do not drink coffee/coke. However, had a frescato on thur and again on Sat...could it be that?

I don't know, I've never noticed an effect from caffeine but I'm sure these things effect different people differently.

Personally, I'd say reflux (as mum of two DS who've had it) but you've discounted it. Might be worth looking at the reflux support thread in breast and bottle feeding just to check that you have excluded it for the right reasons (i.e. the baby doesn't have to be sick to have reflux).

It could be the caffeine. My DD whinge for hours if I have any tea or coffee. I now just drink decaff. You can try cutting out the caffeine and see if things improve?