5 month breastfed baby waking every 1-2 hours

[hannah4568]

My LO has suddenly started waking every 1-2 hours for past 3 weeks and always wants nursing back to sleep. He only has 2-3 naps a day for about 30 minutes each time, could it be he isn't napping enough during the day or is it because he isn't getting enough food? He is 23lbs and 5 months today so he is a big baby. I am considering weaning him next week to see if it fills him up for longer. Has anyone got any suggestions to why he wakes?! Am I the only one going through this!!!!

I have two words for you: sleep regression

It is a bitch but it does usually end if you ride it out. You will probably notice a sudden growth spurt and new exciting skill (like sitting up around this age).

Most likely reason is he doesn't know how to put himself back to sleep when he wakes (and he's waking more often due to developmental leap aka sleep regression). is he fed to sleep at bedtime or does he self settle?

Hi hannah4568,
We're in the same boat! Feels like its sinking doesn't it? Our DD (5 and a half months old) used to sleep through from 8 til 2ish (fed to sleep) until she was about 4 and a half months and then one night it all went wrong ands its got steadily worse every night since. Last night, she woke in her cot and cried every 30-45 mins from 7 til 11. It is so hard to tell if she is hungry or not. if she doesn't settle with holding and swaying/rocking, I have to feed as she is distraught, so did that twice by 11pm. Then I got her into my bed, and she woke at same intervals grabs for my boobs until 4am, when she seemed to wake fully and start babbling, and didn't sleep again til 7. The beginning of this coincided with her starting to roll over and us travelling abroad for a wedding and lots of disruption.

Wondering if it's hunger. She's certainly managed to increase my milk supply. I'm trying to introduce solids now to help. But really, I think she's forgotten how to settle herself, and is more alert now.

I've forgotten what sleep feels like. Just makes you numb in the end, and so crotchety!

Where are you at now? Anyone else in this mess too - or got through it ?

It's a sleep regression and I would ride it out.

You sound like you could do with more daytime naps though - try Elizabeth Pantley No Cry Nap Solution - my DS stopped napping at around 5 months and it had me climbing the walls with exhaustion but the book really helped - he has been a fab daytime napper ever since (18mths now).

Re the weaning - I weaned my DS at 24 weeks so just shy of six months but to be honest it's not going to impact on the sleeping, indeed, a list of babies have unsettled sleep as a result of their tummies having more than milk to digest - it takes them a while to get used to food.

It's a good idea to be looking for signs that your baby is ready for weaning, this website explains all the signs - www.nhs.uk/start4life/Pages/babies-introducing-solid-food.aspx

I'd agree that doesn't seem much sleep in the daytime, ds3 is 4 months tomorrow so younger than that but he sleeps so much more and I've also looked after loads of babies (was childminding) and they'd usually have at least an hour in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon if not quite a lot more around that age. There is definitely a link between lack of sleep in the day meaning less sleep at night. But then like others have said, learning to get themselves back off to sleep can be a pain. Ds3 has a dummy but didn't start using one until 7 weeks old and at night once it fell out, he would tend to sleep the rest of the night no problem. Well he's now needing to be plugged back in to get off to sleep so I think sometimes they find it hard to get themselves back off without help.

How does he feed during the day? I just wondered as ds2 fed every 2 hours day and night from 15 weeks old for FOUR MONTHS! In the end I was desperate so went to the HV as I had 4 under 18 months (3 were mindees of course) in total and was exhausted, she was pretty sure it was being things were so full on that my milk supply was being affected so advised formula and he immediately changed (thank god!). Not saying I'll do that if I get a problem like that again, I'd make sure I looked after myself and did what I could first but as ds2 was clearly hungry (and dropping his line), he needed extra.

So I'd say yes to more sleep if possible, think about whether or not they are hungry and if not, TRY to get them to learn to settle in other ways. I say TRY as I know how hard it is and if they can be put on the breast and soon be off, when you're very tired that can seem to better option! .

Good luck :)

I wondered if solids would help but must say this is not based on any scientific knowledge!

Sounds about right to me. Bf both of mine and we had similar issues. If I remember correctly it took a while to settle down. They are both the most amazing sleepers now at 8 and 3 so it does pass, though at times it feels like it might take your sanity with it, stick with it for as long as you can, but don't kill yourself either. Looking back, although I am glad I bf for as long as I did ( nearly 3 with both) I can see that the sleep depravation often made me a short tempered shouty mum, which isn't great.

Min78 at this age they'd get less calories from the solids they could have than breast milk.

If you look in the section sleep, under Body and Soul there are lots of threads about this.

You are not alone! We are starting to come out if it after weeks of hourly wake ups.

We converted cot to side sleeper so I could get more sleep and so wee one got used to being in cot (and not our bed).

Used whatever means possible to get him to nap (still only get 3 x 40 mins).

Used gentle pull off method to start encouraging self-settling. Now I'm winding after feed and he'll go into cot pretty conked out but not 100% asleep.

Dad has started doing first wake up - vigorous cuddles seem to work. If I go in wee man just wants boob!

We've also weaned at 5 months and I think he's napping easier because of it.

Lots of other people have had success with pick up/put down or controlled crying. Wasn't for us but another option.

Good luck - it does get better (we had one night this week with 2x3hr sleeps).