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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

One hours sleep a night

37 replies

JoJoLouise · 03/09/2008 09:44

I have a 5 week old baby. I'm following the Gina Ford plan, which was a success with my 2 year old. We haven't had more than 1 - 2 hours sleep since he was born and really need help.

My baby feeds well at 5pm and again at 6.15 pm, followed by a 2 - 3 oz of expressed milk. He then won't settle from 7 pm until around 8 pm. We wake him at 10.30 for a 3 - 4 oz of expressed milk and he goes back to sleep around 11.30. He wakes up at 2/2.30 and I feed him for around 30 minutes...this is where he won't go back to sleep...just screams until 6 am.

He refuses a bottle of expressed milk at this time so we know he isn't hungry. His eyes are wide awake and he seems be to in some discomfort but winding him makes no difference. He will nod off about 6 until 6.45 and then is quite sleep all morning.

I really would appreciate any help as I'm not sure how much longer we can cope with this situation.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Smee · 05/09/2008 10:59

I'd say resist formula too. Yeay for dummies though. If they only help a bit, well surely it's worth it. You might regret it later when you can't get him off them, but for now your sanity and health means you need them! Hope HV is good.

MrsMattie · 05/09/2008 11:02

Really feel for you on the sleep deprivation front, but I agree with some of the other posters who have said 5 week old babies + Gina Ford = Stress!

Boco · 05/09/2008 11:03

Would you consider having him in with you for a night and just breast feeding on demand? It's the only way I ever got any sleep when they were tiny.

Hope things get easier for you.

BlueBumedFly · 05/09/2008 13:14

I second the dummy thing. My DD never took a Dummy but I wished she would! I know that a lot of colicy babies get a lot of relief from a dummy, more sleep for you too.

Take care hun, wish I was there to make you a nice big mug of hot choc!

firststeps · 05/09/2008 14:59

Hi JOJoLouise, I also have a 2 year gap between my 2. DS1 fell into a very predictable routine from day 1, fed and slept and was very content - DS2 was a totally different story - he was awake snd unsettled most of the night - usually spending most of it in my bed, wouldn't settle between feeds and seemed constantly hungry. After 3 weeks of constant crying we took him to a chiropractor specialising in the treatment of babies - it turns out he had a jammed neck from a very quick labour and ventouse delivery - this was causing him to comfort suck and overfeed causing a vicious circle as the sucking action was relieving the pain in his neck but was giving him tummy ache and loads of wind. Anyway - 3 treatments in and he was like a different baby and settled into a more predictable pattern of feeding and sleeoping and slept longer and longer periods at night. HTH

Original poster

JoJoLouise · 05/09/2008 15:38

thanks all

off for 3rd treatment of Cranial treatment

just had health visitor round, she suggested that I get more sleep and play music for baby. More sleep suggestion so mad it's funny...although have baby on floor now with dummy in mouth listening to Pulp and he is chilled! Good old Jarvis Cocker!!!

the messages have really helped, things will improve and I'm taking each day as it comes

OP posts:

Original poster

JoJoLouise · 05/09/2008 15:38

thanks all

off for 3rd treatment of Cranial treatment

the messages have really helped, things will improve and I'm taking each day as it comes

OP posts:

pudding25 · 06/09/2008 09:39

I just love it when they mention get more sleep. Ha.

DD is first baby and we have also tried the GF route. Not quite as easy as I thought but it has given me some good tips and got DD in a routine and good bedtime.

But what I highly recommend is a dummy. It saved my life and got DD in a quite good sleeping pattern, especially at night.

We have just weaned her off it at 16wks (was really disturbing her sleep) and it took 3 days. Go for the dummy and good luck.

pippylongstockings · 06/09/2008 10:14

First steps - what you have written is exactley the same as I went through!

I have 23 months between my 2 - ds1 did gina ford - no problem (although I would add I didn't start it until about 3 months old) ds2 had other ideas - very unsettled as a baby would only sleep in my arms or in buggy, spent nights in bed with me constantly feeding after spending from 7pm till 10pm wailing downstairs.

Finally took him to a cranial osteopath who said that he was sucking through comfort as his head had been engaged for sometime and then I had a very quick birth.
I took about 5 months to get him sorted and he is still an early riser 6am but such a different little chap.

Good luck - it's so very draining when you have no sleep.
I too felt guilty that we watched alot of CBeebies but I figured it wasn't for ever.

Original poster

JoJoLouise · 06/09/2008 13:26

Hey..major breakthrough but not counting any chickens yet..

Got him down last night at 8 with dummy..slept until 10.30 for 4 oz of ebm..then...drum roll..he slept until 3.40 am..had a quick feed and then dropped off (although only on his tummy) until 6.45.

the world feels like a very different place today already.

he is so chilled today

wierd thing is that I'm expressed tons of milk today, about 3 times more than usual. I think he had just been feeding so much.

so the typical advice of giving him formula to settle him would have just made things so much worse.

thanks to the advice on mumsnet about the dummy and stopping the feeding frenzy I think we have turned a corner

bless you all xxx

OP posts:

Smee · 06/09/2008 15:21

Yeay! fingers crossed you have x

BlueBumedFly · 06/09/2008 16:38

Well done hun - good for you. I have every finger and toe crossed for another great night tonight.... its making walking and cooking quite tricky thou....

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