DD crying in her sleep and turning her head so much she's knotted her hair!

[LuluLulabelleWantsANewName]

DD (14 weeks) is BF on demand. She used to sleep for a 4-5 hour stretch at the start of the night and then I'd hear her waking (not crying) and feed her.

Over the last couple of weeks she's started crying in her sleep a lot. I can often shush her back to sleep/hold her hand but if she carries on crying I feed her. She kicks her legs and turns her head left & right so much that she's made a little bald patch on the back of her head surrounded by little knots.

Last night the longest she slept without crying in her sleep was about 2 hours.

am desperate to sleep longer than an hour and a half. DH is saying lets wean her, put her in her own room, give her formula. I don't want to do any of these - I don't see how they help the problem.

Has anyone any experience of this? She has been ill but seems fine now (is happily kicking toys on her baby gym at the moment).

She could be hungry if she's having a growth spurt, which it could easily be at 14 weeks! Or maybe the first tooth, or maybe windy colic. I'd second the idea about cosleeping - when ds was going through multiple night wakings I would start to feed him as soon as he stirred so he never really woke up fully, and neither did I. To be honest, I'd try feeding before shushing back to sleep, but you know your dd better than I do: with ds I could count on it that he was hungry and shushing wouldn't have helped anyway!

Agree with MarlaSinger, own room not a good idea at this age and don't be tempted to wean if you really don't want to, it shouldn't be necessary. In fact bf is easier if you¡re going to cosleep as there's no preparation of bottles needed, it's all ready and no need to wake up.

Good luck! It will pass

Thanks Marla, I don't think it was hunger because sometimes it was an hour after she'd last fed. She even continued to cry after I'd fed her at one point but wasn't interested in feeding.

I don't get much sleep co-sleeping (my hip really hurts since giving birth so lying on my side all night is agony) but I do get more sleep than I am now so I have done it but our bed is just too soft and I worry about her rolling/overheating. I am considering buying another mattress and putting it in her room and sleeping in there with her.

I don't know how to tell if she's teething, I asked the HV and she said I'll never know (I could blame teething for a lot of different behaviour).

I have just made an appointment with the GP just in case she has an ear infection or something - although like I said, when she's awake she's fine.

We coslept with ds's cot pulled up to the side of our bed, the side taken off and the gap stuffed with towels. He'd sleep in there until needing a feed and if he did want cuddles he'd creep over. If it was hot or crowded (dh has a tendency to starfish!) I'd pop him back into the cot and sleep at the edge of the big mattress holding his hand. Could something like that work for you?

It does sound a bit like teething, both of mine were like this, they woudl feed but not really want it and fuss and toss and turn. It could also be a growth spurt so I would always try feeding first.
It is frustrating but I don't think any of your DH's suggestions woudl work, she is still so tiny.
It woudl do no harm to try teething powders (nelson's or Ashton (sp?) parsons) that you can get from tesco/boots, they were like crack for babies and used to shut DD2 up. Or Anbesol is a teething liquid with Lidocaine. If it isn't teething all you have done is numbed her gums.

(Do not give Anbesol just before BFing though as it wil make your boobs go numb)

Re: the cosleeping I co slept with both of mine off and on but I cannot sleep on ym side, I took one side off the cot and attached it right to the edge of our bed. I put a blanket and then a single sheet sideways over the top of our bed and the cot mattress so there was no small gap left and then DD's slept in their cot and I was in the bed next to them. I just used to slide them over to feed but it meant I could lie on my back and not worry about them falling out of bed.

I keep forgetting we have a co-sleeper cot thing, its plastic though and makes loads of noise when her arms/feet hit it. It could be worth a go I guess. DD has been sleeping in the Amby Hammock but I put her in her moses basket right next to the bed last night - DH thinks I am making things worse by not being consistent but I am just a bit lost.

Thanks for replying, I feel a bit desperate today and guilty because I felt angry with DD when I got up this morning.

I always told DH that I would be consistent when you have found somethign that works!

You feel like that as you are tired can you get some kip later? Or go to bed when she does just once to get one night to recharge.

Much sympathy though, it is horrible when they don't sleep as you then can't think straight to work out how to make them sleep!

I considered a growth spurt Jack but I thought it was a bit soon and she's not feeding more frequently in the day.

Just got back from the GP - she's the picture of health. She fell asleep in her pram so I spent an hour walking the streets and feel better for it.

I should be able to get a half hour when she naps this afternoon.

Thanks for replying everyone

Ok, I think I figured it out. I turned the gro-bag thermometer thingy on last night and our room is 24 degree - pretty much all night with no heating on. I think DD was too hot.

Last night she had a bath with DH then a little massage and into the Amby Hammock in a vest and sleepsuit with no covers and only woke three times (and two of them DH woke her with his tossing and turning - she'd have probably woken anyway but not as soon I think). I also put a bit of baby Olbas Oil on a muslin which helped her stuffy nose.

Anyway, there was no crying or tossing and turning. I felt awful that I must have been baking her in a sleeping bag when the room was that warm

She also slept until 6am so I feel really rested today.