Co sleeping and BFeeding and frequent 'waking'

[joymaker]

My DS is now 28 weeks. he used to sleep well at night waking only twice to be fed. However since I adopted the lying down position to BF -at about 20 weeks old my DS was starting to wake a bit more frequently in the early hours of the morning which was really knackering me out- my DS now wakes many times throughout the night often not wanting to feed but for comfort and seeming to just want the breast, which settles him back to sleep instantly.

I have tried lying slightly away from him thinking that it might be the smell of the milk that might be waking him when he is in a light sleep but he simply inches toward me seaching out the breast and fully wakes if it is not given.

I'm concerned that he is not getting a good enough sleep. Starting him on solids two weeks ago does not appear to have made much of a difference.

Sorry for the long post, any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

sounds like you've been got by a (four month?) sleep regression. Lots of info on here about that, or perhaps someone can signpost (i'm on my phone)

Imo solids makes no difference (some claim it does, but just enough to be chance coincidence imo)

Is it a problem for you that if wakes so? If so can you rearrange your day to make it easier?

Imo this is just a natural part of a lo's development. They will get enough rest if you encourage them to nap (and nap yourself if you can). As far as i'm concerned "sleeping through" etc is a bit of a myth used to make mums and babies feel bad for doing what is natural.

That said i hope it improves for you soon. These things come in phases.

I think he's got a very strong sucking-to-sleep association: every time he finishes a sleep cycle he thinks he needs bf to get back to sleep again. I had the same problem at 6/7 months. It can sometimes happen following a sleep regression period when they wake frequently but can continue after the regression finishes.

Unless he's up for long periods in the night, you don't need to worry about him not getting enough sleep. I don't think it's a problem for him - but if it's a problem for you then I agree you'd want to do something about it.

Solids won't have anything to do with it.

The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley has some good ideas for helping babies stop needing to be fed every time they finish a sleep cycle (the author's baby woke for a feed every 1.5 hours all night every night until he was 12 months).

I managed to help my DS sleep better (without trauma) using some of her methods when I had this problem - there's a description of it towards the bottom of [[
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/1027997-Stuck-in-a-never-ending-sleep-regression/AllOnOnePage#22247099 this thread]]. (Although we're back with the frequent waking due to the 9 month sleep regression. )

HTH

MoonFaceMamaaaaargh thanks for your reply. It's not the fact that he is not sleeping through that concerns me (in fact that doen't concern me at all) it is his constant reslessness to the point I try to keep my own movements in bed to an absolute minimum so as not to cause him to wake and want to suckle (becoming a cycle), it is more his quality of sleep I was wondering about.

I have heard of the 4 month regression period, but haven't looked too much into it, I shall have a look at the threads, thanks.

I thought that it might be the feeding arrangement that may be the issue but glad to hear that this behaviour is by no means out of the ordinary.

Useful 4 month regression links here, here, here and here.

Some babies do find it easier when they're not co-sleeping - I don't think that putting him in a cot will solve the problem, but that might help along with some of the NCSS ideas.

AngelDog thanks for sharing your experience.I think what you say sounds about right re strong sucking-to-sleep association because when I do offer him the breast after he has woken, he usually stays awake for no longer than a minute literally. I have just borrowed The No-Cry Sleep Solution from a friend but have yet to start reading it-will start!

my ds3 is 26 weeks and is currently waking every sleep-cycle and wanting breast. my ds2 did this at the same age (both since 4 months-ish) and solids didn't help, it just gradually improved.

i also like the no cry sleepsolution, but not sure it helped, but it made me feel better about what is normal and expected. i am coping (just!) by going to bed aboout 9pm and my house is a tip!