Baby not eating enough in day, feeding all night

[RubyrooUK]

My baby is 14 weeks old. He seems to have stopped eating properly during the day and eats all night instead.

For the last 2 weeks, he has been waking every 1.5 to 2 hours in the night. He has always been quite vocal but now often also wakes up between feeds to start making loud chatting noises. (Before this, he could go 3-4 hours asleep between feeds.)

He is fascinated by life and it seems like he has cut down his feeds during the day because he hates missing out. Even in a quiet room, he'd rather try and swot the chair back or bedstead than eat (he is breastfed). He hates to sleep during the day too - since birth, his average is 2 naps of 20 mins a day.

He doesn't appear to have reflux, seems happy and is developing well (can already sit up unsupported) but gets exhausted by late afternoon. His nappies are very wet and dirty and he's still putting on weight and on the 72nd centile - he was on the 75th till 2 weeks ago.

I'm worried because:

1. He's feeding up at night all the time which is killing me. Really killing me.
2. Will it affect my milk supply if he's only feeding twice a day? He is feeding about seven times a night and there seems to be plenty of milk so I don't think my supply is low but will this change?
3. He is getting so tired and ratty as the day goes on because he's not sleeping enough.

Anyone been through the same thing? I do not want to leave him to cry at night and have tried Baby Whisperer methods (hush/pat) with no success.

Thank you!

My DD is 16 weeks now and I've just had 2-3 weeks of exactly what you describe.

She had previously managed 7pm bed through to one 4/5/6 am next feed but we went right back to newborn-style feeds at 10+12+2+4+6+8am. Three weeks on it's getting a little better but not ideal- feeds 2+4+6am still. It is punishing stuff and I completely sympathise on the tired side. I never intended to co-sleep but it has happened a few times that I just don't get up to put her back in her cot from the 2am feed.

Regarding the sleep, I don't know as DD does just go back to sleep after all the feeds and naps OK in the day.

Don't worry about your milk supply though, I think it must be pretty well established by now, as far as I can tell, so long as they are taking it off, it gets replaced.

My 18 week old has been going through 3 weeks of this too. Same feed patterns as C4ro. She refuses any attempts to be settled at night unless she is given a breast feed and now doesn't seem hungry at her morning feeds. I've been told to offer her watered down formula for 1 or 2 of the night feeds that seem to be habit rather than hunger. Reducing the amount of formula over a few nights - apparently they stop waking after while. Don't know if anyone knows if this works - I want to try it but I'm very tired to be fussing with bottles at night. (She has always had 1 bottle of formula in the day)

not sure who has advised you to use watered down formula Wilhelminasmum but using the incorrect number of scoops ie too many or too few is dangerous and it should tell you that on the box. i'm sure someone more knowledgable will be able to tell you why.

I always made sure mine had 5 feeds during daytime hours at this age (7 till 7) then they only needed one or two at night. They need a rhythm of feeds and naps in the day not to be cranky. They don't know what they're supposed to do - you need to show them! Feed them at the same times each day and they soon get the hang of it. (I used to do 7.30, 10, 1, 5, 7 ish if that helps)

We have also had this for several wks - omg I am so bleeding knackered.

ds gets really upset if he goes too long without a nap, usually about 2 hrs and recently about 3 hrs in the late afternoon leading up to bedtime. He never falls asleep of his own accord so we put him in the sling and walk and bounce him about, at first sign of eye rubbing / yawn. Then I bf him as soon as he wakes up.

He takes more milk in the day now but I'm afraid to say still wakes a lot at night (he has a cold so I'm hoping once we finally get rid of that I may get some sleep, please).

Have heard waking a lot is to do with huge development at this age.