regular night feedings after previously sleeping through- should i do something different?

[mamabgood]

My ds has taken to waking through the night for the last 3 weeks ( he will be 16 weeks tommorow) for feeds. previously he would sleep from 7/8pm until 3/4 am and have one or two feeds before morning waking.

Last night he fed every 2 hours, other nights it has been less frequent but still significantly more than previously .

I had it in mind that this was a growth spurt but would really appreciate any words of wisdom anyone may have on this...

ds is in a cot alongside the bed - as has been since day 1 and I pull him into bed to feed and return to sleep before returning to cot. since this growth spurt or whatever it is, he cries when I return him to his cot so I just keep him in the bed with us.

In particular is this likely to continue to be the feeding pattern does anyone know?

Should I try something different,such as trying to fit in more daytime feeds? or just continue as have done feeding on demand and co-sleeping.

thanks !

Is he cold? Does he have a cold? Any other obvious cause?

It is really common for babies of this sort of age to start waking more frequently unfortunately. Most people find it passes with a little time. It is tiring, though . Sounds like you're doing a great job . Can you catch a nap in the afternoon?

No doesn't seem to have cold or be cold, I think only obvious cause is i'm presuming a developmental stage.

Good to know you think it will pass, I have been trying to get better at grabbing a nap and this snow enforced indoors time is helping on that front!

Thanks for the encouragement

Sounds like he is having a growth spurt. 16 weeks is still so young and things can change so quickly. Our dd slept through from 8 weeks and I thought that was that... then she started to wake up for feeds again. Eventually she dropped back to one feed a night, and we weaned her off that once she was established on solids. Now at almost 10m she never has a night feed. As they say, this too shall pass!

FWIW I used to cluster feed when she was having a growth spurt- I'd feed her every 2 hours during the day and it did seem to reduce the night feeds.

It's the 4 month sleep regression - their brains are really busy working on a huge developmental spurt which happens at around 19 weeks.

There is a great book explaining it called The Wonder Weeks by two scientists who researched all the developmental spurts up to 13 months.

They say "Your baby may not settle down well at night now. It may be more difficult to get her to bed in the evenings, or she may lie awake at night. She may want a night feeding again, or she may even demand to be fed several times a night. She may also wake up much earlier in the morning."

They also say: "The fussy period preceding the developmental spurt will often last 5 weeks, although it may be as short as 1 week or as long as 6."

The good news is that is passes on its own, and that babies who were good sleepers before the regression usually go back to being good sleepers afterwards without any help. (Which makes people like me with not-so-good-sleepers a bit tbh .)

There?s useful information on the sleep regression here, here, here and here.

Sounds like you're doing a great job.

Ds is the same right now. He also doesn't like going back, but I put it down to cold, or me falling asleep feeding and not waking until he stirs because he will always take another snack then.

Is it just me or is it so much harder this time around? I don't know if him being more active in the day (or me being busier) is affecting me, but im finding this sleep pattern far more exhausting than I did at 6 weeks.

ARGH I feel your pain!

I think I'm going to start a thread called "Four Month Sleep Regression Hell" so we can all moan and compare notes? I could use some support, specially as I am going home to my FF, CIO mother, and staying there with DS for nearly 3 weeks over Christmas...
In fact, I'm going to do that right now. Come join me! I think a bit of support would be wonderful, right about now.

ha ha! good idea blackcurrants.
glad to hear i'm not alone, no one at the bf group or nct people are having the same oh well at least we are getting the lovely snuggles at night!

thanks for the book tip angel dog -i've ordered it... hope it will make it through the snow.
i know what you mean porcelain- i think getting use to the easier sleep makes it more of a challenge - plus everyone else not having the same problem

oh and last night was every hour!

I am in it too . Feeds every 2 hours between 6 pm and 2 pm then hourly or half hourly til 5am when it is time to get up. Am on my knees.

Babies. Who'd have 'em .