22wk old - awake every 3 hours in the night. What to do?

[wickedfairy]

As above really!

DD did go through a period of sleeping through from about 10pm-7am for about a month but for the last 6-8 weeks, she has been waking up every three hours for a feed (EBF).

I don't talk to her, just feed and wind and she goes back to sleep for another 3 hours. At first I thought it was the famous 4 month sleep regression, but it does not seem to end. At least she is not up wanting to play, I suppose but I would like a full nights sleep!!

I have started to give her some baby porridge to see if that would make a difference and although she polishes it off quite happily, there is no increase in the amount she sleeps during the night. I know I shouldn't compare, but her brother did sleep through at this age. She does have about a 1.5 - 2hour sleep at lunchtime and probably about another hour about 3/4 o'clock. Is this about right? She is so happy all the time, and I feel if I cut short her daytime sleeps, she would be cranky and she obviously needs them to grow, etc.

Is there aything I can/should do, or is this just her for the moment? TIA, any advice is appreciated

"is this just her for the moment?"

Yes :).

I think this is fine. Not for you, but for her, yes. My first one did this but it settled down after a couple of months (can't remember exactly, too fuzzy!). DC2 is 3.5 months and I am waiting for the current 6-8 hour stretch to come to an abrupt end any day now

My ds is 19w today am still waiting for the 6-8 hr stretch to come!! We've never had more than 3hrs sleep since he's been born ;-( sometimes it's less.
Wickedfairy I'm sorry I have no advice but I do feel your pain, I really do.

I think it's probably a sleep issue rather than a feeding one.

I wonder if she needs more daytime sleep - it sounds like she could be overtired. Most babies this age have 3 naps. If they wake around 7am, they often have a shortish nap around 9am, a longer lunchtime one and a short third one around 3/4/5pm.

The length of time they can happily stay awake usually gets longer during the day, so the awake time between getting up and having the first nap is the shortest one.

Putting her to bed earlier may help too.

Sympathies, though - it's over a year since I last had a full night's sleep. Co-sleeping makes it much, much easier to deal with for me.

Normal for a 22 week old. Solids won't make any difference at this stage - there are virtually no calories in it.

Its tough going but you really have to go with the flow, and not compare with her brother :)