5 1/2 months EBF wakes every hour from 8pm

[eyebrowqueen]

Which makes it impossible for me to do anything of an evening, She will eventually go down at 11 ish but often then wakes again at 12 - til 3.

So I end up feeding her and she takes it for a few mins before she goes back to sleep. I want DP to be able to comfort her but she just cries and cries til I come.

She also has really really bad eczema which obviously doesnt help.

I am just wondering really when this will end as I feel I can't make any plans ever. I don't know why she keeps waking up - she's not hungry and it's not wind.

We are just starting BL weaning.

Do you feed her to sleep? If so she probably needs the breast to settle her. There's a book called The No Cry Sleep Solution that has some good ideas for breaking that suck-to-sleep habit.

Second the NCSS suggestion, it was my bible with DS as a baby. Doesn't provide quick fixes - but then there is never a quick fix for baby stuff, is there? I had this with DS and we had to persevere with DP settling him - if the crying got awful and he was really upset I would go in. DS seemed to learn that I would still come if he was upset and therefore he chilled out more when with DP, if that makes sense. We also introduced patting, which I could do while BFing, so he got accustomed to that sensation and both DP and I could provide that. Hope it settles down for you soon. :)

yes she feeds to sleep

is it the PUPD thingy?

Do you think if a baby is fed to sleep she will never be able to settle without the boob (with someone else) unless some sort of training is involved?

Oh OK yes patting I do sometimes as well.

DP is with her at the moment and she seems to have calmed down -I left them to it (15 mins of her crying with him) and she is quiet.

WAS quiet.

I'll have a look at the book
thanks for your posts

No, not PUPD or sleep training - NCSS is very gentle and aimed at breastfed babies.

I do think unless a baby can fall asleep without sucking, then every time they stir/come into a lighter sleep phase they need to suck again to fall asleep. I replaced feed to sleep with a dummy, and then had exactly the same problem with ds waking up and needing a dummy back - so had to do the whole thing again!

I've just been in to see what's happening DP looks really stressed. I feel frustrated that I don't feel he is 'doing it right' but don't know what to suggest or hurt his feelings

He works long hours etc but spends as much time with us as he can

eyebrowqueen - I'll be honest here and tell you I was still feeding DS to sleep at 2.3 yrs. But that was only for night wakings, not bedtime, and it caused me no bother. He self-settled at bedtime before giving up the final night feeds. And I never did too much to dissuade him from night feeds (working a 60-80 hour week and too bloody knackered!).

But no, they do outgrow feeding to sleep eventually. DP was a SAHD from when DS was 6.5 months and managed to get him to sleep by rocking instead. It will be OK, don't pressurise yourself too much.

He won't "do it right" (do it like you!) but he can find his own way. I think there's a big difference between letting a baby cry alone, and them cry while in someone's arms. It took a while for my ds is to get used to DP rocking him to sleep at about the same age - and there was a lot of crying - but it worked in the end.

Doric- 2 years! And MoonUnit- I guess I have to encourage DP to persevere and I'll have a look at the NCSS book for ideas.