Help please with all night sucking, possible teething and a too-tired mum!

[kayjayel]

Hi,

I'm bfing my 13 week DS, some struggles in the early days, but it was working fine. In the night he would usually feed every few hours, a quick feed then roll off me (we cosleep). Some nights he would sleep a longer chunk of between 3-5 hrs (bliss!). But he was generally fine to come off unless ill.

For the last 3 nights he has wanted to feed constantly. Or at least be latched on, he isn't seeming that keen on the actual milk. If I take him off at all he may be fine for a minute or two, but then starts writhing and rubbing at his face and searching with his mouth. If I don't re-latch him he cries a lot. In the day when I think about it, he will only sleep when moving, and he is jerking around a lot even when asleep.

My problems with this are:

• exhaustion! I am vaguely awake all night, and have 2 other DC to look after, and I don't cope well with bad nights
• sore nipples (he has a pretty poor latch, we were fine without the all night feeds, but I'm getting sore again)

What can I do? Is there anything to stop this, some reassurance that it will end or tips to help him come off or ease his pain. He won't take a dummy reliably, and went ballistic when I tried to let him suck my finger last night. I have tried bonjela, and it may have helped him settle last night and gave me 2 hrs off feeding, but I don't really want to put that in constantly if there are other things I can do?

Help, I was coping quite well, but this will tip me over the edge!

It will end! It could be teething, it could be a growth spurt, it could be the 4 month sleep regression come early. One thing is for sure though, it will end and by co-sleeping you are making things a bit easier on yourself.

It does really suck when they stay awake all night chewing your nipples. Is there anyone who can give you a bit of a break during the day, maybe take him out in his pram so you can get some extra rest?

This phase normally passes quite quickly, although at the time it seems like it's going on forever. Night waking like this is normal for a lot of babies but they all do grow out of it.

Dr Sears has some good tips about sleep.

Thanks for the reassurance! I didn't think it was the 4 mth sleep regression, as I would have thought his sleep would have to be great in the first place in order to regress! But if its a growth spurt that would be good - it should ease soon.

I have help, so that's okay, and I'm trying to go easy on the 'I should entertain the big kids' pressure, so they have had a fair bit of tv after school. I just have the horrors that if its teeth then that has put paid to any decent sleep for about 6 mths. I'll have a look on the link, thanks for posting it .

Your post describes my EXACT situation! I thought I was going crazy-- its like someone flipped a switch! My son is 13 wks (our first) and the all night sucking started 4 nights ago...I finally just surrendered to it last night but Im really missing his old sleep pattern, please tell me it gets better?

He seems more tired more often, and I think its because his naps changed at the same time. He also refuses the pacifier and gets angry when I withhold the breast.

What did u end up doing for relief and how long did it take? Did your child eventually resume his previous sleep pattern? Any advice or consolation would be very appreciated, I'm just hoping this phase passes quickly!

Thanks!

Sorry but I'm still intermittently experiencing this with my 23 week old...

No advice, but similar here - started to go 4 - 5 hrs at night, now back to 2/3. Very cranky during the day and gnawing on fists constantly, though he has been drooly and fist chewy for weeks now with no other signs of teething. He's not long had a growth spurt so don't think it's that. I'm just coming to the conclusion that I have a fussy/sensitive baby and am just going to have to learn to desk with it!

*deal with it