Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

Night time feeding

14 replies

MrsDoolittle · 16/05/2006 10:45

Ds is 13 weeks old, I am bf him.
Now whether I give him his last feed at 7.30pm or 9pm he always wakes up at 12.30am, then 2.30am and 4.30am. Infact he just seems tp rustle around, I bring him into bed, he feeds for 10 minutes and falls asleep again.
How can I adjust this behaviour so that I can get more sleep. I'm getting so tired.

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 16/05/2006 11:09

Anyone?

OP posts:

Racers · 16/05/2006 11:20

Hi MrsD
My DD woke at around these times I'm afraid until around 5m, when her feeds were getting really quick (and she would have a good 20m in the day, though I know you can't go off the times so much - but it's all you've got isn't it?!!) At first I tried to keep her awake by the usual ways, rubbing hands and feet, blowing gently into face etc, in the hope that she would sleep longer if she drank more, but by around 5m I realised that it was possibly not so much milk that she wanted but something to suck on to get her back to sleep. She'd had a dummy occasionally from 4wks, so we started to use that and she would go straight back off to sleep - if not, I'd feed her. This worked for us, but she was a bit older and of course you might not want to use a dummy...

Also, maybe if he is just rustling around you should wait and see if he settles off again. I know I used to get her and feed her, thinking that even if she did go back to sleep, it could be for only half an hour or so, so I might as well feed her and hope that I wouldn't be up for another 2 hours. I think sometimes she would have been better left unless she actually cried out, as it probably disturbed her to be picked up!

Gosh, more of this is coming back to me, but I've got to go... The other thing was that I used an ear plug in one side (lying on the other), so a little rustling didn't disturb me but I could hear her make noises vocally (ie cry!)

HTH & good luck - sorry to waffle!

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 16/05/2006 11:24

Thank you so much racers. I'm wondering how much of it is comfort too.

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 16/05/2006 11:29

I wouldnt have thought much comfort feeding went on at 13 weeks Mrs D. A bit too young imo.

Night time waking sucks. DS was an awful sleeper and woke 1-3 times a night until he was 10.5 mths.

I used to find that sometimes though that rolling DS (or DD who was a better sleeper all round) on to his/her side when restless sometimes helped to get them back off to sleep.

It will get better eventually, and as racers said, the feeding will become quicker soon.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 16/05/2006 13:51

Thanks - ds has always slept on his side. Just won't stay on his back, has rolled from a few weeks old.

He loves it in my bed - he's sleep there all day and night.
I've only just managed to settle him in his crib after feeding. Just need him to stay there now

OP posts:

Racers · 16/05/2006 16:02

Yes, agree with VVV that 13wks is v. young and with a tiny tummy, these are pretty normal waking times. Also, he is probably filling up quite well on 10mins so I wouldn't change anything until he falls asleep practically as soon as he latches on. Things will improve soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, hate to say it cos you're probably sick of hearing it - but try to grab 20 winks in the day if you can.

Carpo · 18/05/2006 13:45

Mrs D, my 13 wk old has also been waking around these times right up until the last couple of nights. I thought I'd try an experiment...

Rather than crashing out soon after he initially went to bed (7:30-8pm) - like you, I am quite tired - I stayed up till a 'normal' bedtime, 10:30/11pm, and offered a feed then. It may not work every time of course but these two times I've tried it, though sleepy, he's taken a reasonable feed and gone back to sleep. Both nights I heard him around 1am but braved it out to see what happened. Both times, rather than waking more fully, he has settled himself again and I haven't heard a peep till 3 and 4:30am! So, though I have woken up twice in the night I've only had to get up once and, due to going to bed at a more normal time, I'm sure I've slept better between feeds.

As I say, it's early days but I'm pleased with the initial results of this experiment. Maybe give it a try - we may both be on the way to our little darlings sleeping through... (Wishful thinking? )

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 18/05/2006 17:11

Carpo - I will definately give this a try. Will let you knoe tomorrow
Thanks

OP posts:

suzi2 · 18/05/2006 21:06

It's all an exhausted blur... but I think I used to change DSs nappy, put the lights on and really wake DS up for the 2am feed. That way he would feed for longer - although he took longer to settle. And that would cut out the 4am feed and give me a whole 4 hours to sleep I also found that he slept longer if I wasn't in the room with him as he wouldn't 'smell' me when he rustled and would nod back off. DH slept in beside him and I slept in the spare room. He would get me when DS needed fed.

But I agree re the rustling. I still feed DS (9 months) as I figure that I'm awake anyway and he's bound to be awake sometime soon. But I know it's not great for creating good habits of him self settling. Oh, and sleeping in the spare room helped me as I could put earplugs in and not always hear the rustling. And DH slept through it more than I did.

hate to say it too... but get a nap if your DS does. Forget the housework etc - I wish I had taken this advice but I was trying to eb a domestic goddesss too Mind you, I take a nap now when DS naps and i'm tired. He often only sleeps int he car so I've been known to pull back into the drive when he's nodded off and take my pillow out the back, recline the seat and have a nap!

It does settle down and the exhaustion does improve. Either that or you get more used to it!

UniSarah · 18/05/2006 21:58

Hi Mrs D
My Ds is 10wks ,he was waking on a simlar pattern to your Ds and being Wide awake wanting to play at 5am till I changed his pattern round about wk6-7 by
a- waking him up for an 11pm feed &
b- ading a dark lining to the curtains so he doesn't wake at dawn.
c- ignoring him rustling if its only an hour or 2 after hes had a good guzzle.I KNOW he can do 3 hours no problem as hes does in the day when hes spending lots of energy playing so he can do at night when his calorie use is lower.

we now have a feed pattern of bedtime, 11ish, 2.30ish and 6ish. He does sometimes wake and snufflemunch in between but mostly sorts himself out and drops off again, tho dh says I sleep through some of those so it may be more common than I know about.
I'm sleeping better now and feel so much better for not being up at 5am every day.
good luck with negociations with your Ds:-)

RedZuleika · 20/05/2006 20:01

Why do you need him to stay in his crib? You might find it easier if you just slept with him next to you, in a way that he can find the nipple without having to wake you first.

I've always had DD in the bed with me or in her bedside cot, pulled up to my side. Growth spurts aside, she's generally fed before we went to sleep (about 11-ish) then snuffled for a feed around 2-ish and 5-ish. With her in the bedside cot or closer, I just have to roll over and shove a breast in, so most mornings I've not really been aware of how often I've woken. The 2-ish feed has recently been dropped (she's now about 7 and a half months) and it took me a while to realise.

UniSarah · 20/05/2006 22:45

The bed shareing feed with out waking you thing is not something that every baby can pull off. My Ds and I have never got the hang of it.
It works for some but don;t get too hung up if it doesn;t work for you.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 24/05/2006 22:02

Thank you everyone. He still feeds frequently at night. Well 11pm, 2ish and 5ish. Which feels like loads when i'm sooo tired.

I guess he'll probably be like that til he's weaned. Dd spoiled me and slept from 11-6 at 8 weeks.

OP posts:

lorna3586 · 24/05/2006 22:48

Hes proberbly waking and not having the ability to get himself back to sleep by himself without your breast. Have you tried a dream feed? this will help him to sleep fopr longer sperts. Also try feeding him in bed on your side with him lying next to you cradled in your arm. This is what ive done with my son that way you can sleep while they feed. But make sure the cover isnt on him and make sure there arnt pillows to near his head. They say you shouldnt sleep in the bed with your baby as its risky which is true but i found i was very consious that he was there and didnt move an inch in my sleep.

Flip