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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Calling all night time feeders - always up feeding when we should be sleeping! Let's keep each other company PART 2!!

999 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 05/06/2014 21:14

I think to start the new thread off we should reintroduce ourselves and our babies for the sake of our own memories and also for any newbies who may join Smile

I have a 10 week old DS who is EBF. Has been sleeping through the night for the last week and I'm just waiting patiently for things to go downhill as I'm sure they will Smile

OP posts:
mrsmugoo · 28/06/2014 20:37

He's 15 weeks - I think cups are my next port of call

TwentiethCenturyGirl · 28/06/2014 20:41

What people say babies are doing and what they do actually do isn't always the same in my experience mrsm - and people all have different definitions of sleeping through the night. I class sleeping through as 7 - 6/7ish, while others count any six hour stint as sleeping through. If you use my definition, then I don't think many of the babies on this thread are sleeping through!

I know that things are really grim at the moment but they really, really will get better. One of my best friends spent 6 months getting nothing more than 1 hour stints of sleep from her baby. She did a bit of sleeping training at 6 months and her DS was sleeping through (properly sleeping through!) by 8 months. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

I would also try and get your DH on board with some of the nighttime settling once he's back. If work makes it unpractical for him to help in the week, then definitely get him on board at weekends. I actually disagree that babies are naturally better at settling for mums. My DH has also been brilliant at calming and settling both of our babies. Maybe I'm a bit mean but I don't necessarily think they're always hungry when they won't settle, so if I'm happy that they're well fed and they still won't sleep then it's normally DH's job to sort them out. He's never been able to feed them but has always shared all the other responsibility for them.

I've got no tips of how to encourage a baby to take a bottle but most of my friends have moved over from breast to bottle feeding at some point and I know that the majority of them have initially struggled to get their babies to take the bottle. I think you've just got to stick at it - I've definitely seen some threads on here about how to encourage it.

Fingers crossed that you have a better night tonight :)

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 28/06/2014 22:37

I agree twentieth about people's definitions of 'sleeping through'. I class anything over 6 hours as sleeping through which DS will do now. I'm sure other people certainly don't think 6 hours is sleeping through. I can't remember how old your baby is but the idea of my DS sleeping 12 hours seems a million miles away.

I put him to bed at 9pm, he played around for half an hour and then finally fell asleep. He tends to wake up around 4-5am so we'll see how tonight goes.

OP posts:
IdaClair · 28/06/2014 22:51

I know I am not exactly a sleep guru as I cannot get my own to sleep properly, but up to around 6 months dd basically slept latched on all night.

How are you at feeding lying down?

IdaClair · 28/06/2014 23:00

Thanks for toddler advice, I don't know how folks manage with one toddler and one newborn!

My dd is only 20 months, so I am not sure that a gro clock etc would really work yet. She is still at the in between baby stage I think, you can't really reason with her or explain like you can at 2 or 3, but she is far more physically capable and active - frustrating.

I think I am guilty of thinking she is still a tiny baby. Honestly she seems so small and sweet especially at night in her cot and babygro. She's physically only little and has has a lot of medical problems in her life.

She has yet to sleep more than a five hour stretch. To my shame I even gave up bf in an attempt to improve her sleep - didn't work :(

Last night she woke three times between my bedtime of midnight and get up time of 7.30am (lie in for the weekend) but it was a good night as each time she went back off again in under half an hour. I don't mind quick getting up and shushing/patting etc for a while, it's nice to have a cuddle, but when she starts looking at me with big awake eyes and being cheeky I know I'm not going to get to go to bed for a good long while.

TwentiethCenturyGirl · 28/06/2014 23:10

DD is 15 weeks, so a long way off my definition of sleeping through!

DD1 first slept 12 hours at 8 months and was doing it consistently by 11 months. Between 4-6 months were the toughest period though, with lots of long periods of night waking. It's shit and soul destroying, so you have my sympathy.

I really think it's luck of the draw as to if they sleep when they're so tiny. Not sure if the thought of that is helpful or not though!

johull · 28/06/2014 23:24

Evening all- ATM I'm quite lucky wih baby (6weeks) sleeping for 4 hours stretches in the night. I was just wondering if anyone else settles/ sends their baby to sleep using white noise? I take my ipad, go onto YouTube and type in " white noise for baby" then I put it near her crib. Works a bloody treat- even if for whatever reason she's a bit unsettled. Apparently its what they hear in the womb. I've found it great. Please (if you havent already) try it and let me know if it works for you too.

mrsmugoo · 28/06/2014 23:35

I've tried white noise on him and it didn't seem to have any effect.

I don't feed lying down anymore (although he does still sleep in my bed) because he doesn't latch on great, he kind of hangs off the nipple which hurts. Plus he doesn't take a full feed and treats it like a snack bar all night! So now we sit up, have a proper feed and then place back down asleep next to me.

oliviap100 · 29/06/2014 03:15

Evening all! Shock

So, DS had a feed just before midnight (stupidly, I was still up watching Metallica at Glasto) and 3 hrs later he is feeding again! He's using me like a snack bar too and has taken a good feed from one boob but is now asleep and refusing the t'other side. This means a 5am feed will be on the cards....

I really wish I could get him to go longer between feeds at night but it seems impossible when he only takes a feed from one boob! Confused

V quiet on here tonight - so hoping you have all had some decent sleep!

mrsmugoo · 29/06/2014 03:26

Slightly better here. He was so hungry last feed that he was trying to latch into my elbow when I was positioning him! So he gulped down a minster feed and staged asleep 3.5 hours which was MOST welcome.

We're in the danger zone now because from here it'll either be a really short sleep to another feed or a crazy early start to the day.

Cannotbelieveit · 29/06/2014 05:30

DS managed 7.5 hours somehow (though stirred several times in the night and did his usual grunting - is it wrong the grunting really annoys me??!).

DS1 stirred a couple times too and needed more nurofen, bloody teething :-( the poor bugger is nearly 15 months and has only 4 teeth!!

Will attempt to put DS2 back in his cot in a few mins and hope fit another hour or two. If not then I will take him into the lounge and plonk him in his swing

mrsmugoo · 29/06/2014 06:20

Well I am attempting to get cocky and put this one down again after his feed. I've never succeeded before, but he seems quite sleepy on the boob and wasn't kicking around with his eyes wide open so we'll see.

puggywug81 · 29/06/2014 08:05

Morning all,

Hope everyone had a good night. Had a really good night with Fin he took ages to settle but then slept through from 11pm till 7am with just a few stirrings and being stroked back to sleep with a dummy. This is his personal best!

Need to ask a silly question Fin is 12 weeks 4 days old is it too soon for him to start teething? He is drooling loads and keeps craming his fist in his mouth also his cheeks were quite flushed last night.

oliviap100 · 29/06/2014 08:10

Mrsmugoo - were you successful?

We had another night of 2 hourly feeds at 3am and 5am and then he lasted a bit longer till 7:30 before the next one. He's only fed from one side, AGAIN so will no doubt want feeding again soon.

I wish he would have a proper feed from both sided but he always falls asleep and is impossible to wake up! I have tried everything! Smile

oliviap100 · 29/06/2014 08:11

My DD starting teething from about 12 wks ... I was really surprised as I didn't expect it to start that early!!

Cariad007 · 29/06/2014 08:17

The nurse I gave DS his BCG shot at 10 weeks said he was teething then as he was (and still is) always drooling and sucking in his hands. No sign of any teeth yet though, which is probably a good thing for me!

midnight1983 · 29/06/2014 08:37

Mine had teething pains on and off since about 12 weeks, I never see his mouth anymore, he's always sucking his hands.

We had an ok night; 2 feeds superseded by leaving him with my MIL for the evening! We went to the cinema. First time I've left him and I thought about him every 10 mins...it was good to have a break though.

Cariad007 · 29/06/2014 09:50

Ell done Writer! DP and I are yet to have any time away from DS by ourselves. Even when my mum was here we couldn't as DS needs feeding every 2 hours like clockwork and is extremely attached to me. One day when he's on solids perhaps!

Cariad007 · 29/06/2014 09:51

Sorry! Saw 1983 and thought it was Writer but now see it wasn't. Well done midnight then!

midnight1983 · 29/06/2014 10:04

Thanks! I left two bottles of expressed milk and came home to a fed and sleeping baby Grin

puggywug81 · 29/06/2014 10:12

Thanks ladies glad I'm not cracking up! Don't really want him to get teeth yet though I don't think teeth will go well with breastfeeding!

Well done midnight very brave glad all went well.

notadoctor · 29/06/2014 10:29

Morning all! We had a decent night - DS woke for one feed at 4am and then slept until DD woke is all up at 6.15am.

My Mum and Dad have taken her to see Peppa Pig live this morning so we're enjoying the peace and quiet!

Well done on your evening out Midnight! I might have to go down South in a couple of weeks and do a few days work (I freelance and need to do a couple of days here and there to keep things ticking over). I did a few days last week but in my home town and DS just came into work with me. I'm hoping to do the same again as don't feel ready to leave the little fella yet (he's 13wks). If I can't bring him in with me , DS will come and stay in the hotel with us and do daytime minding....

Sorry to hear some people are still having bad nights. Especially you Mrs Mugoo - hopefully a doily cup will help. I second whoever said people in real life aren't always entirely accurate when they say their baby sleeps well so try not to compare! Odds are he will just suddenly turn a corner.

notadoctor · 29/06/2014 10:35

I mean DH will do the minding while I'm at work - I wish I had another DS old enough to help out! Fetching the wipes is about DD's limit!

snoozysleeper · 29/06/2014 11:55

Hi all

Do you mind if I join?? Smile

My DS, first baby 5 weeks 4 days.

I am EBF on demand and tired with it, he sleeps for only max 2hour periods overnight. I'm getting about 3-4 hours of broken sleep myself overnight and 2 during day when he naps...

Was wondering do people have a bedtime they use? We often only get into bedroom after his evening cluster feed around 11pm but feels late for a little baby??

People tell me it gets easier from 6 weeks...am certainly hoping so.
[Confused]

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 29/06/2014 16:26

Well DS slept until 05.00am so a good 7.5 hour stretch again. Its 16.30pm and he is having his 2nd nap of the day which I'm thankful for as he was starting to get very grouchy.

Welcome snoozy - congratulations on your new baby!! I remember those early days an 2 hourly feeding, its just exhausting!! My HV tried to placate me by saying that when they hit 6 weeks old they drop an overnight feed and sleep for longer periods but I certainly don't recall it happening Smile The one thing this thread has taught me is how babies are so different when it comes to their sleeping and what works for one baby doesn't for another.

My advice is expect nothing and just see what the future brings Grin

OP posts: