Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Night feeders thread part 3 - Up all night feeding? Come join! [title edited by MNHQ]

954 replies

mrsmugoo · 08/07/2014 20:45

Part 3!

Quick recap - DS, 17 weeks, EBF (stubborn little bottle refuser), crap sleeper! Super knackered Mummy, surviving on 1-2 hour sleeps :(

So I am hoping for a better night tonight seeing as bedtime went smoothly. Last night was hideous and I've eaten a twirl, a bounty and a salted caramel brownie today just to get through the day!

OP posts:
Cariad007 · 06/09/2014 20:23

We are only in a two bed flat so don't bother with a monitor. I still have to feed DS to sleep as he's yet to learn the fine art of self-settling! When he wakes in the night now, a dummy seems to help him drift off again. But knowing DS, I don't count on that lasting long!

Writerwannabe83 · 06/09/2014 20:47

I still feed DS to sleep too. He was asleep for ages in my arms but within 30 seconds of putting him in the cot he woke up and now won't stop crying Confused

Cariad007 · 06/09/2014 20:52

DP put the dummy in DS's mouth, rocked him a bit and he dropped off immediately! This is a first, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high. I'm sure I'll be posting here in ten mins or so, saying he's up again!

Original poster
mrsmugoo · 06/09/2014 20:59

Yep - bath, feed, in cot, door shut, relax in living room with the video monitor on (same for naps)

Bedroom is only next door to the living room (also two bed flat) but the video monitor is great.

I have it on my bedside table on mute at night too so I can see what he's doing if he wakes me up, without getting out of my bed. We're still to move him into his own room but will be very soon!

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 06/09/2014 20:59

I miss the days when DS took a dummy. Getting him to sleep used to be so much easier then Sad

Writerwannabe83 · 06/09/2014 21:56

1.5 hours since he woke following the transfer and he's still awake....

I can't bear it!!

How can he go from being fast asleep to then this??

AuntieMaggie · 06/09/2014 22:24

writer I feel your pain as ds is the same.

tonight's adventure has been trying him on formula... It didn't go well!

Writerwannabe83 · 06/09/2014 22:29

It's been two hours now. I've had to walk out because I can't listen to it anymore. DH is up there with him and all I can hear is DS crying!!

Tonight is going to be really shit.

Why are you trying formula Maggie? So you can share bedtime duty it hope he will sleep longer?? I take it he wasn't impressed then?

AuntieMaggie · 06/09/2014 22:43

Writer so I can get more sleep maybe once a week by letting dp do either a night or morning feed but I also wanted to see if he really would sleep longer. I can't express because I can't do it one handed so this would also help with that but no he wasn't impressed. shouldn't be surprised as he didn't like it in hospital either! I may have to get dp to help me express!

AuntieMaggie · 06/09/2014 22:44

Sorry stoopid phone posted too soon ...

I hope your night gets better writer

Cannotbelieveit · 06/09/2014 23:49

We put the video monitor on when he's gone to bed to keep an eye. Writer DS2 has pretty much given up his dummy too!! Well he made it til now which is his worst night yet! So here's hoping it can only get better from here Shock

Cannotbelieveit · 06/09/2014 23:51

And I still feed to sleep at/in the night. Not really helping matters I'm sure!! but I'm trying to be zen about his get ups/feeds in the night despite his previous sleeping through. He obviously needs the milk/comfort so I can't begrudge it, he's only 4 months old.

Writerwannabe83 · 07/09/2014 01:51

He finally went to sleep at 11pm but then woke up two hours later. I'm currently trying to feed him to sleep but it's not going very well. I don't want to wish his years away but I can't wait until he's about 10 and I might actually be able to have an undisturbed nights sleep...

Cannotbelieveit · 07/09/2014 03:51

It'll happen soon writer!!
We are up again feeding Shock let's hope this sees him thru til at least til 7-8am!

cookielove · 07/09/2014 04:06

Hello, can I join. Inwas reading this thread earlier thinking I'll be sleeping soon, but ds who is 3 weeks and 4 days had other plans, this is one of the worst nights so far. I have yet to fall asleep, as ds has a cold so he is struggling to breathe. Although he has been fine for the last two days, tonight he has really struggled but is now fast asleep on my chest.

It is coming up to his next feed soon, thinking I should go get it ready but I am so frigging tired and don't want to move. At least ds is breathing a bit easier now!

JuniorMumber · 07/09/2014 04:17

Can I join too? dd is six weeks. Trying to get her to sleep in her Moses basket tonight as she has been co sleeping with me in a double bed since birth (naughty I know but she sleeps so much easier next to me).

Cookie - I spray saline drops for newborns from boots up DD's nose when she's congested and they work brilliantly. I usually then also suck out the contents with one of those infants nasal pumps.

cookielove · 07/09/2014 04:20

junior been doing the saline and using nuk snot sucker outer. He hates it. I think the nuk is to big for his little nostrils so not only is the whole thing uncomfortable but may be also painful.

I am so tired. I must make myself get up to get his bottle and pump! Looking forward to the morning when dh can have baby and I can sleep!

JuniorMumber · 07/09/2014 04:30

Cookie - poor little mite. yes dd sometimes screams when I squirt the saline up. I also tried sitting in the bathroom with her with the shower running to get the air steamed up and ease her congestion. She fell asleep - not sure if it eased the congestion or not or she found the sound of the water soothing!

Writerwannabe83 · 07/09/2014 06:15

Hello Cookie and Junior.

Cookie - I remember when my DS was born he was incredibly congested for about 8 weeks and I sympathise with the trouble it causes with their sleeping. I had tried the snot sucker gadget but I hadn't found it very helpful. I also used saline but I used the drops which I found much more effective than the spray. Has your HV advised you regarding tilting the Moses basket? When they have blocked noses they sleep far better in an angle which is probably why he is sleeping much more soundly on your chest. I hope you managed to find the energy to get the feed and he took it ok - or I'd he struggling with that as well??

Junior - what problems are you having with regards getting DD to sleep in the basket?? We have all co-slept at some point!! I went through a phase of doing it when DS was 4 months old because his sleeping was horrendous and then it became a very hard habit to break as he used to then just cry and cry whenever he was put in his cot - it is draining. Have you tried putting something that smells if you inside the basket, I.e the top you were wearing that day? DD may feel much more comforted if she can smell you and it's like tricking her that actually you are very nearby. You don't mention how you are feeding her, but if you are breast feeding then having a Muslin that smells of your milk can also be hugely comforting. Obviously with DD bring so young any clothes/Muslins would need to be put underneath the sheet in the Moses Basket as opposed to just being left next to her due to suffocation risks.

My DS has just been up feeding after another 4 hour gap between feeds. I don't feel too bad for it because as long as I'm getting 3 hour stints of sleeps then I manage ok. He must be having another growth spurt as when he was weighed on Friday he had put on 17oz (just over a lb) in 13 days!!

He's back in his cot sort of trying to go back to sleep but unfortunately daylight is streaming through my curtains so I'm not sure more sleep is on the agenda for me.

(Writer : mom to first baby aged 5m 2w)

Cannotbelieveit · 07/09/2014 07:33

Welcome cookie and junior!

Well DS lasted til 7 so not too bad! Will see if he will settle again after this feed (probably not). DH has taken DS1 to the lounge to give him breakfast etc so if DS2 doesn't go back off for a bit I will take him in there and come back to bed for half hour or so Grin

It's weigh day for us tomorrow, although I do have my own baby scales now so I'm not going to keep going to clinic to get told crap when my own HV isn't there!! Last time they said "oooh he hasn't put as much on"

yes that's because he's 3m now and bf babies weight gain slows at 3-4m compared to ff!! However with the 4 month sleep regression starting last week, those 2 extra feeds a day have probably bumped him up anyway!

Cookie I use the saline spray too and just a simple snot sucker from summer infant that worked from newborn? I have also tilted both boys when they were a few weeks to help them sleep better when congested or when DS1 was puking all the time!

Junior agree with writers suggestion of something that smells of you.

I haven't co slept with either as DH is a heavy sleeper and does have a little drink at the weekends so couldn't have done it safely. DS1 has slept with me when he younger and ill but couldn't do it now as he's nearly walking! He would just fall out

DS1 17 months
DS2 4 months

AuntieMaggie · 07/09/2014 08:12

Well that was a shit night. DS initially slept for 4 hours but then has been up every 45mins - an hour. and then DPs alarm woke him up and now he's in a piss at me because I complained about it. So DS has been awake since 6.

Welcome cookie and junior. It gets easier. . honest Hmm I wrap DS in a blanket so that when I put him in his crib/moses basket he's still warm and not going into cold bedding.

First baby 10 weeks

cookielove · 07/09/2014 08:57

Well I was awake till 5.50am then he woke up at 7.40 and moaned on and off till I fed him. Good news is he took alot more of tge breast then he has done before. Bad news is I am shattered, dh is having a lie in cause he is poorly too and I want to stab him lots!!

ChaffinchOfMegalolz · 07/09/2014 09:10

hello.
3rd dc, 5mths old. knackered.

he's going great guns with food, eating 3 meals & puddings a day with bf sometimes before sometimes after and inbetween.

and yet, he was up last night every 2 effing hours.
do I need to be offering him water with his meals? is he thirsty? or just greedy young? can't remember what the other 2 were like, but I'm sure I didn't give them water Hmm just breast.

congratulations on all of these new babies Thanks

Cariad007 · 07/09/2014 10:29

Gosh that sounds like a hungry DS! Mine is 6.5 months and only just getting into solids - some days he wolfs them down, other days he only wants milk.

After an initial sleep of a couple of hours (letting DP and I catch up on some TV) DS refused to go back in his cot and slept next to me, waking twice for feeding. He's okay this morning and his cold seems better but he's a bit grouchy. I'm off to the gym in a bit so he's DP's for the next couple of hours.

Writerwannabe83 · 07/09/2014 13:18

Cookie - I think a Judge would forgive you if you did stab him!!!

Chaffinch - wow, that's a good appetite your boy has!! Does he have a formula feed or breast feed before bed? Does he want feeding everytime he wakes in the night or are you able to settle him? Could there be another reason he keeps waking? Too hot or too cold? Is he in his own room?

Cariad - my DH took DS off my hands for 3 hours earlier to give me a break whilst I went and visited my best friend. Sometimes it is nice to be away from the baby isn't it? And I absolutely live it when we are reunited when I return as he give and the biggest smile and it makes me realise how much I missed him and how much I love him!!!