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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:
FrankelandFilly · 11/07/2014 07:18

Very jealous of the good nights! We're definitely in the throws of the 4 month sleep regression, I was up resettling DD at least 6 times last night, in fact I stopped counting at that point! I really hope this doesn't last much longer, her naps are so short I don't have time to shut my eyes for a nap and obviously there is no one who can take over night duties for me. One decent night would recharge my batteries nicely.

missbluebird · 11/07/2014 08:01

Thanks for the article filly...it said that first nap of day was important and at my DS age within 2 hours of first waking. So given it a go and bounced him a bit and he has gone off easily! He would usually be awake until I walked him mid morning so think I have been leaving it too long.

Well done all those babes who had good nights. Love that we think they might be ill if they sleep throughWink

Cariad007 · 11/07/2014 09:17

Well DS didn't have too bad a night but was wide awake by 7/730am, which is early for him. He was very grouchy but has just dropped off on the boob again so hopefully a quick power nap will help his mood. I want to take him for a walk but it's looking a bit grim outside.

Re the nappy changes, did anyone else change their DC's nappy every time they woke up for a feed when they were newborn? We did this and then after a month realised that a) modern day nappies can stay dry overnight and b) the change was just waking him up and depriving us of precious sleep!!

Writerwannabe83 · 11/07/2014 09:32

DS slept for just over another 3 hours.

He slept for 11.5 hours out of the last 12!! Grin

cannot - when DS feeds in the day he typically feeds 10 minutes from each breast. Good luck with your weigh in today!

cariad When DS was first born I probably did change him at every feed but that's only because he'd had a poo each time. As he hit about 6 weeks I stopped doing it every time because like you said, it just stimulated him too much during the night. He was still waking up every 2-3 hours at this point so we'd just change him every other feed.

KateTheShrew · 11/07/2014 09:34

Good morning! I have only just woken up Shock
For me that is the longest lie-in in the history of baby-having!

It was a typical night, with wake-ups at 11.30, 2.15 and 5.40. But then when DH took him downstairs at 6.30 he apparently immediately went back to sleep in his pram and stayed that way until after 9!! Miracle.

DH went back to sleep in sofa and I got an extra glorious 2.5 hours in bed. Hurrah!

Re the nappies, I think my DS bucks the trend: he always has a really heavy nappy first thing and frequently wets through his grobag in the night. Must be all that nighttime guzzling he does.

Cariad007 · 11/07/2014 09:56

Oh I should probably add that we did change DS in the night if he'd had a poo but if it was just a wee the nappy still kept him dry! I use disposables though, if they were cloth nappies it'd be a different story.

Wherehasmysleepgone · 11/07/2014 10:04

Can I join please? I have name changed I was Mummytobe2014 on prenatal/birth threads for those who were there too Smile

My nearly 16 week old boy is bottle fed and last night was awake every hour - not feeding but unsettled. He is teething which isn't helping, poor little guy but I am exhausted! He fed every two hours last night.

On average he was feeding every three hours for the first part of the night then awake from around 4am on and off until he comes in with me at 6am for some much needed sleep, we usually get about one and a half hours. Although he managed six hours for the first time the other night but that is a distant memory and unlikely to happen again Sad

However over the last few days/week he has been awake a lot more frequently and I just cannot settle him. Sad he also has a habit of doing acrobatics around his cot and then gets upset coz he is the wrong way round and cold!

I get really disheartened when I read how others the same age sleep through, I don't think my lo will ever sleep through the night

Wherehasmysleepgone · 11/07/2014 10:07

I used to change his nappy every night feed too then I brought the 12 hours protection dry nappies and unless he is really really full then I don't change him, I had to change him this morn at about 4 because he had fed a lot more and was in danger of leaking! It definitely disturbs him though so I do try to avoid it.

Original poster
mrsmugoo · 11/07/2014 10:14

An interesting night here!

Down at 7:20 after a tiny feed so fully expected him to be awake after half an hour for the rest of his feed. He didn't stir until 10:30 but I decided to leave him to shuffle around as I'd only just gone to sleep. After about 15 minutes I heard his fingers to in and start to suck and by 11 he was back fast asleep!

He then didn't wake up until THREE! I could have left himto shuffle around then and see if he'd go back to sleep but by this stage my boobs were exploding so I lifted him out, fed him and popped him back in and he was asleep after 5 minutes.

I didn't hear him again until 6 just shuffling around not grizzling or crying so I lifted him out into bed with me and snuggled down (didn't feed) and he slept next to me til 8:15!

I'm utterly amazed at this development and it has confirmed what I was thinking of doing with him which is limit his night feeds to two a night max, to stop incentivising the frequent wakings. If it means I accept a few nights of no sleep for the long term gain then so be it, it's what I did with the self settling and now he's brilliant at it.

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 11/07/2014 11:02

That's absolutely brilliant mrsmugoo Smile

Original poster
mrsmugoo · 11/07/2014 11:11

I'm amazed! And at 3am after 8 hours without a feed he want even that phased by it. I'm definitely going to get tough on him at night now.

OP posts:
KateTheShrew · 11/07/2014 11:29

That's brilliant mugoo! I'm going to have to try your tactics as I'm sure DS now wakes around 2am out of habit and often only has a tiny feed.

In other news, we just got back from the weigh-in clinic and my once 2nd centile baby is now nearly on the 25th Grin

Original poster
mrsmugoo · 11/07/2014 11:30

Oh that's really good news Kate!

OP posts:
Cannotbelieveit · 11/07/2014 12:35

Great news Kate and MrsM!!

I lost another 2.5lb and was slimmer of the week which takes the total to 8.5lbs Grin

Cariad007 · 11/07/2014 15:15

That's great news mrsmugoo and well done cannot on the weight loss!

DS's quick power nap at 9.15 this morning turned into a two hour sleep and he was a much happier baby when he woke up. Have now taken him out and he's fallen asleep again so I can enjoy an ice coffee and cake in peace :)

Had a scare on the bus earlier though when the driver braked suddenly and DS's pram went flying. The brake was on but it stopped so suddenly that it tipped over. There was a man standing up next to it so fortunately it landed on him. I felt bad thinking that as the poor man had a walking stick but had he not been there the pram and DS would've hit the floor! The man was okay though and DS opened his eyes briefly before going back to sleep. His mother didn't half get a fright though!

Writerwannabe83 · 11/07/2014 19:23

DS has been awful today, really cranky and really grizzly. He has only had 2 short naps and the whole day has been a bit of a nightmare. I think he's been having teething pain as he does not stop drooling so I resorted to Calpol at 4pm but as usual, it had no effect other than to make him cry and cry and cry.

My DH took him out in the pram about half an hour ago because I just couldn't listen to it anymore. My head is BANGING!

Original poster
mrsmugoo · 11/07/2014 20:03

DS is down for the night. I am sleeping in the spare room tonight with earplugs and DH is in charge.

I'm only going to be offering two feeds at 1 and 4 at the earliest. I'm not sure how this is going to work out but we're going to give it a whirl.

OP posts:
Cariad007 · 11/07/2014 21:23

DS is a crying teething mess tonight, poor little thing. He keeps shoving the fingers of both hands in his mouth and chewing them like crazy. Have given him Calpol and rubbed teething gel on his gums but he's still very upset :(

Writerwannabe83 · 11/07/2014 23:07

Good luck mrsmugoo Smile

cariad DS is also constantly munching on his fists and drooling, it's very, very messy.

DH actually kept DS out until almost 20.30pm which I wasn't too happy about as bath time is at 8pm, but never mind. He had a good feed and was in his Crib by 9pm and asleep by 9.15pm

I'm hoping for a good night but I have a feeling it won't be....

Batmam · 12/07/2014 00:29

Yes good luck mugoo!

How did you teach him to self settle?

Batmam · 12/07/2014 00:36

Well I'm at the hotel (not my choice tk go away with a 5wk old, PIL booked it and said we were coming with them!) had a lovely day on the beach with toddler DD. But it's been so warm here today as well as the long journey here in the car, DS has slept all day. Kept offering him and he'd dreamfeed but now of course it's midnight and he's wide awake and been feeding flat out.

Who said y'day that their DC fed all day one day and slept all day the next? Hoping that's what's happening here and not the heat at all otherwise I'm in for yet another looong night!

johull · 12/07/2014 01:22

How an I awake now. She woke me at 12:40 yet had her last big feed at 10:30. How is she so hungry only 2 hours later???? How??? I'm gutted. She seems to be regressing not progressing. HELP!!!!!!!

missbluebird · 12/07/2014 03:32

It was me batmam. Was around the age of your DC too. I wasted the day of him sleeping by panicking he was ill Smile

Tried a dream feed for first time tonight and it worked great till now. He is now happily wide awake and giggling and shouting in his cot. I wish I could leave him to it but he is so loud (he loves playing with his voice) that I worry he'll wake the neighbours!

midnight1983 · 12/07/2014 04:03

Hi All, lots to catch up on. Not sure where to start. Will go back and read now.

Baby midnight has started waking himself up by rolling him into corners! Shock I am getting very frustrated. After 3.30 or so it's hard to settle him again due to all his rolling around. Also, his daytime naps are getting harder as he seems to get completely over excited and very quickly crashes into being overtired, I can't keep up. Very exciting and lovely developmental leap but it's really putting sleep out...

Writerwannabe83 · 12/07/2014 04:34

Morning all,

johull - how old is your DD?

DS slept until 04.15, going 6 hours, so I'm happy with that. It's so annoying though as when he wakes at this time he only wants to feed for 5 minutes and then is done. I've put him back in his Crib where he is gurgling away but I'm hoping he will drift off soon.