advice with bf at night please

[melzie]

I have a 12 week old baby boy and have done well so far with the bf. Patrick made his own routine, going down at 7pm after a feed and didnt wake till 3 or 4am for a feed then woke around 7am for the day. But last week he started waking at 11pm for a feed then again between 2 and 3am then again between 5 and 6am. As a relult he doesnt feed for long during the night feeds before he falls in a deep sleep and even changing his nappy to wake him isnt working because he just goes straight back to sleep after a couple of sucks. What have I started doing wrong?

Melzie - he could be having a growth spurt and be more hungry - but not enough to stay awake for a full feed. You could ask HV what she thinks - are you still wanting to BF totally at the moment or do you think he would take a bottle last thing at night to take him through a bit longer? You could always just wait and go with it and see if he finishes the growth spurt and settles down again. Oh yes - I remember my HV saying when he wants the night feeds, take all the blankets off him (it seems cruel) but then he'll not be too warm and snuggly and drop off to sleep quite so easily. Perhaps feed him in another room, not in your bed where it's warm (although make sure you wrap up or you'll feel terrible).

Thaks luciemule for your advice. I think you could be right about the growth spurt. I have tried giving him a bottle of breast milk at the 11pm feed and he drinks 5ozs but still wakes at 2 or 3pm for more! I will just persevere with the night feeds and hope that he drops a feed soon. I have been a nanny for 16 years and have looked after lots of babys but never breastfed before. I feel so frustrated with myself because I have had so much success with other peoples babies but am now finding it difficult with my own. I know breastfed babies are harder to get into a routine so I wont worry too much.

sounds like you're quite chilled out about it all Melzie. I'd done loads of babysitting and been around babies all my life and assumed it'd all be soooo easy with my own. How wrong I was! There's a lot less emotional attachment isn't there with your own?!