4 month old feeds all night. Totally exhausted

[doingitalllagain]

My 4 month old is feeding almost constantly all night. He's not happily falling back asleep either and is getting screamy and just going from breast to breast all night. It's getting unbearable. For 2 months he was feeding at 11pm, 3am and 6am which I was coping well with but this is just too much. Is there anything I can do? Would formula help?

Hello. This is totally normal fourth month baby behaviour. It is the first major milestone of development and once it's over your baby will settle into a new sleep pattern that will hopefully include longer stretches of sleep than before. But in the meantime read things by Kathryn Stagg or Olivia Hinge or Sarah Ockwell Smith to help get you through! Personally I needed to sleep in a different room sometimes so that I could breastfeed then my husband would do the attempts at settling babies so I could get some much needed sleep between all the feeds and wake ups because I was so shattered. I also watched an awful lot of TV! It will pass I promise!

Try a dummy

Awful isn’t it? Same boat here. Is he fed to sleep? We’re starting to see some longer stretches if DP cuddles him to sleep at the start of the night. Also when he stirs I try: ignore, see if he settles. If he doesn’t, shush and a hand on his tummy. Then cuddle. Feed as last resort.

He did a miracle 3.5 hour stretch to start the night but it’s been hourly boob since then 😭

The screaming could be wind: are you winding after each feed?

Hello

Didn't want to read and run.

It's so so hard in the first few months with cluster feeding and I remember going off my head with tiredness, I feel your pain!

My first baby was like this and I did end up putting him on formula, that way my husband could help and he did seem to go for longer between feeds, although I know that's not always the case. I felt like it helped with my mental health as I really wasn't finding breastfeeding as easy as I had hoped.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out and hope you get a good sleep soon!

Feed as last resort and try formula 😞 No wonder the UK has such terrible breastfeeding rates.

Could be reverse cycling - ie. getting the bulk of their calories at night so not feeding as much as they could during the day. Try offering longer and more frequent feeds during the day if you aren’t already and look it up to see if you think it might apply to you. My 4 month old feeds almost hourly 7am - 7pm but much much less at night (appreciate I may just be lucky!), hope you find something that works for you and you get some sleep back op!

I'd also try to feed more during the day, and also try a dummy, some babies like to suck for comfort and use you as a dummy
Good luck

OP if your baby is over 5.5kg, hold their head straight, sitting supported and putting things in their mouth I'd wean them.

My 8 month old wakes so much during the night! 😭 We’ve tried everything. Has anyone had any issues with the aldi infant 1 formula not being filling enough for baby?

As per NHS website it states they can stay on it for 12 months, we’ve tried aptamil follow on milk but maybe didn’t give it long enough?

Just don’t know how to get her to sleep more at night without waking up every hour. She doesn’t want fed everytime but just thinking what other things we can try that we have not already.

if anyone has any advice would be greatly appreciated. Running on about 6 hours sleep for the week right now

Is your 8 month old on 3 meals and 2 snacks a day ?

She’s on 3 meals and bits of fruit yes.
she does enjoy her solids aha