Nightfeeding every hour from 1am.......I NEED SLEEP!!!!!

[sorky]

What can I do to stop the many, many nightfeeds?

Dd2 is 16weeks and since her 12 week growth spurt she wakes every hour, after 1am, wanting to feed. She takes one side and goes back to sleep. Sometimes I'm able to unlatch her when either she's sucking on empty, or I've had enough.

We co-sleep. Except that at the moment, I'm not sleeping so much because she rouses me and I struggle to get back to sleep when she is feeding. I also have 3 other children to look after during the day

Her previous sleeping pattern was last feed at 8pm, sleep through to 3am, when she would feed, then through to 7am. Life was good

I'm reading No-Cry Sleep Solution atm, but she seems a bit young to try any of the suggestions.

I can't be the only one this is happening to, what has everyone else done to get some sleep?

there's a classic 4 month growth spurt, when sleep goes out the window, so you're probably into that now. it will get better soon, just hang in there.

I had this same thing with my first son whom I was breastfeeding so I tried a hungry baby formula before I went to bed, its called a dream feed. Gave it at about 10 / 11 o'clock, you aren't supposed to wake the baby, just let them drink it asleep. This should buy you a couple of extra hours. I did that for a few weeks and then started weaning him at 15 weeks. I now have an 8 week old and would do the same again if needed.
x

thanks for the advice THM1 but I plan to fully BF for as long as possible and wean after 6 months with BLW.
Giving formula or weaning is just not an option. Congrats on your little one

4mo growth spurt eh?

I agree sorky you want to stay away from a formula top-up if you want to continue bfing and also don't wean until 26 wks, it won't make any difference.

however you can try and do a dreamfeed if you are bfing, I did so with DS. however you do wonder whether you are interfering with the normal way babies go longer without feeds during the night, I'm not sure whether it made any difference.

sorky is there any way that someone else can give you a break so you can sleep in the day, or sleep earlier in the evening?

sorky - would you consider not co-sleeping? Does your baby look to be attached so often because the opportunity is there?

I've been wondering that today Mears. I asked Dh if he would have her sleep on his side rather than in between us, but he's not keen
I think he's worried about her falling out of the bed, but I suspect it's more to do with the lack of sleep he'll get.

We have a crib in the room which she has slept in. Last time she was in it I wasn't fully awake when I picked her up to feed her and almost dropped her so I been reluctant to use it since.

Dh has suggested he sleep next to baby in crib and he'll hand her over, so will try that tonight.

I just don't think she can hungry that often during the night , it must be for comfort mustn't it?

No MrsJamin, no-one to look after kiddies to have a nap unfortunately. I'm not sure about the dream-feed myself.
I agree her natural rhythmn seems to be from 8-1am, then the feeding frenzy.
I've tried feeding her at 11pm, but she still wakes then at 2am etc.

Don't know if it makes any difference but she doesn't go any longer than 2 hours between feeds during the day either!

Hi sorky, no advice here just adding my sympathies. My dd2 is 6 months old and despite having slept 11-6 a few times when she was younger is now feeding every 2-3 hours at night. I have a 3 year old as well so no chance of napping here either.

I am wondering about the co-sleeping thing too. DD used to sleep in a co-sleeper bassinet until she outgrew it and the frequent feeding did seem to start once she was in bed next to me at night. I'm currently trying to get her used to the idea of sleeping in her cot in our room to see if it makes difference.

what about a dummy? and i'd definitely get your dh to keep her on his side in the crib, and if he can possibly give her a cuddle / nappy change before he hands her over, that can lengthen the time between feeds.

sounds to me like she's getting too little to last a good time between feeds so that goes in a cycle. have a little - fall asleep - get hungry because she's only had a little - feed for a bit - fall asleep etc.

Have tried and tried to get her to take a dummy Warthog, but she either gags, or spits it straight out.

I think she's getting enough milk, she takes both sides almost every feed, but not at night.
When I express I can get 3oz out of each side, so she should be getting 6oz at each feed shouldn't she?
I've never had supply problems before with my other 3, but there's always a first.

She's growing at a rate of knots! She's never lost any weight, gaining 1lb a fortnight since she was born

I don't know.....I'll try the crib tonight and let you know how I get on tomorrow.

i'm sure she's getting enough milk, i mean she's just not taking a lot at each feed because she's feeding lots. so if you lengthen the time between each feed, she might want to take more.

i found with dummies that it's very much dependent on what type you try. i looked for the smallest one i could find. with dd1, they don't make them anymore, but dd2 likes avent 0 - 3 months. has a very small teat thingy. give that one a try and see if she likes it.

Thanks, I'll look for a smaller one

sorky, congratuations, how did I miss birth of dd2?

No helpful advice really, as my dd2 who is nearly 16 months still wakes a lot. Only thing is, now she is bigger, I can fall back to sleep better somehow, I think I am less worried about squashing her .

It is an utter pain, isn't it, especially when you have others to actually look after and Do Things With all day.

Only thing is, even if she doesn't improve soon, maybe you will get used to falling back to sleep quickly?

Heyho Fillyjonk, long time no speak

Yes 4 it is quite challenging at times, but feels right. Just trying to get life into some sort of order re HE.

Dd1 wants to try school, which has thrown a suitably sized spanner into the works and will try a few days after half-term

Anyway, ta for advice, think we'll just have stagger on until things get better.

Just a thought, but at 16 weeks I'd probably try pushing her out a little longer between feeds during the day (when hopefully you wont be quite so bleary-eyed), and see if that helps at all during the nights. If She is doing 2 hourly feeds all day and night, and if you found it worked to push her to, say 2.5 hours during the day, then you could think about trying for 3 at night...but I'd check it 'works' during the days first, to make sure its worth your while. Hope that makes sense.

I would also try a dream feed, as others have said. I found it worked very well for my DD (but not at all for DS, who would wake afterwards anyway) - you might as well try your luck with it though.

Good luck!

My seven months old DS went through a phase of this and has only this week stopped it. No advice but just wanted to add my empathy and support; it's bloody horrible with no sleep, especially with other DC to look after in the day.

We have a side car cot which makes co-sleeping a bit easier though; is that an option for you? when Ds fwakes I pull him over, feed him and then shove him back to his own space. I think we both sleep better as a result.

Oh, one thing we did try was putting an extra layer on him as we thought he might have been waking up cold and it seems to have done the trick, he is now back to waking for one feed around 3am, although it;s much warmer now so not sure if that would work for you.

Hopefully it's just the 16 weeks-ish growth spurt and she'll settle down to her normal routine again

SHE SLEPT!!!!!

She went to sleep downstairs at 8pm, dreamfed at 11pm and went in her crib by Dh's side of the bed. She woke at 5am for a feed and I kept her in bed next to me.
For the first time I managed to sleep whilst she was feeding and we woke at 8am. We are both very smiley today

Thank you very much for all your thoughts and advice, I really do appreciate it

wow - brilliant!

hope you had a second good night in a row, sorky?

Sadly not.
Started off well, dreamfeed, down in crib. Then toddler started to cry and then baby awoke cue screeching, feeding, reassuring then repeat that at 3, 4, 5 & 7am.

Still I think it mightve worked if 2yo didn't thwart plans. Could apply that to almost any situation actually

ok, well i'd try not to feed her tonight - i know - it's Very Hard. but you see, once she's reminded she wants to carry on. i'm not convinced that she needs it. i think she's getting enough during the day. that's my opinion though.

i'm having trouble with my 9mo and early wakings. normal day started at 4:50 - 5:30. i know she's eating loads during the day so i reckon her stomach has gotten used to it.

first day of New Plan: woke up at 5. dh settled her back to sleep with some water. she slept til 7.30! yesterday and today, woke up at 6.20. tomorrow we'll try stretching her to 6.30. she eats like a horse during the day so i'm convinced she doesn't NEED the feed. she often pfaffs around during the feed too.

good luck.

I'll try again, as my mother said this morning, in response to my pessimism, not square 1 just a blip
I hope she sleeps later for you Warthog