my baby won't sleep!

[claremoss]

Hi,
I am going crazy here and need some reassurance that I am not alone! My LO is nearly 5 months and for 6 weeks now has not slept longer than 2-3 hours overnight. It all started when she was teething but she is no longer teething and she is still up all night. Example, last night bed at 715. Fed at 10pm and she then was awake kicking, crying and talking in her cot till midnight. Woke at 115, 315 and 445 and had to be fed to comfort her. Up at 620. I don't understand how she naps well ( 1.5 hours, .75 hours, and .75 hours) during the day, doesn't cry when I put her down for naps, doesn't cry when I put her down at bedtime; and yet she is such a nightmare over night???? I BF 3 hourly during day. We have started giving her a bottle at bedtime which sometimes means she will go back to sleep at 10pm sucking my finger, but not always. I don't want to wean her till 6 months as research says tummy/gut not ready till then. Please tell me I am not the only one with this problem??!

This might not be what you want to hear, but it sounds to me like your LO is sleeping as s/he should. Are you able to rest during his/her naps in the day time?

Here is a link to research about infant sleep. Good luck!

www.isisonline.org.uk/how_babies_sleep/normal_sleep_development/

Ah the hideous 4 month sleep regression!

Just hang on in there.

I'd consider trying hungry baby milk at night. Caesin based so takes longer to digest. And choose how long before next feed. So...no matter what you're not getting anything other than water until 2/3/4 hours have passed from last feed. Then extend the time. Keep things quiet and dark.

But tbh as pp said, it's well within normal. If you're exhausted would you consider cosleeping?

If it is normal, then fine, I will cope,,,,it is just all these parenting books make you feel completely inadequate! I do tend to nurse her to sleep on the bed for her third nap yes, so I can get a catnap too, but it is more the feeling of not doing something right that is getting me down. She was so good at night till 3 months...she is so good in the day. Like you say, if this is normal night behaviour then I will cope. We are starting a nightly bottle of formula yes, as I did that last week and she did wake at ten pm but was able to soothe her back to sleep..will see if this works every night!

p.s. I have co slept with her the last 2 weeks but it is not something my hubby and I want to do long term, bed not big enough!

My LO since 4 months has been waking up every hour at night for a feed! I have no idea why and I have stopped reading books. The only book that makes me feel normal is the one called 'the fussy baby'.

Throw the books away if they make you feel bad! You are responding to your LOs needs. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself.

kellymom.com/bf/normal/reverse-cycling/

Hubby fed her last night, gave me a night off, and she went till 1145pm on the formula I gave her at 630pm! That to me is a better stretch, so will carry on with a formula at bedtime I think!