Exhausted after EBF for five months

[daisyrose1984]

I love feeding my daughter and don't want to stop but am completely exhausted after EBF for five months. I am dying for a few hours off or more than just a few hours sleep at a time as I feel like I'm running in empty. I have always fed on demand but my daughter is still waking every three to four hours most nights and I am now unsure if it is due to being hungry or just because she needs feeding. I'm just wondering if any of you have any tips as all of my friends are either breast feeding younger babies or formula feeding so I don't have anyone to talk it over with. These last few weeks I have really felt like the night feeds have taken their toll and I am getting lots of headaches and feel really run down. I think I've probably been eating too much cake and not paying enough attention to my diet due to bring tired and busy which I'm sure isn't helping either. Any advice really welcomed thanks for reading x

I could've written this post and have read the replies with interest. Just wondering how the dream feed thing works and when best to do it?

Going to give the 'long lie each' a go. I've avoided this as wanted time with DH but we're both officially knackered.

I've also been expressing but DS won't touch a bottle. Am persevering but it's so hard.... Ounce a day if I'm lucky!!!

DC1 was FF. DC2 EBF. I loved that we managed to do it second time around but MY GOD I had a spell from 4/5 months until 7 months where she woke so much in the night to feed that I just wanted her off me.

But then the BF was so much easier than faffing about with bottles. And with a toddler to run about after, I didn't have the time to express either.

DC2 is 13 months now and we're still BF. Mix feeding could work for you but if you want to carry on, it can be done. You're doing amazingly!

And we just fed lying down for those night feeds. Nice snuggles :)

m33r I put DS to bed at around 7/7.30 and then dream feed him before I go to bed at 10/10.30.

I just lift him out asleep, and he feeds... It's really that simple. The very first time I had to rub my nipple over his lips to encourage him to open, but I haven't had to since.

Good luck, it has been a life saver for me.

Another for dummies.
I popped one in place of feeding at one of the night feeds and after a few nights my DS stopped waking up for that feed.
Also in a few weeks you will be starting solids and after a few weeks you will be able to leave longer gaps between BFing as the meals will be there.
Is there a local baby cafe you can go to for support?

Thank you for your replies, sorry I've only just seen some of them as we've been away. M33r I just pick my little one out if her cot and she latches in her sleep and feeds, it's amazing and definitely worth a go when you're exhausted. I've been trying really hard this last week to resettle my little girl without feeding her when she wakes in the night and have been finding her dummy has been really helping with this. If she won't settle fairly quickly then I've been feeding her but it's really made me realise that often when she wakes she just needs a bit of help soothing herself back to sleep rather than her having woken due to needing a feed. I've always been really quick to feed her during the night as I've always fed on demand (and will continue to) and it's always been a sure fire way to get her back to sleep quickly. After a few nights of trying to resettle her before feeding her during night time wakings, last night she slept from 7pm until 4.30am which was just amazing!!! I'm really hoping it wasn't a fluke or just the sea air! I also think it probably has very little to do with anything I've done and maybe she is finally ready to sleep a bit longer as she has also started to stretch out her daytime feeds too, but progress never the less :) Another quick question how often do you tend to feed your little ones during the day? I have always fed on demand but in the last few days my lo has been stretching her feeds out to every 4 to 5 hours and I'm unsure if this is too infrequent? Thanks again xxx

I found mine did this sometimes at this age but I used to offer milk every 2 hours during the day whether or not he asked for it (unless he was asleep) - otherwise I found he wanted more feeds at night to make up for it.

Thank you

No advice but just wanted to show some support and solidarity. My 8 month old is a terrible sleeper, up every 45 mins to 3 hours max, but also love feeding him and the night time cuddles. I do miss my evenings and can't shake the constant exhaustion but I think it will be worth it. X

Thank you beetleandbug (I'm guessing you are a fellow vw fanatic!) that sounds really tough but I know what you mean about nighttime cuddles, I try and saviour them in the hope that I won't have them for too much longer (wishful thinking) as there is something magical about just the two of you being up, despite the exhaustion! My lg's improved sleep unfortunately seems to have been a bit of a fluke and we are back to more regular night time wakings again, though I keep reminding myself that she has shown she's able to sleep for longer. As we approach six months I'm really torn between trying to move her to her own room in the hope I'll disturb her less or to keep her in my room where I can sooth her and feed her easily, what are other people's experiences? I have to admit that the idea of having our room back is bliss but the idea of moving her out breaks my heart a little. My husband keeps joking that it's more of a question of whether I'm ready rather than if my lg is ready xxx