Stir Crazy

[FirstBaba]

Hi all, first time mum with zero confidence or clue, hoping for some advice or real experiences to help me understand how to move forward.

Baby is 13wks and unfortunately we have had a rough ride since the beginning. I was kept in hospital for a severe infection after birth and when eventually discharged home I was still on IV antibiotics - all of which floored both me and baby in the early weeks. Just as I was overcoming the infection, silent reflux came along and now that is no longer an issue (praise God) he has started what seems to be the 4 month sleep regression - early?

He is EBF and wakes every 45-60mins throughout the night - he isn't hungry, he wants my nipple to get straight back to sleep. He takes a proper feed at his usual time of around 5am but the hourly wakenings continue after, seemingly just for comfort.

i am SO sleep deprived and I am not coping. I feel so miserable and although my DH is great, because baby is EBF his hands are tied with a lot of it.

The only block of sleep I can get is if I co-sleep, even then it's only 2hrs rather than 1.

My questions are:

Can anyone advise how much this regression is likely to last?

If I co sleep with him through this stage is it likely I will create a bad habit and never be able to get him back to his own space to sleep?

Any tips for getting an EBF baby to take a bottle at 3months? He totally refuses meaning I am doing all feeds and can't even get a nap through the day as he only cat naps for 30mins at a time.

Any advice or pointers much appreciated

Have you tried a dummy?

Don't worry about bad habits, they can always be fixed. Not many twenty year olds who can't sleep without their parents!

Sleep associations are formed between 4-6 months, so fight now just focus on getting through this rough patch. We had a blip in sleep at around 2 months, then the official 4 month regression at 4 months 🙄

I never actually managed to get my boy to take a bottle ever. Have you tried a free flow cup? I didn't try it that early, but apparently my brother could drink from a cup at 3 months.

Have you got white noise on for resettling him? Have you tried putting a hand on his tummy for comfort instead of offering a feed straightaway? I know you need to BF on demand, but if you're sure he's not hungry then it's good to try and comfort without a feed

Hopefully it's a growth spurt that he's feeding so much, and he settles for you soon!

Yes, he absolutely hates a dummy and gags on them :(
Haha that's true although I don't want to share my bed with a toddler either on a permanent basis 😐

Yes I've tried white noise, patting, rubbing and shushing. He just continues to tbrash around.

When you say fight it now do you mean I should keep him in his cot and not lift him?
I think he's too young to leave him to cry, I couldn't do it.

I'll try the sippy cup and see if I have any success, I'm so tired I'd just like a break. He has always fed an awful lot and is absolutely thriving so at least that's positive

@FirstBaba sorry, frigging phone keyboard. I meant *RIGHT now, not fight

Don't leave him to cry, obviously, at 13 weeks 😁