Week 19 in the lack of sleep house. no teeth. no improvement. going mad. any advice/experience/anecdotes to make me feel better?

[lummox]

Have a 19 week old 19lb baby and for the last five weeks have had major sleep problems.

I didn't really want to, but did start to try wean him this week. Maybe I did it a bit half heartedly - tried 1 tablespoon of baby cereal made up with EBM once a day for three days. If anything it seemed to make things worse, so I've stopped.

Apart from those three spoonfuls of baby cereal he's been exclusively breastfed.

Don't know what to do for the best now. When it started I thought it was a growth spurt so best to feed more often and ride it out. Then he got very, very, very dribbly, red cheeked and grumpy so thought it was teething and we would just ride it out.

Five weeks later no teeth and surely it can't still be a growth spurt (although he still puts on about 10 oz a week).

I'm at my wits' end. Have got so desperate that I bought some books on how to help your child sleep (Richard Ferber and Elizabeth Pantley). They both seem to say that you should cut down the amount of feeding at night. I'm prepared to try that (particularly the Pantley/no cry way) but it goes against my instinct that he is hungry when he wakes.

Hope this makes sense. Feel like a zombie so apologies if not. Would be really grateful for advice.

Sorry to non Junies for cryptic talk of the sleep lady! She is Welshie's find, now making a grand living basically advising all Junies on their babies' sleep problems, I reckon Welshie should be getting a refund for each person she has introduced.

She can do 'at home' consults for people in London (she's in Highgate, not sure how far she roams) or over the phone for those of us in more distant territories. Contact details are:

Andrea Grace, mobile is 0771 7324377, email andreagrace at blueyonder dot co dot uk

Ellieo, hope you're doing okay, was going to have a look for your thread. Happy 16 weeks old to your little one (and mine).

Thanks tribpot - have noted details for future reference! (Unless a miracle happens of course and she starts sleeping of her own accord )

Thanks for that Tribpot - will keep her number handy! Happy 16 weeks to your lo too! Things have been a bit better this week, thanks to constant use of Gaviscon. Sleep is still an issue, but I think it will be till he's a bit bigger. He seems a lot happier though