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the witching hour...

3 replies

Annpan88 · 14/12/2011 09:46

Brief history

DS used be a good sleeper. Only waking once for a quick feed, slept from 8 till 7.

Then the four month sleep regressiom started, and we never recovered. He's now 9 months (think 4 and 8 month regressions merged into one)

I suppose I've been waiting for it to just get better on its own as he fell into his previous good sleep pattern without any input.

But recently, he wakes once or twice before 2am, then when he wakes at 3 or 4 he's almost impossible to put back down. The only thing that works is letting him sleep in bed with us, which is nice, but squished and I would rather he could sleep in his cot as he goes to bed fine.

In the night, me bfing him is all that will settle him. I work in a pub a few evenings a week and don't get home till 12-1am (does not help with tiredness). If he wakes before then, DH cannot settles him with a bottle or at all and he simply waits for me to get home (which again is quite nice to see his big gummy smile when ihe sees me when I get home), however, DH can put him to sleep at 8 fairly easily (most nights) with a bottle

I've never had a strict routine, though in the evening we have started doing a feed at 4, tea and 5:15, bath round 6, then big bed time feed at 7:30. I don't know is I should try bfing him as much as I can in the evening? He still feeds a fair bit during the day as he's not massively into solids yet.

Also do you think a cuddly toy might help him settle at the witching hour?

Sorry its long I didn't want to lead anything out (and tiredness makes me ramble)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Annpan88 · 14/12/2011 09:48

*leave

OP posts:
Annpan88 · 14/12/2011 11:25

Forgot to mention I've set up the travel cot in our room and sometimes put DS in there as his room gets so cold in the night (think his bedroom is a poorly built extension at the back of the house, I swear I can feel a breeze when its windy out)

OP posts:
Shmumty · 14/12/2011 15:37

I would give his afternoon milk earlier around 3 (after afternoon nap) so that he gets hungry for his tea around 5 - make sure he gets enough protein in there, stops him feeling hungry. Then a good feed before bed. Are you exclusively BF? I was too until I noticed that at 9m she seemed a bit hungry after the final BF, and downed a 7oz bottle of formula when I offered!

Also, can you put an extra blanket over him when you go to bed so that he definitely isn't cold?

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