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6mo feels like we're spiralling backwards

5 replies

DesperatelySeekingPomBears · 24/06/2012 20:56

DS had always been a good sleeper. Note the use of the word 'had'. When he was born the first week was horrendous but then he settled into a routine and, after a dream feed at 11, would sleep quite happily until 3, have a feed then settle back down until 7 when he was up for the day. At 10 weeks, he dropped the 3am feed and slept through quite happily.

At 17 weeks we hit the four month sleep regression. He had just learned how to roll over and would wake himself up and then spend hours shouting away to himself, refusing a bottle and refusing to sleep. Despite my wishes and best intentions, we started to get him into our bed as he would immediately fall back asleep.

After about 3 weeks he righted himself and went back to sleeping through, however now, at 6 months, everything has gone to pot once again. He's sleeping less than he did as a newborn, his common routine now is to wake up at 3/4am and REFUSE to go back to sleep until 6am. He will then doze off for an hour before waking up fresh as a daisy. He then has his breakfast at 7, plays, has a bottle at 9 and naps for an hour at about 9/10am. He will wake up, play some more, then have lunch at around 11.30, play again until 1.30 then sleep for an hour, have a bottle when he wakes at 2pm, then stay awake until his bath/bed routine which starts at 7pm and consists of bath, pjs, cuddle, bottle then put down to sleep (on his own but in the living room with us). At 11 we will give him his dream feed, which he often sleeps through, but then will wake as we change his nappy. He can then be awake until about 12.30am before dozing off for three hours and the whole cycle begins again.

PLEASE tell me this is just a phase. It's only been a week but already I find myself constantly on the verge of tears and just not enjoying being his mam any more.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
barleysugar · 24/06/2012 21:00

Right first off, do you still need the dream feed? We found DS3 actually slept better without it. Plus, we never changed a night nappy (unless soiled), theres really no need. I bet if you drop the DF, he will wake at a different time to usual, which will disrupt his current pattern just enough so he goes back to sleeping better. I bet you!

barleysugar · 24/06/2012 21:02

Also, I would give him his 2pm bottle before his sleep - send him to his nap at 1.30 tanked up, so he might sleep longer, then its not such a long stretch from waking till bedtime.

DesperatelySeekingPomBears · 24/06/2012 21:04

I was toying with the idea of trying the Hipp goodnight milk at 7.30pm and then just leaving him be and seeing what happens... I might buy a tin and try tomorrow.

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barleysugar · 24/06/2012 21:14

Or you could just give him a bit of supper (baby porridge) before his night time milk - all the HIPP one is really is vanilla milk with cereal in it to thicken it and its more expensive!

DesperatelySeekingPomBears · 24/06/2012 21:17

I think I'll give it a try tomorrow, anything is worth a shot, I want my sleepy baby back!

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