Desperate for 10 week old to sleep longer

[sw25]

My 10 week old DS wakes every 2.5/3hrs to feed during the night and I'm desperate for him to start sleeping for longer periods, even 4 hours would be a godsend as I am seriously knackered.

I started a bedtime routine at about 6 weeks: bath at 7.15 and bottle around 8/8.30. He can take until 9/9.30 to settle to sleep and then we give dream feed at 12ish. He then wakes at 3 and 6. We tried dropping dreamfeed but he just woke at 2am and 5am, which was even more knackering.

During the day he has around three naps of between 45mins to 1.5 hours and feeds every 3 hours roughly (sometimes he goes for 4). I am still mixed feeding during the day, he takes the breast for 10 mins at beginning of feed and then I top up with as much formula as he'll take. I don't feel like the days are very structured and I'm wondering of its time to drop the bfeeding and using formula exclusively.

Any suggestions appreciated. I feel a bit lost and seriously tired to the point of depression.

Why does he stop bfing after 10mins? Does he seem happier drinking from the bottle?

My DD was a million times more settled when she was exclusively ff. Had last bottle at 9.30-10, slept through until 3am, then through until 7. She dropped night feed at 8 weeks. She now feeds every 3-4 hours with last bottle at 7.30-8 and sleeps through until 7. Although she does sometimes wake around 4am -ish but she just kicks around in her cot! But I'm happy with that!

I would guess that exclusively ff isn't going to make any difference. There is no evidence that it will. Unfortunately this sounds pretty normal for a baby this age but it is really hard. Most babies will start to sleep longer when they are ready and it probably won't be long. I guess there are a few things you can do to help:
Some people swear by swaddling- have you tried that?
Is the room a good temperature?
Are there any health conditions that could be helped like reflux?

Can you express? Do you have a partner who can take the majority of the night a few times to help you catch up?
Have you thought about our tried cosleeping? It would mean you can breastfeed in a nice lying down position without really waking up- just check guidelines on how to do it safely.

Agree with everything guy says. I would try to bf more in the day, you don't have to top up after every feed if you are just bfing a bit more often. I'd try bfing at least every 2.5 hours in the day and make sure he has each side at least once. If he's going 4 hours in the day you really could do with him having this stretch at night

Have you spoken to a BFC about your top ups, feed spacing and lack of sleep?

Your baby sounds totally normal. He's too young to sleep for long intervals. Before I had children I thought that everything would be back to normal within 3 months. I was so wrong!

Have you thought of going to a Babycalm sleep workshop. These help you understand how babies sleep, perhaps resetting some unrealistic expectations and then give you an action plan to move forward. Might be worth considering.

Meanwhile, I remember someone on MN saying 'This too will pass' It did, and I miss those early days so don't wish it away...

hi sw25, can you try tightening your bedtime routine so that the bottle is straight after the bath and then bed? or bringing his bath time earlier? I found that starting my DS bedtime routine at 6.30 rather than 7 made a big difference. it took a couple of weeks but he drops off straight away after his feed now and he is bf.