Using cooled boiled water for 13week old

[murphy36]

LO is BF at 7-8pm and put down, he often goes off well. But wakes @10pm, mostly he can be shh'd or patted back asleep at this time.

He gets an EBM/Formula daddy led dream feed at 11.30 / midnight. And drops off while being burped and goes back down with zero complaint.

LO then awakes at 1 or 2 hour regular intervals, at most 3. No matter what we try he refuses to go down onto his back again, at most settling for one sleep cycle. He will happily sleep on someone's chest for 5 hours though! But this is destroying backs, sleep patterns and possibly creating a SIDS risk. He won't even co sleep on his back.

We are NOT contemplating withholding feeds if he wakes after 3 hours from his last good feed. But he wakes at 2am for example does 1 suck and falls asleep, then screams if put asleep on his back, that's after the 20mins wait for a deeper sleep.

He's not hungry. We've tried many things and are considering trying this, is it something people have tried and works in this type of situation?

What happens if you don't dream feed?

To be fair, he's tiny. I'd go with what he needs, and if thats cuddles, do it. With DS1, he needed to be in the coverings he goes into the crib in (so in his sleeping bag, or with blanket in my arms before being transferred so that he didn't get as much of a temperature shock.) I also had to move him so he was in my arms in the position he was going to be in bed, wait a minute, and then put in bed.

This is not for many, and is against the SIDS prevention recommendation, we made the decision he was better in his own crib than sleeping on my chest in a bed (I was shattered). We started day naps on his tummy while he was being watched, as as soon as we were comfortable he had head control, we let him tummy sleep.

Whats he like sleeping in the day?

Have you tried a dummy?

He's 13 weeks old and his tummy is tiny! Just feed and cuddle and go with the flow. If he's happiest with you how about co-sleeping?

If left he sleeps until 1or2 before wanting to be fed. Then single cycles start again.

He throws the dummy out and won't cosleep on his back.

Day naps are pretty much fine, sleeps in his bean bag, cot, car or pram. But always gives us a bit of crying before hand just doesn't like going to sleep

He's got good head control, but he's not that happy on his side or tummy tbh.

Seems like we just have to muddle through till he gets over it - great

My 17 weeker still wakes every 3 hours in the night for food.

She gulps down a bottle, she is deff hungry and not just seeking a cuddle.

I would say feed them!

Jeez, this is less than 3 hours. He's not hungry.

When in doubt, feed. If he goes back to sleep after one suck isn't that better than him being awake and cross because you are offering water when he wants milk?

Him waking every 45minutes for one suck during the night and then not feeding properly at 'breakfast' is not good. It's just going to cycle on.

If he's hungry he gets fed, no worries there. But as he can't self soothe yet and lots of things we try don't work, seems like an option. Doctor seems happy to do it during the day to help him settle for naps.

We won't be letting him glug down pints of water.

I suppose I can't really see the point of giving him water. If he needs to drink/ suck/ eat to go back to sleep why not just give him milk? I don't think a few sucks of water would do him any harm but I don't see how it would help unless I am missing something.

For what it's worth, my 8 month old has gone through several periods of waking every 1-2 hours in the night. When this happens I co-sleep with her whilst it lasts (usually a couple of weeks), and then she just suddenly starts sleeping in her cot again with one wake up a night. So my advice would be to just ride it out and not worry too much about bad habits, especially when your ds is still so tiny.

Sorry, have just seen what you said about not sleeping on his back even when co-sleeping. Have you considered reflux? My dd had this and wouldn't sleep on her back, I eventually tried her on her side and she slept so much better. There is a sids risk but not as much as if they are on their fronts.

Can I just suggest - whispering - you put him on his tummy?
I know absolutely the detailed risks but have made the decision (3 babies!) to try tummy sleeping. I made sure all other aspects of risk are very minimal - ventilation, temp, not left alone, no loose covers, BF etc. All 3 LOs are good sleepers and happy.
In the 70s when I was born it was absolutely the only way for babies to sleep, lessened risk of choking on vomit, which does make sense. And I guess babies like to be curled up, they are used to it and it makes them feel safe. I hate sleeping on my back and I hate DH sleeping on his back too, it makes him snore!
And - I'm in for a penny so might as well be in for a pound - I found co-sleeping made neither of us sleep well. I've tried but I wake up every 20 mins, DS is fidgety, he suckles and grazes all night and then doesn't have a good breakfast and the whole day is knocked off kilter. It'd be fine if that's all I had to do but I have twin DDs 2.6yo that need my time and energy too!
If you feel happy with it then try, he's your baby, no one else knows him so well.