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Sleep

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Original poster

my 12 wk old has gone berserk

31 replies

neilsmum · 07/11/2006 19:37

DS is 12 wks old and weighs 14 lbs +.breastfed with one bottle formula at night.since the last 2 weeks he has been waking up on the hour everyhour and will not stop crying till i have fed him, which might be only for 5 mins.The HV says he is overfeedng because he has put on 3 lbs in 2 wks.He takes about 6.5 oz at 11.00pm but wakes up again at 1.00 am looking for a feed.
he goes atleast 3 hours between feeds at daytime and naps well.
I would like to think it s some kind of a growth spurt, but should it last this long?As a newbrn, he would wake up only twice at night.
hE sleeps in his own room in a sleeping bag.i am so exhausted.has anyone else had this experience with your 12 wk old?

OP posts:

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littletoadstool · 07/11/2006 20:45

My DS is only 11 weeks so I've not gone through this myself (yet!) but I've heard they can have growth spurts at about 12 weeks - maybe you need to feed a bit more often in the day during the growth spurt so he doesn't need extra at night? Is it definitely hunger that's waking him up? Ours goes through stages of suddenly waking up a lot at night - we used to feed him to get him back to sleep but then tried other ways and realised he wasn't actually hungry, just needed comforting.

wrinklytum · 07/11/2006 20:50

Hi Neilsmum,it could very well be a growth spurt.Both mine had a "Feeding frenzy" at this stage and were frequent waking,and guzzling for England.It passes,til the next time!!!

tribpot · 07/11/2006 20:56

Overfeeding because of 3lb in 2 weeks?! Per-lease, your hv is (as is soooo often the case) talking bolleaux. (And I do not believe there any such thing as overfeeding in a bf baby).

I fully sympathise with you, it is awful when they get into a manageable routine and then it all gets shot to hell when they randomly decide to change something. If he's waking for comfort, co-sleeping might help you?

Tidders · 07/11/2006 21:31

Hi Neilsmum,
I'm having a similar experience with my breastfed 10 week old and I'm guessing by your message that age 10 weeks was when your problem started. Up until 2 nights ago he was only waking once in an 11 hour night. Going down well at 9pm, feeding at 3am then awake at 8am. Now he won't go down well at all, and is waking every 2 hours for feed. Tonight is only night 3, so I'm prepared to give the little mite the benefit of the doubt and put it down to growth spurt but I thought growth spurt was 12 weeks not 10???
My fear Neilsmum is that we're both being used as a human dummy and that sleep training is going to be the only solution! I went through all of this with my first child and its so hard!
I don't want to co-sleep as I don't agree with it. Did all of that with my first one and she didn't sleep through till age 3! Not going down that road again!
Any ideas?

Original poster

neilsmum · 07/11/2006 22:28

yes tidders, it all started when h was 10 wks old.i am not keen on cosleeping either.he hasnt slept awink all day today and is now giving dh a hard time who is desperately trying to put him to sleep.you are right, need to sleep tarin them.they are probably becoming more aware of their surroundings and dont want to miss anything by sleeping!thought i shall feed him at say 3 ish. if he wakes up before that i shall try pu/pd technique as my hv suggested. no idea if it is gng to work(not very optimistic).

OP posts:

amijee · 07/11/2006 22:33

Hi tidders and neilsmum

I have been thru exactly this and I hope I can reassure you both. My ds is nearly 15 weeks and did this when he was 10 weeks and 12 weeks. There were times when I was doing 16 feeds in 24 hrs and it was exhausting. There are growth spurts at both of these times so that explains the increased feeding and the increased weight confirms that. They are trying to make your breasts produce more milk to sustain their increased requirements and the only way of doing that is to increase the frequency. BUT - beware, it can quickly turn into habit as well as it did with mine. Also, if he is feeding 3 hourly in the day then possibly a comfort and sleep thing as well if not going that long at night as usually they should go at least as long, if not longer in the night.

Neilsmum..you don't say how long you have been giving formula last thing at night. Is there a chance that this may be causing Lo to feed more as breast is being offered? Just a thought.

I would see how it goes over the next week or so but if it is still an issue at night rather than the day then it may be time to start gradually extending the feeds and think of other ways of sleep/soothing such as a dummy or rocking.

Personally, I don't wanna co sleep either as I think it will be difficult to break the habit at a later stage but each to their own.

Just know i'm thinking of you both and I know what you must be going thru right now. It doesn't last and now my ds is spaced out to 3 hrly in the day and 3-4 hrly at night ( although it can still take me 45 mins to get him back down to sleep on some occasions)

Good luck

Original poster

neilsmum · 07/11/2006 22:39

suddenly a thought..i have had 5 cups of tea today!1can that be causing him to be wakeful and irriatable

OP posts:

amijee · 07/11/2006 22:43

i'm not an expert but I doubt it. Some people drink shed loads of strong coffee and don't have an issue.

Original poster

neilsmum · 08/11/2006 09:28

thanks amijee.you know how people say oh it will all get better once the bbay is 12 wks old and to find that it gets worse is disheartening!
he was so exhausted last night from being up all day thta he got up only at 4.48 for a feed.i will see what happens today.

OP posts:

munz · 08/11/2006 09:36

NM - are you doing the 11pm one as a dream feed? joey went haywire as well around 12/13 weeks, unfortunatly for him it lasted about 10 days - he to was a hungry little boy.

we tried a dream feed (at 10) - he'd have 4/5 oz of EBM and then wake up at 2am andhave another 2oz or so of EBM without the feed he's go from about 8 till 2 which from our point of view was much better, so we went back to that. also I found SMA was a nightmare for him - he'd wake every hour so perhaps it's the brand of formula you're using??

and not sure what the other girls will say, but honestly - is your little boy happy/content in every other way, apart from waking up? goes he look groosley big for his age? I only ask this cos as I say J was a hungry baby and thankfully he settled down (we're talking he was putting on 10 oz p/w till about 13 weeks, then between 13 and 18 weeks he only put on 8 oz,) q my silly m/w to say ooh he needs fattening up he needs weanign he needs this that or the toehr - the same m/w who'd been slightly concerned over his weight. now i've moved and it's all he's going to be over unless u watch his puddings - my point is if you're happy with baby and he's happy within himself the weight aspect will settle down and relax.

anyhow Fingers crossed it's only a phase, and as I say prob just a growth sput - could u perhaps try feeding every 2.5 hours or so by day to get a little bit more into him during the day? (althou if it's a spurt he'll prob still wake up) not v helpful but you're certainly not alone. can u try expressing possibly so your DH/P can do a night feed for u so you can sleep some more, or the forula feed so u can sleep ealier?

munz · 08/11/2006 09:37

lol. NM - ooh yes my mums said to me, he'll sleep thru from 8-12 weeks (hmm yeah right) we're on 8.5 months and he's still hit/miss with it all. just do what's best for you and your baby.

Tidders · 08/11/2006 09:43

Neilsmum - how was last night?
We had a breakthrough! Used to swaddle ds but stopped recently as nosey old bag aka Mother in Law said he'll never find his thumb if you keep doing that and he won't take a dummy. And lo and behold nights got gradually worse from then on. Last night, after 1.5 hours of trying to get him to sleep I swaddled and it worked! Asleep in 10 mins! Slept from 10pm till 4.30am and then till 8am. In his cot, in his own room for the first time (before that was in pram next to me in my room).
Have you tried swaddling?

Original poster

neilsmum · 08/11/2006 15:34

Congratulations tidders!really pleased for you.doesnt like swaddling. also kicks off all his covers.hence the grobag.
yes, i am using sma gold.its not really a dreamfeed as he wakes up crying for food. he is very happy nad contented most of the time apart from when he i overtired and cannot settle himself to sleep.
i have also stopped drinking tea from today.i am geyying all these cravings!would kill or die for just 1 cup!dh will get decaff tea for me today

OP posts:

munz · 08/11/2006 16:18

might be the formula then, we use farleys and touch wood he's been a lot happier since with SMA he was awake every hour on the hour at one point - it got silly really, switched and settled. might not work for you thou.

sjcmum · 10/11/2006 19:47

Just to add in a similar thing.... the HV was telling our postnatal group today that she knows quite a lots of babies that have problems with SMA..... so definitely worth trying another brand.

Good to know that I'm not the only one... my 13wk old dd has been waking more at night since about 10weeks.... it's still twice a night at the moment.... seems a long growth spurt!

Tidders · 11/11/2006 09:56

My b/fed baby also can't take sma! Terrible wind, constipation, etc for 24 hours after. Gave up on formula as felt like I was sleeping in a farmyard listening to all the grunts and groans!!!!

kbaby · 11/11/2006 14:53

hi,
Just to offer some sympathy really.
My ds is 14 weeks old and this week has also been waking every 2hrs, feeding seems to be the only way he will go back to sleep even though he isnt feeding for long. If I lay him down too soon he wakes back up crying again and so I have to feed again.
Its meant some nights this week we havent been able to put him down until 2am! as he woke every time we tried.

newwifey · 14/11/2006 12:10

My baby (12 weeks old)is waking up every two to three hours after midnight. Not sure if he's that hungry but think it is wind. Can't wind him as he is half asleep and end up offering him the boob to console him next time he wakes up. Anyone got any suggestions. First time at this, should this be a new message.

Original poster

neilsmum · 14/11/2006 20:24

same problem here.a bit fed up. no solutions i am afraid.

OP posts:

Loll34 · 14/11/2006 20:36

Neilsmum, if your hv was talking about the Baby Whisperer pu/pd technique don't try it as it doesn't work until they're 4 months old! Before then they just can't make the association so would be a waste of your time.
Hv should try reading her baby training books a bit more thoroughly.

Original poster

neilsmum · 14/11/2006 20:51

yes, it was my hv who suggested that.didnt work anyway. the only thing that works is giving him the boob.if i am lucky, he finds his own thumb and falls asleep suckling it.was planning to have 3 children . but after my experiences with parenting, one is enough or i shall die a premature death.

OP posts:

Loll34 · 14/11/2006 20:58

Don't know if this helps, but sounds like he's just doing what babies do - it won't last for ever, honestly. I think when they're so little, you just have to go with the flow and sleep when you can.

wrinklytum · 14/11/2006 20:59

Hi there,I think its a case of grin and bear it,sorry girls.I think they have a growth spurt at 3 months,both mine did.I found neither settled through night until 16 weeks for ds when I changed to formula,then 6 months he went on solids and has been fab since (so far)DD on the other hand did sleep through for about 2 months when she hit 7 months but now is waking up once nightly at 3am,she is teething though and obviously getting thirsty with it.Shes nearly 1(am still bf)bit of a bugger as now back at work but only pt v stressful.I think the only thing you can say about babies is expect the unexpected,and that life is never the same.Maybe I will get a good nights sleep in oooh about four years time !!!!Just when you think you've cracked it something else crops up......

kamanchiqueen · 15/11/2006 11:05

My baby is now 18 weeks old but was 9 weeks premature. He is doing really well but I can't get him to stay awake during the day for long periods and he is still waking twice a night - my daughter was sleeping through at 8 weeks. Is this normal? There is no advice for premature babies as they get older - can anyone help?

kamanchiqueen · 15/11/2006 11:16

Sorry - new to mumsnet I hould have started a new discussion

My baby does settle well during the night - I use a nightlight which plays a tune and last for 5-10 mins - worth a try

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