Sleep Help Needed...on verge of collapse!

[DetentionGrrrl]

My 19wk old has gone from a predictable (and manageable) sleep pattern, to waking every hour (or less) He's breastfed. I did start weaning him onto bottles, but looks like he's got a lactose intolerance, and i've had to cut the bottles out again. He also refuses to sleep in the day, unless he drops off in the car.

Is anyone else having similar problems with a b/fed baby? Someone please remind me that this will pass..3hrs sleep (if i'm lucky) a night is no good!

Around four or five months many babies do start waking frequently. Apparently it's a developmental thing. It will probably pass but it is an absolute killer and I fully sympathise. If it goes on for another week or so look at what you do when he wakes.

At that age I had to get up every hour to put the dummy back in or to breastfeed. At six months I went cold turkey on the dummy and he started sleeping for longer stretches again. So perhaps change his sleep associations if you can.

I agree that it seems to be a phase that they go through, but it can also be a sign that they need weaning. We weaned ds at 4 months because he was starting to feed frequently again. It did help...

Started weaning him almost 2wks ago, which has lessened the frantic day feeds. He keeps rolling onto his tummy in his cot and wriggling out of his blanket too.

my ds is 17 wks and we are having similiar problems. Has been waking every hour or two overnight. I either feed or sooth and as last resort bring him into bed with me where he continues to wake but at least I don't have to get outof bed! I thought he may have been cold so put heater into his room which seems to have helped, woke last night at 4.30.

DG what do you do when baby wakes?

Pick him up and offer him boob. He usually takes it, then i put him back down and tuck him in. Don't talk to him or put any lights on.

Unlikely that he can be hungry every hour. If you have a dp or dh can they try to settle baby. perhaps try shushing and patting. That worked for me sometimes.

DP works in the day so doesn't do anything at night.

Have tried some shushing, but he just grumbles more. Just ordered No Cry Sleep Solution...can't take much more of this. I feel down, tired and fat.

Might ask DP if he'll take baby out Saturday for a few hours, and i can try and sleep then.

DG, you will probably see my post re: weaning on the other thread. Fill him up with baby rice in the evening and you will probably find he sleeps better. It's a good idea to mix the baby rice with pear or apple to avoid constipation...

Like you I tried to do all the night every night as dp works. In the end we both decided that looking after a whiny baby all day is as bad as going to work and now dp does some of the nights while I go to bed with my lovely ear plugs and occasionally a sleeping pill.

It may not be much consolation but there are threee threads started just today about non sleeping 4 month babies. You are definitely not alone. A big hug -it's v tough

Well, DP came home lunchtime to find me sobbing. He rang in to say he wasn't going back today and we went to town. He made me laugh announcing what each item was as it went in the trolley in a loud old lady voice. My personal favourite was when he exclaimed 'smell my cheese'in front of everyone in the dairy dept...and i've had a bath

Still knackered, but less homicidal now.

So sorry to hear it's getting on top of you. It's is a huge burden to shoulder by yourself with no assistance from your dp - I also did this until I went back to work. If it's any comfort, ds was exactly the same when he was approaching 4mo - hence we started weaning ds on the day he hit 4mo - and now he sleeps through from 19h to 05:30h with rarely a peep. It will get better.

Thanks Mumpbump...i know it'll pass eventually, and DP does chip in at weekends more. Roll on Saturday!