12 week old waking all through the night

[Lozzerelli23]

Someone please help me before I go insane. My DD is 12 weeks old, never been a great sleeper but has always had a longish stretch (4,5, even 8 hours once) at the beginning of the night and then sleep periods got shorter as the night went on. The last week she has literally been waking every 1-2 hours and I'm exhausted as it takes an hour to settle her then she just wakes back up.

Each time she wakes she wants feeding although I think it's mainly a comfort thing as she doesn't seem to eat for very long and just suckles. My nipples are sore for the first time since I had her purely because she is on them so much. I have tried dummies but she just spits them out!

When I put her to bed I've been trying not to let her fall asleep at the breast and waking her slightly when she goes in her cot so she's drowsy but awake when I put her down but nothing seems to be working. I'm starting to feel ill and depressed as I'm getting at the most four hours sleep a night as I'm struggling to drift back off myself inbetween and she will only nap on me or when we are moving during the day. No one can look after her for me as she won't take a bottle but that's a different issue! Someone please tell me this will end?!

It will end! I had the same thing. It drove me to give up breast feeding and go onto bottles combined with putting dd into own room at six months. That was the earliest in my head I felt I could do it and I literally counted the days down. You are at a very hard point. Probably the hardest of all. Baby might have colic. Or just not know how to sleep deeply yet. My dd certainly didn't when she was born and was exactly as you described in your post. Once your little one is weaned, they may settle down much more. And feel fuller. I am convinced dd didn't sleep well at the beginning as she may have been a bit hungry. This time will pass. It will get easier. Probably really soon. But don't be pressured to breast feed for longer than you feel you can. I remember that hanging on the breast feeling it can be torturous. Dd is by the way now a fantastic independent sleeper but I would never have predicted that after the rough start I had with her. Sending you virtual hugs and sympathy.

Thanks guys, yes I did consider teething so may give the calpol a go and see if that makes a difference. I'm just so exhausted I feel like I'm not functioning properly and ache all over and feel dizzy I've never felt this ill from tiredness before! I hope she grows out of it soon!