Hello, fairly desperate first time mum here.
My baby is a darling, and I love him very much, but his sleep (or lack there of) is driving me bananas!
Over an average 24 hours, he gets a total of 11-12.5 hours sleep. I know this isn't enough for his age, and I am so worried and desperate for him to sleep more.
He will go to bed (usually fed until he is nearly asleep and then put down to nod off on his own, but sometimes we do end up feeding him all the way to sleep or rocking him) between 7/8. He will usually manage a solid 5 hours, but after this stretch he wakes frequently, at least 4 times, and then wants the day to start at 6 ish. Previously he would sleep so much better than this at night, so I'm fairly sure he's having a sleep regression.
My tactic has usually been to feed him back to sleep for night wakings, because until recently I was sure he was hungry. However now I really don't think that he's waking due to hunger, so I'm worried about feeding him to sleep and reinforcing this sleep association. However at 3am I will do anything just to get him back to sleep! When he wakes up he's generally not crying, just awake. I haven't had success in settling him back to sleep without feeding or rocking.
So the night sleep is not great (in comparison to a few weeks ago where he'd only wake once maybe twice, and only to feed). But the thing that's worrying me more is the absolutely rubbish napping in the day! At absolute best, he will nap for 30 minutes. Often it will only last 15/20 minutes. I make sure that as far as possible all of his naps take place in his cot, with black out blinds and white noise. I generally rock/sway him to drowsy then try to put down just before he's fully asleep. Occasionally I manage to sooth him just by placing my hand on his tummy and it stroking his head while he's in the cot. Often though he will cry or simply not settle unless he's rocked first.
He doesn't sleep in the pram. He might sleep in the car, but only for 20 mins ish, then wakes up and SCREAMS to be picked up.
I'm pretty sure it's all to do with sleep cycles and him not being able to settle himself back to sleep when he wakes up. I'm just at a total loss as to what to do to help with this. He's not getting anywhere near enough sleep and sometimes he's so overtired he's beside himself.
I feel like I've really messed up his sleep for him and I feel a bit hopeless. I've asked various mum friends and they all seem to have babies who nap very happily!
I feel like I've googled to death and tried so much, but have got nowhere. It's really getting to me now. I feel like I'm letting him down.
Has anyone got any advice or experience please? Help!!!!