Tired mum seeking help

[daphnedoo12]

Hi,

I hate to do this type of a post, because I know nobody knows why. I'm just extremely struggling and looking for advice.

My almost 6 month old (8 days until 6 months) has stopped sleeping through.

He's up every 2 hours, sometimes he has an ounce of his bottle, mostly just a cuddle. He's in a cot next to our bed. He sleeps in a sleeping bag, he's formula fed.

He doesn't nap through the day, except for the odd 10 minute power nap. He's been in nursery since 4 months (I've been back at work since he was born) And his "routine" is the same there. Everyone tries to encourage a nap, he lasts ten minutes.

He is teething, although there's no obvious signs of pain during the night. This has lasted 2 months, I'm about to start a new job in an extremely challenging setting and I'm scared of the level of tiredness in experiencing will effect my role.

Other than this, he's a perfectly happy baby.

Is there anything I can do to help him have a longer amount of sleep? I've upped his milk intake but he just won't finish the bottle.

If he's only drinking an ounce it doesn't sound like he's hungry. I would stop offering the bottle at night as he might be becoming used to it? Focus on resettling him without it - do you use a dummy? That might help with the resettling? They can go through a regression at 6 months I think so might just be that which will hopefully resolve itself soon?

Re naps assume you've tried carrier/buggy to extend length of naps? How much is he sleeping overall across a 24 hour period?

You could try not picking him up to cuddle him when he wakes, just reassure him by gently touching his cheek or tummy and a ssshhhhh in a quiet voice. He could be waking up to a car going past or an aeroplane and just needs to settle and drift back up just as we would

I’m sad to say but that sounds pretty normal for a 6 month old, babies aren’t designed to sleep through the night.

No napping though is unusual, I would really try and focus on that and that may help the night sleep

Yes, no napping is very odd, I'd work on that. My DS now age 3 needed a lot of help to nap, so in the car, pram or wrap at constant motion. It was hard but it helped his night sleep