2 month old waking up hourly for milk unless we cosleep…is that the only option?

[Pipperleen]

DD is not a great sleeper it seems and I am very tired. She is EBF and so far I have been feeding her at every wake up - I know she can’t be hungry every hour and she doesn’t take much on board but at this point it’s the easiest way to get her to go back to sleep at least for a little while. I tried just settling and she wakes up properly and eventually screams. I’ve tried dummy, which she does like, but she normally can’t keep it in when drifting off so just ends up waking her up unless I sit there popping it back in every few mins. It’s the boobie that she wants!

Out of desperation, when it gets to about 5am I have been putting her in our bed, safely, just so I can lie down. She bloody loves it and is still fast asleep next to me now…

I never thought I would be a co sleeper and am reluctant to do it for a full night. I don’t get into a deep sleep when she’s with me, and my husband won’t sleep in the bed when she’s in it as he’s worried about squashing her so goes downstairs. So a few issues there.

Are there any pearls of wisdom out there, either about the feeding situation or the sleeping? I feel I must be doing something very wrong and I’m not sure what to do for the best.

To add - she does a reasonable stretch at the start of the night - maybe 3 hours? I do have to help her get to sleep - she’s not a baby that can do it on her own yet.

Congratulations!!

I’ll wait for others to advise, but I’ve never managed to avoid co-sleeping for this reason.

Personally, I’ve grudgingly seen it as baby wants to be close so looked into safe co sleeping and just ran with it. Otherwise we’d both be tired and ratty.

My first left my bed at 3.5 years old… (would start in own room, climb in during night)

I currently have a 7 month old who does this, in and out cot all night like a Jack in the box, solely our bed from about 3am to morn.
At birth DC would wake as I was lowering into cot/basket.

This is a place mark really to see what others suggest!

Honestly just co sleep. Look up the safety guidelines on lullaby trust and follow them. I didn’t expect to co sleep either but after a c section and a new born who loves the boob it just became the only option. You’re right your partner can’t sleep with her till she’s 4 months, but can after that (make sure he reads and adheres to safety guidelines too). I still co sleep with my DD, she still loves the boob but I do get more rest this way so I’m not bothered about changing it anytime soon (she’s 15 months). If I do sleep apart (e.g. when sick) I just miss her now!! I love the closeness and connection with her and she loves being with me.
Good luck, I hope it works out for you xx

Also self soothing etc. it doesn’t happen till much later on with most babies. Don’t worry about helping her to sleep at all or that when she wakes it’s only the boob that gets her back (it’s the easiest and quickest option so why make it harder for yourself doing something different!!). Learn to breastfeed side lying and get some rest as she feeds. Follow Lynsey Hookway on Instagram for loads of normalising of baby sleep behaviour. Also cosleepy and happycosleeper are good accounts to follow for cosleeping advice.