6 wk old weighing over 10 pounds who feeds 3 hourly at night. HELP TO GET SLEEPING AT NIGHT!!!

[twinmumma]

As u can see from subject....
my DS is 6 wks (almost 7 wks) and over 10lb, putting on weight well.... breastfed..... and will feed every 3 hours, including at night.
I put him down about 7pm and he goes down pretty well. Then he will wake for a feed at about 10pm. He is currently feeding for about 6 - 10 mins max and I can't get him to stay on longer. He often sicks a bit up after that. I then change nappy, wind, and put him on for 2 or 3 mins more (he comes off himself again)
Then he is back in cot and goes off well on his own.... ready to wake 2.5 hours later for another feed

He can do it cos he has done it twice before (at about 5 wks) when he has fed 10pm 3am and 7am. Can't WAIT til he does that again!!!

Any advice to get him to go longer... apart from giving formula??????

IME - you'll be lucky... he is very young.
They need food at night, especially when going through growth spurts.

IME, giving formula at such a young age doesn't make your baby sleep any longer! I hate to tell you this, but three hours between feeds is actually pretty good for a six week old. Hang on in there - you are doing brilliantly. You might consider bringing him into bed with you after the 4-5 a.m. feed so you can both just snuggle up and doze off together.

I know it's really hard - I hate being sleep deprived, and only one of my three was what I would call a natural good sleeper - but he is so so little at the moment. Snuggle up with him and enjoy the closeness and his lovely baby smell.

I am afraid what he is doing is perfectly normal for a 6/7 week old! they aren't supposed to go longer than that. and formula is no guarantee of sleeping longer either.

Um, isn't that normal? Mine were feeding 3-hourly at night at 6 months. (that isn't so normal)

Hang in there. It's early days. I know it feels like forever but it isn't.

I think so too.... it's just soooo tiring!!
I know that I am expecting a lot - but I do know someone who's 6 wk old sleeps from 11pm til 5am and I wondered if mine is slow or hers was fast!
I think he should be able to go 10pm til 3am til 7am now really though... shouldn't he???
If I could get him to feed more in the day, then this should be achievable.
I can't stand this sleep deprivation.... with 3 year old twins to look after as well!!

thanks though.... cos u r confirming what I thought... I prob am expecting too much!!

sounds like he is doing fine
i know it's tiring but it doesn't last forever
feeding in the night is very good for your milk supply! you could co-sleep to get more rest? and maybe try swaddling to see if he sleeps for longer periods? but basically just go with it and try to rest during day if at all possible.

His tummy is too tiny to go any longer than that regularly. The fact that he is a little bit sick after a feed shows this - he is full!

3 hours at that age is pretty good really, I would bear with it.

bless him. He is so adorable! I will start chilling out. What a pushy mum I am being!!!

THANK U! And I will try to go to bed NOW and prepare for the first wake of the night!

twinmumma, I would definitely suggest co-sleeping between at least some of the feeds just so you get a bit of kip

lots of sympathy, I know I was more tired with DS3 than I thought humanly possible to endure, but I do actually look back very fondly to all those wee small hours when it seemed like it was just me and him in the world!

your friend is almost certainly lying (or giving rather wild guessesgenerous estimates) about how long her baby sleeps.

At six weeks he needs food that often. I understand that you're exhausted, believe me, dd didn't sleep a night without waking till she was 2 . It gets easier, and formula won't solve the problem

Congratulations, you have a perfectly normal 6 week old who will continue to wake up to eat at night for many months to come. Save yourself the bother with formula as it makes no difference, but can muck up your supply especially if this is your first.

ETA: Sleep during the day because you have many growth spurts to get to where he'll be feeding even more often.

Tip to stretch him out at night: cluster feed in the evening (put him on before he shows signs of hunger. Feeding close together gives him more hind milk than normal, which is v. creamy and takes longer to digest. It won't work for all night long, but it might give you a 4-hour block to sleep which should help.

Lucky you. ds is 5 weeks, at the last weigh in last Monday he weighed 11lb 14oz. Feeds Non stop through the night every night and hardly sleeps, and I mean, less than 10hours in a 24 hour period.

You are lucky.

Another vote for the "formula doesn't help" - don't do it, you will make more work for yourself at night. This too will and does pass (mine started sleeping through at 21 months tho so don't hold out for any time soon!)

Thanks guys....
He can do a 4 - 5 hour stint ... and usually when has cluster fed - so will try that.
Been working hard to get him down at 7pm - but I think that I would rather get him down at 9pm and have a good bit of sleep.
Having him weighed today so be interesting to see what he has put on.
Thanks for your advice. I am chilling out!
Still exhausted - but we'll get there.
My twins slept through from 16 weeks (10pm til 6am) so I shall aim for that maybe! Only 10 wks to go!!!

Another 'don't think formula is the answer!' from me.

Both my babies were/are formula fed.

My son didn't sleep through the night until he was much, much older (I won't frighten you by telling you how much older ).

My DD is 3 weeks old, formula fed and wakes like clockwork every 3 hours for a feed, day and night. Nothing to do with formula / breastmilk - their tummies are small and ned filling regularly at this stage.

Don't fight it.

I used this book with my twins and I really recommend it. link

Both my twins were sleeping through by about 15 weeks. Worth a try?

'I think he should be able to go 10pm til 3am til 7am now really though... shouldn't he???'

Absolutely not. Not sure if me saying this will help or not, but you've actually got it pretty easy compared to the majority of mothers of 6 week olds. If he goes through the night once it means simply that he could get though that particular night, not that he is generally able to.

'If I could get him to feed more in the day, then this should be achievable'

Not exactly, but it could possibly help. A popular strategy is to put your other kids to bed, then get the remote and phone and park yourself on the sofa until bed-time and feed and feed and feed, with you OH bringing you food and drink. You'll be able to get a little rest and tank up the baby for a decent night.

hth

Thank you everyone. Trying all the tips here. Won't do the formula thing.... sticking with the breastfeeding.
He has cluster fed the last 2 nights and gone down to sleep at 10.... then waking at 2am one night... and 12 the next night.

Tiring running around after 2 other children - wish I could sleep more in the day - but it will soon end - I know!

Thank you for all your advice - and book suggestions. Really has helped me to get things into perspective!
x

My lad is 6 wks now, and for the first time he went 4 hours between feeds yesterday. 10, 3am,7am. It was great, I got 7 hours sleep instead of my usual 3 hrs!! I tried keeping him awake more during the day, and wrapping an extra blanket on him.Health visitor told me that between 5 - 8 wks, they get a growth spurt, so routine goes out the window then! Good luck, i'm sure we will settle soon !?

lol he ius normal, I hope it gradually gets better

mine never do they

gecko is 22 months and wakes every two to three hours all night, always has done