Still only 4 hours at 12 weeks

[Hughsie]

Help - ds2 still only sleeps for 4 hours at 12 weeks old - breastfeeding with one bottle (formula) which makes no difference to the length of sleep - only sleeps for 1.5 hours in a row in the day also with cat naps of half an hour here and there. What can I do to help this situation? Getting desperate as have to cope with a 2 yr old ds1 and new baby in the day on little sleep.

Need sympathy if nothing else?

Hi H
goes to bed at 6 pm(rubs hand togetther) and wakes once before 6 20 am (just roughly!)

thats fine by me!

well done with 9 hours

ps mine in own room - much better. how much longer with builders?

Thats excellent for you - do you feed when he wakes ? Only one week left with the builders I think and then he will be in his own room. We have found that he doesn't need feeding in the night but if we let him settle himslf he is ok it is only when he sees one of us that he wants to get up and ultimately feed.

6pm is fantastic - we are aiming for about 8 as it is more realistic with the noise that 2 year old makes when he is going through the bed time routine - very good - just loud!

Do you think the weaning was your answer? How mush is he on now?

MUCH not mush although I suspect it is mush he is eating!!!!!!

much mush! No only baby rice at tea - he wolfs it and redecorates all around him with it
cant be arsed to do three meals till end of summer hols for obv reasons

am off to park for trip in sunshine!

another busy day!

Codswallo & Hughsie, how old are your babies now? Mine is 12 wks on Monday, still only doing 4hr stints although occasionally throws in the odd 7hrs to tease me & get my hopes up. Best ever was 8hrs at 8 wks. Since then it all seems to be going downhill. She's quite a big girl and not a great feeder (breastfed). She's just gone to sleep (9pm) after only 3 feeds today (not interested in hot weather) and I'm going to hit the sack too but feel depressed at the thought that she'll be awake again by midnight and then again by 4am. I am like a zombie especially as DD1 is really playing up at present (jealous & clingy).

Also can't manage to get her down at 7.30pm - have tried and tried. Am not feeling very positive about my baby skills at present.

Dont worry anto - it does get better. ds2 is 16 weeks now and is sleeping aprox 8pm - 4/6pm - I have given a spoon of baby rice last couple of days so am hoping that may ensure the 6am rather than 4am.

Codswallop and I have been chatting about this for ages on growth spurt thread in b/feeding topic too so you can see it has taken us a while to get here!!

Good luck

Mine goes to sleep at 6pm but is awake from 3pm to get that which can be a pain with boys tea etc. we always do the same thing bath massage(!) then bed without talking etc.
he wakes at midnight or 2 am for a feed then back to morning. We dont talk or look at him in the night or turn lights on.
Its bloody hard that you KNOW you will be up at night.

Your baby will just do it suddenl;t and your boobs will wake you up. Keep posting

C - that is just like mine at the mo but a bit later - bed by 8pm then awake at 3/4 last two nights quick feed and down in half an hour - awake again at around 7am - was sleeping until 6am but that has stopped - heat /hunger/ needing a cuddle??????? they are a mystery but at least I know it does improve eventually and if he is quick to settle in the night I dont really mind i suppose

Well, dd2 is 12 weeks old today and what I find so frustrating is that I never know what kind of night I will have. Had 2 great nights on the weekend 9pm-5am and 10pm-6am so was feeling like I'd nailed it and like I was over the worst...till last night when DD1 woke us all up at 1.45am then DD2 decided she fancied something to eat at 2.45am and then again at 6am...

Are you both breastfeeding? I am going to exclusively breastfeed till 16 wks but then might introduce a bottle. I'm hoping that if I do a bottle at 7pm she might go down earlier.

She's got tummyache today so the 3-hr feeds 7 daytime sleeps are totally out of the window. I think she's trying to do a poo

Err...that wasn't 7 daytime sleeps (sadly), I was just trying to do an ampersand!

I am breastfeeding but give a bottle in the evening before bed 7.30 ish also if he wakes in the night II'll doa bottle if it is before 4am as he goes off quicker and doesn't leave me falling asleep in a awkward position. I've got a bad back since giving birth and end up in terrible pain if I dont get the feeding position just so.

I dont think the bottle makes him sleep longer though - it is sometimes just easier as you know they have had a decent amount.

Is anyone else out there surviving on 3 hours sleep a night with the odd 7 hour stretch thrown in once a fortnight?? My 14 week old son sleeps like a baby(no pun intended) on a bean bag on the sofa but, put him in his crib and it's 3 hours max! He isn't hungry but just seems to hate being exposed and not snuggly in the bean bag. Have even considered putting the bean bag in the crib... what do you think? All comments extremely welcome

Womba, have you tried a sheepskin? Might help him feel more snuggly. I swaddle dd - poor child is all wrapped up like a parcel and can hardly move, it really seems to help her.