I've been a very, very slack blogger, mainly due to the fact that I'm no longer at my husband's shop where the computer is, and secondly, because I'm pretty tired from endless night shifts with my baby. He is still having two feeds at night, and sometimes wakes at other times too! When he wakes and I think it's not feed time, then I just give him a dummy. He sleeps on his tummy and lately, because he has started to roll, he rolls onto his back in his sleep and that often wakes him up and I find him lying in his cot with his eyes wide open, as if he startled himself. He still can't roll back the other way yet, so I have to put him on his tummy again for him to go back to sleep. Usually this works, but some nights I'm up about 4 times! Other nights, when he sleeps more solidly, I'll only be up twice for his feeds, and that's a great night! But all I dream of is a solid night's sleep again! I'm used to the nights now, but still.
I get SO jealous when I hear of these babies who just sleep through the night. I don't know if the fact that I'm breastfeeding makes a difference, as it's often formula babies who seem to sleep through, but my baby is 3 and a half months old now and he is still feeding twice at night, and not going very long between feeds at night. I guess some babies are like that, but I keep wondering what I can do to encourage him to go longer at night. I tried to give him formula for 2 nights for his last feed, but that didn't really help much either. I guess I could try again, but I am happy that he is almost exclusively breastfed. That is, at least, the one thing I feel I'm getting right with him and unless the formula is going to make a huge difference, I'm not keen to use it. It's also a hassle to keep washing and sterilising bottles when it's much quicker and easier to just whip out a boob!
Oh well, hopefully by six months or so he'll be sleeping longer. I wonder when I'll get my nights back? Or at least drop down to just one night feed? Help.
Kitty, I know its not popular but with my daughter (which was also when I was still sharing a bed with hubby) I would co-sleep with her. In fact I co slept with them all. Horrors. Dont worry. They're all happy to sleep in their own beds now. I pushed my queensize bed against the wall and I always slept on the inside. I would start baby on the left breast between mom and dad, lying on my side with my arm around baby to prevent her from being bumped by dad and then lift up shift baby over and feed off the right side. After that all to sleep again. There was even room on the inside edge of the bed for baby to lie on her tummy. The fact that we were all lying together breathing evenly and sharing body warmth helped all including baby get a better night's sleep. To me its all about doing the best for all concerned (bugger the books and do-gooders). I liked sleeping with my babes because then I could monitor whether they were too hot or cold or whatever. Its very difficult to do that when baby's lying way over in his own cot. It was just a method that worked for me and the kids. I also used to put the cot right next to the bed so that I just had to lean over, scoop baby up and plop him on the breast. No lights on, no changing unless baby was wetting through, hardly even waking up and soon settling back to sleep again.
ReplyDeleteShame man, this is a very difficult stage. You will hear stories from both sides the rest of your parenting life...this one slept through from 6wks and another not a night for 3 yrs! Your baby will work it out and I can tell you this....not much you do will hurry it up. He is still very very little so unfortunately its pretty normal to still have night waking.
ReplyDeleteJust for your info my 3 went like this:
HOney - slept through from about 8wks; by that I mean she had a 10pm feed and then a 5am feed.
Lulu - was a mare. she didnt sleep through for 2 yrs. I have my first full nights sleep with her 2 days before giving birth to my son!
Hooli - was also an awesome night sleeper - from about 6wks he slept 8hrs BUT he was very twitchy during the day and lived in the pouch and catnapped!
My advice is to simply roll with the routine of your small one for now. He is healthy and happy.
Kyle slept through the night very early on. Clayton is a different story. At 7 months, he is still waking once a night 5 out of 7 days a week. I know I should suck it up and quit feeding him when he does b/c I think at his age he doesn't really need to eat at night, but I haven't and so he keeps waking for it. So I don't know what to tell you.
ReplyDeleteI've heard if they get more calories in the daytime they may sleep longer at night, but i don't know if that's true for them all. Clayton eats food now during the day and still doesn't sleep all night so... who knows. You could try giving him a few ounces of formula along with his evening feedings and maybe that will help keep him full. But chances are he just likes having mommy come rescue him in the night, lol.
No matter what, he WILL sleep one of these days. It was so good hearing from you, missed you! :-)
Thanks for the comments - I guess I just have to live with it for now. Maybe it will get better.
ReplyDeleteMomcat - I had him in the bed with me right up till a few weeks ago, but he would move around and I found it difficult for me to sleep without disturbing him, so I'm finding it better with him in his cot. Sort of.
Simply-Mel: You're right - I do hear stories from both ends! Horrors and then the "good" babies! As you say, I must just roll with what's happening now, not much else I can do hey? But at least hearing about how different all three of yours were makes me see that it's just life with the baby.
ReplyDeleteLady (of the 3 men): I've tried the formula and it doesn't help much. I guess it's just one of those things. I'm relieved to hear that your baby is also a night waker and not just mine! But I'm not relieved for you, shame. What can we do hey?