I neeeeeed to sleeeeeeep!

[Urchin]

Riley is waking every 90 minutes!
I remember Brody was the same but I can't do it again I'm knackered!

I know i am being my own worst enemy but we're in a vicious circle:

I take him up with me when I go to bed, maybe around 10-11pm. He has a feed and goes into the crib next to the bed.
Wakes for the first time, eg. 12.30 has a feed, I put him back in the crib or if I'm really tired we fall asleep next to each other in bed, then he will wake every 90 mins ish.

I have tried not letting him feed (he's using me as a dummy and I know it) but he just won't settle.
In the day he's fine and doesn't need me to fall asleep, at night its a different story and after 30 mins if trying to get him to sleep without me in the crib I just give up and he comes back into bed, feeds for 2 mins and sleeps again.

I have tried a dummy, but although he likes it he just drops it after a minute or 2, maybe I need to try a different shaped one.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[trixipaws]

at rileys age millie was waking every 60-90 minutes also, it sucks!

millie could never keep in the flat tipped dummies (orthodontic?) the cherry ones are best for her (maybe they shaped more like nipple?)

hope u get sleep soon!

 

[Sherlock]

Not sure really. I can't say what we did will work for you but it might be worth trying a few things from it perhaps?

We changed tack with Galen recently and once we did so he has been sleeping through more or less till 6-7am most nights. Occasionally will wake around midnight but will settle without a feed. Sometimes wakes around 4am and then its hard to get him to settle without a feed but a quick 5 minute one usually has him snoozing again.

We used to let him sleep downstairs with us till we went to bed. In his basket. Then he'd have a feed before we went to bed most nights, around 11pm and then would wake in the night wanting more. He then started going into his cot earlier just fine but would still wake overnight a lot. Around 12 weeks we knew he could go longer as he did on occasion so we had a rethink about our bed and night routine. He was going into his cot fine, just not sleeping through. I began to think it was the late night feed that was our undoing and if we could get that one out of the way we'd be better off for it.

So I started to cluster feed from about 5pm onwards. And then we bathed Galen and got him ready for bed. He would get tired around 8pm and then I'd go feed him upstairs and then into his cot usually awake so he settled himself.

If he woke in the night then OH would go see to him. I'd stay quiet and not let LO see me. OH would change him if he needed it or sooth him while he was in his cot, then mobile on and leave him be. The first couple of nights LO fussed and yelled a bit at least 3-4 times but by the third night he only woke at 4am and then we had 10 nights in a row where he slept till at least 6am. Most nights now he sleeps through till around 6-7am, wakes, is changed and fed and then goes back into his cot for a bit more sleep.

The cluster feeding can be a bit demanding and it takes a little while to get baby used to filling up over a few hours in that way, but since we've been doing that with Galen he's been a different baby sleeping at night. And when he wakes in the morning he is never desperate for a feed, always happy to stay in his cot for a bit before I go pick him up.

We don't use a dummy overnight but did use the NUK ones which Galen seemed well able to keep in his mouth. I also never really co slept so Galen never minded going back into his cot. If he naps in bed with us in the morning he wants to feed from me and tbh I'd rather not have him get used to that so tend to sit up in bed and feed him.

I'd defo look to starting to get Riley in his cot sooner in the evening and maybe trying the cluster feeding so he really fills up for the night. That way you can do away with the 11pm feed and see if he will start going through. And if at all possible don't see to him in the night so then he realises he can't have a comfort feed. Sounds to me thats all he is after and if you are not there to provide it he will hopefully get over it.

If any of that is possible for you to want to try I'd be interested to hear how it goes.

Other than that I am all out of ideas as I can only say what seems to have worked for us.

 

[Urchin]

Thanks sherlock.
He's not interested in cluster feeding, I've tried many times
I have thought about putting him up to bed earlier, will try it tomorrow and see how it goes

Mason was a great sleeper.... sleeping through at around 6 weeks! I'm trying to remember if I did anything differently but I don't think I did.

 

[Squiglet]

I have tried not letting him feed (he's using me as a dummy and I know it) but he just won't settle.
In the day he's fine and doesn't need me to fall asleep, at night its a different story and after 30 mins if trying to get him to sleep without me in the crib I just give up and he comes back into bed, feeds for 2 mins and sleeps again.
:

I could have written that. Lil miss doesn't settle at night. We do the cluster feeding and we do the strict bed time routine, but she still wakes every couple of hours... needs a boob to get back to sleep... I haven't got any advice but I know how all encompassing the tiredness is... How it's actually painful to get up in the morning... IF .... and I stress the IF... I find a miracle cure I will let you know... But Brody grew out of it as did Tia.... and so will Riley and lil miss... (well thats what keeps me going )

In the mean time, try and catch up with sleep during the day if you can... I'm lucky Tia's at school all day... or try and get your OH to do a morning on a weekend once and a while... Even just one hours uninterrupted/worried sleep...makes me feel at least somewhat human again. Ooo and lots of Tea and coke..

 

[Urchin]

LOL i was gonna have a lazy day today but went to the kids farm for 5 hours instead

 

[DebbieM]

Luke's the same, Urchin. He can wake anything from an hour to 2 hours usually. Last night was the first night in MONTHS that he didn't wake up every 2 hours more or less on the dot. (I'm hoping it was my homemade Cauli Cheese)

I have tried cluster feeding and it doesn't work for us. I wish it did. Nothing seems to work actually. Even weaning him has made no difference.

I don't have any suggestions for you other than is he warm enough at night at the moment? We found that the only real difference with Luke last night was that he was a bit warmer than usual (but in a good way) and seemed more cosy....

 

[Urchin]

I do think the room is a bit cold TBH, but he has a vest, sleepsuit, thick gro bag plus a light fleece blanket on so I don't want to put more on him.

 

[DebbieM]

Sounds like he is warm enough with all that on. Our Grobag egg says our room is 27C atm but I'm not so sure... it's actually chilly from the win as the window is open so we have stopped going by the egg and decided ourselves what the temp is. LOL

I really don't know what to suggest. Has he always been like this or is it just recently?

 

[Sherlock]

Sounds like he is warm enough with all that on. Our Grobag egg says our room is 27C atm but I'm not so sure... it's actually chilly from the win as the window is open so we have stopped going by the egg and decided ourselves what the temp is. LOL

Blimey 27C would feel like an oven I'd think maybe the egg was wrong if it doesn't feel that hot. Our egg gives our room temp around 18C and I find it just right and certainly don't feel hot in it. I can wear a tee and feel warm in there. Thinnish duvet also and not cold overnight. In the day it drops down to 16C or so as we don't heat it and you can defo notice the difference then.

 

[Urchin]

Last night was a little better, I think this new dummy helped.

Went to bed 11, woke 2, 3 6 then 9

so at least I got 2 x 3 hour blocks in there

 

[valentine]

I would definitely recommend putting him to bed earlier Urchin. Can he go to bed with Mason and Brody who I assume go to bed at 7pm/8pm? I found DD slept much better when she had a good evening sleep first.

I know you know all this, so I'm stating the obvious - but good bedtime routine is the key, bath, baby massage, winddown time, story, milk, teeth (if relevant), bed.

Good luck!

Valentine Xxx

 

[Urchin]

Hiya

yeah he is asleep down here from about 8-10.30 anyway. Hmm I do remember putting Brody to bed earlier and it made no difference, thats probably why I haven;t bothered with Riley yet, but tonight I will

Last night was the worst so far I think. Had a feed at 11, woke 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7!

 

[Teej]

i can totally sympathise, sounds exactly like Sam...altougth he isn't feeding just waking and wanting his dummy back/a bit of a hello etc...am getting poorly now through lack of sleep, it's awful.
Would you like to restart the No Sleep Club? Its all gone quiet in there...all those in the same boat, it would be nice to have daily sharing of how bad/good our nights have been!

 

[Daffodil]

I know exactly how you feel! I just started breastfeeding Meadow and I feel she is always on my boob!!

I don't even get chance to be on this forum

OH took her out in the pram just now, I hope she is asleep when he returns

Dawn
x

 

[Urchin]

Well he's in bed, was awake when I put him down and he nodded off in a couple of mins.

Lets see what happens now

 

[hels]

Urchin, you gave me some really good advice, and Tom is on his way to getting more settled!!
I think the key is getting him to bed at the first sign of tiredness, Tom never cluster fed either, Charlie did and she slept soooo well!
Without sounding patronising, just remember the advice you gave me, start a support thread and we will all support you when you need it hun.......hope tonight goes better xx