Newborn wont settle at night

LauraKC

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does anyone have any tips for a mum whose baby is as good as gold in the day but not at night? i am finding breastfeeding hard work and at night he wants to latch on every hour when the HV told me today that i must stop this! i dont think he likes the dark and wants the comfort of me. as soon as i put him next to me he stops winging and sleeps for 2 hours til his next feed. if i leave him in his moses basket he would end up screeming! he was born 4 weeks prem and still only weighs 5lb 9 which may have something to do with it. i keep thinking if i put him on a bottle i could get a good nights sleep but a voice in my head keeps teling me breast is best, breast is bed and that it is my duty to do it! i dont want to give up but nights are so hard......
 
Laura, just to say I was in a similar situation and thought that an odd formula feed at night would mean I could sleep more. It isn't working and in fact Finley wakes up 1hr 1/2 later for a breast feed! It doesn't fill him up like I thought it would.

Is your baby having a full feed before going off to sleep? Have you tried changing him inbetween so he stays awake for further feeding? I find this tires Finley more and he sleeps longer.
 
LauraKC said:
does anyone have any tips for a mum whose baby is as good as gold in the day but not at night? i am finding breastfeeding hard work and at night he wants to latch on every hour when the HV told me today that i must stop this! i dont think he likes the dark and wants the comfort of me. as soon as i put him next to me he stops winging and sleeps for 2 hours til his next feed. if i leave him in his moses basket he would end up screeming! he was born 4 weeks prem and still only weighs 5lb 9 which may have something to do with it. i keep thinking if i put him on a bottle i could get a good nights sleep but a voice in my head keeps teling me breast is best, breast is bed and that it is my duty to do it! i dont want to give up but nights are so hard......

stuff the health visitor. latch the bubba on and lay in bed with him until he drifts off. When hes settled and happy try and transfer him to his own place or settle him at the side of you securely.
Babies have been in the tummy for 9 months and are used to certain motherly noises. He quite rightly wants to bewith you right now. Go with your instincts and do what you feel is right and if that means co sleeping . do it.
 
LauraKC said:
does anyone have any tips for a mum whose baby is as good as gold in the day but not at night? i am finding breastfeeding hard work and at night he wants to latch on every hour when the HV told me today that i must stop this! i dont think he likes the dark and wants the comfort of me. as soon as i put him next to me he stops winging and sleeps for 2 hours til his next feed. if i leave him in his moses basket he would end up screeming! he was born 4 weeks prem and still only weighs 5lb 9 which may have something to do with it. i keep thinking if i put him on a bottle i could get a good nights sleep but a voice in my head keeps teling me breast is best, breast is bed and that it is my duty to do it! i dont want to give up but nights are so hard......

i had this with finley, he was latching on loads through the night every hour or so, and if he was in my bed would sleep for ages but as soon as he was in the moses basket was screaming, i decided 2 nights ago that i wanted to try him on a bottle to see if it made any difference as i was so tired i couldnt think straight, and he started going a lot longer between feeds and settling straight down to sleep a lot better, i feel guilty for stopping breastfeeding so soon after having him as i breastfed my other 2 for 12 weeks, but at the end of the day if you are happier and baby is thats whats important, i feel a lot more relaxed for it now though instead of dreading going to bed and being up all the night
 
my problem was gettin madam into her moses basket, she slept but not in her own bed here are the tips i were given:


*ticking alarm clock reminds them of ur beating heart (just make sure the alarm isnt set ;) )

*put a hot water bottle in the bed for before u put him in so its warm (make sure ut ake it out tho before u put him in)

*put the t shirt uve been using into the bed so he can smell you or a breastpad with the milk smell in there

*swaddle baby in ur used top



cant remember the rest, when i do ill add them..

hope it helps x
 
Olivia co sleeps with me most of the time but if I want her to go in her bed she will and will sleep for a good 4 hours, hun your bubba is still young and id ignore the HV most of them havnt got a clue :roll:
 
Leorah was exactly the same and she was just over 3 weeks early. It gets better but they just need a bit more security from Mum at this stage. Leorah hates the dark and I found keeping the hall light on helped. After a short while babies start to distingusih between night and day a bit. I co slept for 6 weeks and then Leorah went into her own bed in her own room with no problems, she never took to the moses basket. In fact I would enjoy the co sleeping if I were you, its lovely and cosy and if he settles for two hours between feeds at the mo' it means you can also get some sleep, when he's bigger he will go for longer but at the moment he's only got a tiny tummy. I know its a worry that baby will always be in your bed if they are at the start but looking back i can now see it as weigh too early for a habit to form.
 
budge said:
stuff the health visitor.
Go with your instincts and do what you feel is right and if that means co sleeping . do it.

I agree totally - hvs and midwives seem to give such bad advice when it comes to breastfeeding. And for her to tell you to stop feeding every hour is terrible. breastfeeding is on demand, and switching to bottle still may not solve your probs.
ewan was terrible from about 5pm onwards and would feed every 40 mins, i would just be sat there switchin from side to side. it was draining literally! i was told that this was cluster feeding by a breastfeeding counsellor and it would get better in afew weeks which it did.
 

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