routine? awful sleeping?

[cers123]

Hi girls

I had my beautiful little boy in May haven't been on much since because I haven't had a second between him and my other son, running a house moving house and planning my wedding. I've been spread thin.

My little boy is coming up nearly 5 months now and he is an awful sleeper. He is I'm no form of a routine. Doesn't feed at certain times n im at my wits end as it's all very demanding. He struggled to gain weight when he was a baby and spent time in hospital because of this which was terrifying. He was breastfed for a month and then botttle and breast for a month and since has been soley bottle fed. Because he struggled to gain weight I was advised to feed him as and when he wanted and so I did but no 5 months done the line he still wants the same thing and it's exhausting I'm feeding all day and all night.

Now he isn't over eating because he can take 3ounces n then maybe an hour later takes 2oz and then at night may take an ounce every hour. Now not all nights r like this but some are. Other nights he may wake 4 times a night n take 2/3ounces and time. But no form of a routine.

Please help!!! Lol xx

 

[jenb1301]

I really feel for you, you must be shattered!

How many ounces do you think he's getting in the day?

I theory, he should be able to go through the night without a feed at 5 months, or at least only wake once.

Do you think he's actually hungry in the night or is it just habit?
If it's the latter, you could try offering an oz of cool boiled water rather than milk. He'll soon realise it's not worth bothering with.

As for routine, do you do a bedtime routine, bath-bottle-bed etc.? This seems to have helped my little one know when it's bedtime and generally is pretty good at night. We've had a few bad nights recently due to teething but he just woken for a cuddle rather than wanting feeding.

I'm not sure what to suggest to help your little one take more milk at once in the day...hopefully someone else will be more help!

xx

 

[BunnyN]

Our girl who is 2.5 has always been a bad sleeper so I sympathise. I stopped night feeds when she was 13 months (she was bf) but she still woke several times a night anyway. She started sleeping through the night at about 19months (as long as she is not unwell). If she is teething or has a cold etc she is a nightmare sleeper. Interestingly she also had big problems with putting on weight as a baby. She was always a very active and demanding baby. She did well on solid food and got a lot easier in general at about 8 months. When she started getting around by hersef it helped too because she could tire herself out. She is still super active and is still hard to follow a bedtime routine with her. She resists sleep. DS has been totally different from the day he was born. He loves routine and is a much better sleeper.

 

[cers123]

I know he's a little big hungry cos he drinks like no tomorrow. Even though it is only a little ounce or 2. I think I may have to try the boiled water idea. He is teething like crazy n has been since bout 6 weeks which doesn't help matters. And he's sleeping in a Co sleeping bed right next to mine. Going to put him into his own room next month...

It's only just after 2 n since 11 30 he has woke 5 times

 

[littlemonkey]

I'm probably not going to be popular with saying this, but have you considered weaning?

My eldest had terrible reflux and had similar feeding issues to what you have with your LO. He would refuse to drink anything more than 3oz at a time and even that was a battle. I didn't want to wean until six months because of everything saying wait until then. But a HV we saw at clinic suggested it to us as she had similar problems with her kids.

It was the best thing I ever did. He took brilliantly to solids and was on three meals a day by six months. He started packing weight on from this point onwards. It made a huge mental difference to me too. Just knowing he was happy to eat something without a battle and putting on weight was a huge relief and I started relaxing about his milk feeds then too.

The good thing about my eldest was he had been sleeping through before all this but in the day he never had any routine and was a terrible napper. This improved when we got his reflux medication and it wasnt really until about five months old I started enjoying being a mum with him.

 

[cers123]

Thanks for ur replies. Yeah little monkey I've decided to start weaning and he has done great the past 2 nights. My poor baby must have been starved. Lol

I was trying to wait but HV advised weaning because he isn't getting enough

 

[littlemonkey]

Glad it's helped Cers. Weaning really was so positive for us and I also weaned my youngest at four months too. He was similar to my eldest although not as bad!