Unsettled at night

[Jezzabond]

My baby is breastfed and 4 weeks old. She has a good daytime routine, feeding every 2-3 hours. At night I dread going to bed. She feeds and I lie her down but she WILL NOT settle for hours sometimes. She grizzles and then cries and wants feeding practically all the time and only takes a bit each time before she pushes away, thus needing more feeds.

Last night I was feeding her on and off for 4 hours or so. I was desperate in the end and left the room for a while, which made me feel awful. My husband does not understand the stresses of this as he sleeps such a lot.

Is there anything anyone can advise about how to settle a grizzly baby at night? DO other mums have this too?

 

[Sandi4Paul]

how much exactly does she take? with Logan he he'd have a few mouthfuls and then push away. turned out to be colic.

sandi

 

[halemon]

hi there, much sympathy to you, i have a one week old so younger than yours but exactly the same - i am a walking zombie!!! she settles in her basket after daytime feeds but will not do the same at night and i end up feeding her for hours at a time, feel so tired andit is ver hard isn't it, i think its partially because she suffers with wind more at night and seems more awake yet tired! i hate to leave her crying and end up exhausted

sorry no solutions as yet, they say it does get better gradually - one idea is for you to express some milk for the 'last' he he night time fed to really fil baby up so they sleep longer but i know how you are feeling!!

 

[Naterjack]

Hello
Like Halemon, i have a week old (just over) baby and am having exactly the same problem
Joshua will sleep 4-5 hours at a time in the day, wake for a feed and change then back to sleep, but come the night and its very much different - he'll have a feed and change but wont go back to sleep unless he's flat out on dad's chest He loves sleeping like that but i don't want to start the co-sleeping thing.
Last night we tried him on his tummy (which i know isnt recommended anymore but he sleeps a lot lot better like it) and we got 4 hours solid sleep once he went off which felt fantastic - so been and bought a breathing monitor today so this may be a more viable option for his sleeping.

Most MW's that have visitied said its just one of those baby things and does get better but my proper MW came today and said to try and keep LO awake a bit more during the day with the TV and lights on, etc etc and not so warm, then in the evening he can have extra layers and make it more quiet time - weve tried this today and so will soon see if it has worked

 

[Jezzabond]

Thanks for the replies. It's good to know there are other mums out there feeling the same way as I do. I was recommended Infacol so have bought some today as it deals with colic AND trapped wind and can be used from birth. Has a yummy orange smell too so hope it works. Isabelle does not cry constantly so I don't think it is colic and she does not draw her knees up but gosh it is so hard at night! I try to then sleep in the day and take comfort from each morning that we have got through another night and she is another day older, closer to sleeping longer at night and hopefully with the longer sleeps will come settling easier. Please say it is so!

 

[sam96031]

will have to keep an eye on this thread as bethan is the same she sleeps well in the day and feeds ok but come night it is hell we've tried keeping her awake in the day but it didn't work

 

[halemon]

Hello, me again, well what an awful nightnlast nght! i am soooo tired! We put little one down after a feed at around 8, which she was due then - slightly jaundiced so have to feed every two to three hours anyway. she slept for like 15 mins woke up and cried, we had tried to sneak off to bed early to get a few hours sleep. i picked her up, fed her for what seemed like ages, rocked her to sleep, put her into basket and within a minute she had popped awake and was grizzling, i pick her up again - no point in waiting for the grizzles to turn into the inevitable screams!!!

I end up feeding her on and off, rocking her etc for hours!! just cant get her into that basket, in the end i gave up and let her in with us again, she eventually fell asleep attached to the boob.

I dont want to encourage this, i know shes only a week old and i cant exppect too much at the moment but i have had aabout an hours sleep total and am in a state! i cant seem to sleep in the day although i often try - shes happily asleep in her basket now!!!
HELP!!!!!!!

p.s i will get rid of my preg ticker when ive worked out how to!!

 

[sam96031]

We had a bad night too and Bethan ended up in bed with us again and she is asleep in the basket too now I'm going to try tomorrow to keep her out of the basket in the day, so put her in bouncer/mat/swing and save the basket for night to see if that helps. Hope you have a better night tonight

 

[keli]

Co-sleeping when baby is so little and if your BF is a livesaver. I don't think i could have coped if i'd not done this. It is safe to do as long as you follow guidelines.. no drink/drugs no smoking.. no pillows/duvet near baby etc. Baby just wants to be near you and hearing your HB is comforting. There is evidence to say it helps prevent SIDs as baby gets cues from your breathing. I loved co-sleeping with Cooper it just felt natural and we still do it now

 

[halemon]

i dont mind co sleeping from time to time and have done it for the last 2 nights out of desperation!!! i just dont want to get her into the habit and imagine we/'d be doing it forever!!! what do you think? do they become dependent on co sleeping?