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Really, really need sleep...

cazzakcazzak
in My baby was born in May 2010
I've mentioned this on other threads but didn't want to gatecrash so am starting a separate thread.

My little boy is 17 weeks now and is lovely and calm and happy during the day and roughly does the EASY routine, feeding every 2 to 3 hours ish. At night we put him to bed between 9 and 10pm after a bath etc. and until 2 weeks ago he slept through until 9am after a feed at 3am and feed and nappy at 6am (when DH gets up). Then he had a cold... and now he wakes every 2 hours hungry and feeds for 10mins to 30mins. This means that sometimes I'm barely getting an hours sleep.

The HV suggested feeding him more during the day but I can't force him as he just spits up the excess and I feel that my boobs are just constantly empty. Could it be that I'm just running out of milk? Has anyone else had this happen with their LO? I'm at the stage where I'm considering hungry baby formula for him at night just so I get more sleep.

Thanks for any advice.
C x

Replies

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    kayssiskayssis
    Sorry hun, can't offer any advice but didn't want to r&r. Hope someones got some ideas for you x
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    arlikarlik
    Hey I'm not sure what to suggest as I'm not breastfeeding but didn't want to read and run as I'm in the same boat. Sleep depreviation is awful. Fingers crossed this not sleeping is a phase and we get some much needed sleep soon!
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    apple-pie-73apple-pie-73
    I;m not breastfeeding but my lo had a cold very early on and was taking a little longer to feed due to her blocked nose and she was getting a bit nasaly and out of puff with the effort - have you tried saline drops before feeding to see if that helps? I guess it could be he's not taking quite as much during the day and needs the extra night feeds at the moment till he gets over his cold?

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    foxinsocksandbump2foxinsocksandbump2
    When Sam was sick a while ago he fed badly and as a result my milk started to dry up. He wouldn't wake formula so for three days I fed every two hours in the day and took supplements/rested/drank lots and my milk came back. Also have you considered solids? I introduced it at 18 weeks when Sam added another feed back in at night.

    Good luck.
    Bryony
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    EyperEyper
    There's a couple of things you could try:

    1. Do you think he could be ready for solids? Waking during the night after previously having slept thorough is often a sign. You could try a little bit of baby rice to see if he takes it.

    2. Is he warm enough? We have discovered that Sophie starts waking half hourly in the early hours of the morning if she's cold, and the nights have been getting pretty cold recently (we had frost this morning).

    3. Is he otherwise uncomfortable eg wet / dirty nappy, moved to a strange position etc

    4. Is he actually hungry, or would he fall asleep with a dummy / other sleep cue?

    You've probably tried all of them, but if not give it a go.

    The last thing it will be is that you've run out of milk. When your baby seems to want more it only takes a day or two for your supply to catch up so I wouldn't worry about that.
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    cazzakcazzak
    Thanks for all the advice and sympathy, especially Mrs Bear as we'd tried some of your ideas but not in combination.

    I think that there might be light at the end of the tunnel. Last night we added an extra feed of hungry baby formula before bed, added an extra blanket, and he went for 4 hours before waking! A quick feed and change of nappy and went for another 2 before my darling hubby convinced him he wasn't hungry and he went for a further 2 hours.

    This may not sound great if your LO sleeps through, but trust me - it's a vast improvement over the last couple of weeks!
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