help with sleep

[nylonmeals]

He's my second child so I know that everything's a phase and that it will get better but I could really do with a bit of help from other mums who might have been in the same position.

I have 3.5 month who at nights wakes every 2.5/3 hours for a feed. During the day we have a pretty good routine, he feeds well at roughly the same time every day and naps well. But at night it's 10, 1, 3.30 and 6.30. Basically exactly the same as he did weeks and weeks ago and he's getting on for 4 months now.

Last night I tried cooled boiled water and shhshhing etc but we just spent about an hour with him screaming.

He's a big baby and really doesn't need all those night feeds. I could really do with a bit more sleep.

Any thoughts?

[Ruth_Baldock]

I have a seven month old who feeds at the same times. I know how knackering it is, trust me, but the night feeds are just as needed/important as day feeds, if not more so, I believe nightfeeds have A higher fat contents than those during the day.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound patronising- I do know how you feel. My baby is huuuuge and nurses ever 2.5-3hrs in the day too, so she gets 8-12 bf / 24hrs. I'd like some sleep, really.

[sunbob]

I'm in the same position, second baby 3.5 months old. Sorry I have no helpful advice as taken easy way out and am co sleeping. I am less exhausted than 4 wks ago when we started, but I am a bit worried about how we get him out of the bed again.

[iaineasy]

Oh for %$^ sake! Why does my browser keep logging me into Husband's account?! I specifically logged into my account!! GRRRR.

[Saffron]

Here's what I was trying to post above. Sorry about that, Forum.

nylonmeals Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He's a big baby and really doesn't need all those

> night feeds. I could really do with a bit more

> sleep.

>

> Any thoughts?

Actually, big babies sometimes need more feeds b/c they are growing faster and/or have larger body to fuel compared to smaller babies. Are you b/fing? Can you feed in bed together to get more sleep?

It's hard to say without knowing more about your particular baby. Although, that sleep pattern sounds pretty normal for a 4 mo old, and I wouldn't personally go for water at night until Baby is around 6 mo.

Sorry no real advice, but loads and loads of sympathy, as Little Saff was the same (or worse!) at that age. Hope it gets better soon. xx

[Mathilda]

Hi, I agree sounds normal to me for a 4 mo old, I didn't drop the night feeds until my daughter was 6-7 mo and on solids.

When I did though, rather than giving water, I picked up and held her for an hour, and fed her then, ie an hour after she had woken up. After 2-3 days of this she would wake up at the "new" time and then I repeated the process until she was sleeping for a lot longer...hope that makes sense! Takes willpower though and you need to feel sure that the feeds are not needed.

[nylonmeals]

Thanks for advice. It's silly, I think that I ended up flicking through too many baby books this weekend where they all say that by 4months babies should be easily sleeping through and I know, know, know that all babies are different and all do it in their own good time. Maybe I should just be a little more chilled about the nights and nap in the day.

[crystal7]

No helpful advice but my baby is 4months today, huge and waking at around those times. We had a few blissful weeks of him going 7.30 until 4or 5 but it didn't last. Was googling during a night feed last week and apparently the 4 month growth spurt can last up to 6 weeks! I'm hoping that's what this is but who knows?? My 3 year old is a rubbish sleeper too..maybe in the genes? I co sleep though can't feed lying down as baby always needs to be winded after every feed.

No advice from me! Sorry! But Saffron thank you for pointing out that big babies need to eat lots, I'm fed up of people telling me he should be sleeping through and telling me he needs weaning...!

[VictoriaL]

My baby is 3.5 months old and around 17lbs. He wakes the same sort of times. He is a big boy and I am just going with it. My other 3 children didn't sleep through the night properly until they were 2. Easy to say, but the books are generalising. All babies are different as are adults. I think sometimes we stress ourselves out more by worrying our baby isn't fitting into the pattern rather than trying to go with the flow.

I keep remembering what my sister said that a baby's tummy is the size of their clenched fist. Try to get to bed as soon as the baby goes down or at least rest.

[missmack1981]

A group of us organised Nicola - childsleepsolutions to run a sleep seminar at one of our houses.

The advice, information and 'solutions' were invaluable. I think (what I can remember) it only cost ?20 each for seminar, providing there's a few of you. It wasn't a seminar pushing routines down your throat, but practical solutions and the 'science' around sleep. (ie when night waking occurs, the stages of sleep, how much we need etc) all made sense and V interesting!

Contact her if you need advice/ are interested.

Hope you get some sleep soon!!

[cashewnut]

I haven't experienced this personally but I just stumbled on this. There's a list of strategies to help with nighttime fears at the bottom of the page.

http://www.parentingscience.com/nighttime-fears.html