Quickly becoming a BFing zombie....

srbmvp · August 2012

I need sleep! I've been trying so hard to not complain and just push forward, but we're coming up on 4 months of interrupted sleep and it's really starting to take its toll. My boys are exclusively on the boob (my choice cuz I hate pumping), so it's on me to get up and feed....

If it was just one nighttime feeding, no big deal. But they both typically eat twice a night, and not at the same time, so I'm up four times a night! I stopped doing one up both up b/c I feel like if I want to encourage them to STTN I shouldn't be waking them....

I also don't know if they really need to eat or if I am just jumping the gun when I hear them fuss. They both sleep in bassinets right next to my side of the bed, so I can reach them without getting up. But I have to wonder if I hear them and am rushing to feed them so I can get back to sleep, versus letting them decide if they are really gonna wake up or not, if that makes sense.

I think the solution is to move them to their room and put a little distance between them and their food source. But then I could potentially be getting up and going down the hall four times a night and getting even less sleep.

Any suggestions? I'm too sleep deprived to come up with a plan on my own Stick out tongue

ETA: I'm super paranoid about my supply taking a hit if and when we do drop the night feedings.... I just don't know what to do.

ColleenS629 · August 2012

My plan was to do one up, both up until I was constantly having to wake the same baby. I think it was around 3.5 months, though, that our doctor said they didn't need to eat at night anymore... I didn't feel that they were ready for that, but I did think they were ready to go to once a night feedings. I set a time that I would feed them after. If they woke up before 2ish, we'd rock them back to sleep. After 2, we'd feed (still one up, both up). They both still were gaining weight like crazy with that so I felt like we had made the right decision for us. They were awful sleepers until we ST (addicted to falling asleep being rocked with paci or eating) so if I had fed them every time they woke up, they would have been eating 10-15 times a night.

srbmvp · August 2012

thank you for your response! i know the books all say they should be STTN by now, but they are growing like crazy so i figured, maybe they still need the food.

i like the idea of the one feeding a night and doing both up at that point. they go to bed at 7, so maybe i'll make the cut off 1am. definitely worth a try and it will help me to be more regimented in my half asleep responses.

thanks again!!!

mysteriousmommy · August 2012

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't know why moving them down the hallway would help. They're waking up because they are hungry not because you are close by. You'll just end up trekking down the hall. That's just my thoughts.

Kudos to you for keeping up with the EBFing. It is SO hard and I admire you!

ETA: I'd still be doing one up, both up if I were you since they are both still eating 2x a night. To me it would just make more sense and get you more sleep.

snoangel79 · August 2012

Awesome that you are doing that but it definitely is taking a toll on you as a whole. I know you hate pumping but maybe you could do that and your husband could take one night feeding?? I only pumped for 7 weeks. My kids are ff and my daughter sttn most of the time, my son likes to get up at 3 am for a feed (it takes me 20 min total to feed both if needed with boppies). I definitely give you credit for keeping it going but it seems the only way to get "more rest" before you burn out is to pump enough for at least 1 night feeding and let your husband do that one!

MuseumMaven · August 2012

I completely understand... I could have written this post a year ago, but I think I was too tired.

My boys were EBF, too. I hope this doesn't discourage you, but mine didn't STTN until they were 12 months. But that is mostly our fault - we rocked them to sleep and they couldn't put themselves back to sleep.

It might help to determine if they are really hungry or if they just are waking and need help getting back to sleep. Since you smell like a milk truck, it might be a good idea to let DH handle the night wakings for a couple of days. If he can settle them, they aren't hungry. You could then start doing one feeding and see how they do. You could also try a dream feed - feed them before you go to bed, waking them up just enough to eat. We did this for a while and it seemed to help. If they are still hungry, you might try adding a feeding during the day. Sometimes babies get interested/engaged in other things during the day and forget to eat, then they make up for it by nursing all night!

Don't worry about your supply - the babies will want to nurse more during the day when they drop a night feeding, and it will keep your supply up. But don't be surprised if you get engorged when you drop a night feeding. The first time I didn't nurse overnight, I woke up with rock-hard boobs and wet sheets!

I hear you about the pump. I hated that thing with a passion and can count on one hand the number of times I used it.

Hang in there. You are doing an awesome job!

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