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LizM61409 · June 2016

Baby is almost 5 weeks old. Still waking up at least every 2-2.5 hours to nurse. I had a meltdown last night when he woke up starving only 45 minutes after he went down from the previous session. When do they start going longer between night feedings? Is there anything I can do to speed it up? I mean, I knew I would be getting up a lot at night but I have yet to sleep more than 2 consecutive hours since he was born, and there's NO end in sight! I'm going back to work in about a month and I'm really nervous about it, seeing as I need to use my brain to do my job. Any advice?

ayeshaohara · June 2016

LizM61409 said:

Baby is almost 5 weeks old. Still waking up at least every 2-2.5 hours to nurse. I had a meltdown last night when he woke up starving only 45 minutes after he went down from the previous session. When do they start going longer between night feedings? Is there anything I can do to speed it up? I mean, I knew I would be getting up a lot at night but I have yet to sleep more than 2 consecutive hours since he was born, and there's NO end in sight! I'm going back to work in about a month and I'm really nervous about it, seeing as I need to use my brain to do my job. Any advice?

my LO is 9 weeks old and we're still feeding every 2 hours round the clock. We have only just started to get 1-2 3hour stretches at night in the last week. Some babies like to eat more frequently than others.

Ive found the most helpful thing for my sanity, because I was just like you at 5 weeks, has been to have my husband do feedings from 8-midnight, then I get the night shift, then he takes her again around 6-7am until he leaves for work at 8am. Those few extra hours make a world of difference especially before midnight. Knowing I can sleep and not have to listen out for her gives me restful sleep. Is that an option for you?

eaorear · June 2016

Let's here more details about your nighttime routine. Where does he sleep? Breastfeeding or formula? Is he swaddled at night?

LizM61409 · June 2016

He sleeps in the pack-n-play next to our bed (though naps are usually in his crib bc that's where the monitor is set up). Breastfeeding, swaddled at night. I do typically go to his room to nurse at night bc that's where the super comfy glider is and I'm nervous I'll fall asleep with him in the bed if I nurse there

eaorear · June 2016

One thing that has really helped us is to use pumped milk for overnight feedings. It's nice and easy for LO and it's faster for me so I don't have to worry about accidentally falling asleep.

lizChesnut · June 2016

Is cosleeping an option you're willing to consider? I breastfeed too and have Lo beside me. When he wakes up hungry boob comes out and he eats. I usually fall asleep and he's pretty happy about it. Plus idk how your little one is about falling back asleep, my little guy would take forever to get put back to bed if he wasn't beside me. Somehow being close he stays calm and we both sleep better. I know for many it's not an option tho. Just what works for us.

kp90 · June 2016

Some may disagree with me but what has worked for us is my LO sleeping with us. She has since day 1. It made it easier to just roll over and feed her while still being able to lay in bed and I would also change her in bed. It wasn't as smooth at first but she is almost 10 weeks now and only wakes up 2-3 times per night and goes right back to sleep. I learned you have to do what works for you in order for everyone to get their rest.

kbrands7 · June 2016

@lizm61409 Some babies just like to eat more often. My first son was like that. Some other things that you can try though
1. Encourage a tank-up before the first stretch of sleep. By offering the breast often in the evening, my boys gave/give me at least a longer first stretch. DS2 definitely sleeps longer than DS1 did.
2. Don't engage him right away if he cries out or fusses if it's not clearly a hungry cry or danger cry. Many babies vocalize when they're shifting into a different sleep cycle or making a bowel movement in their sleep, but they're not actually hungry yet-- but will accept food if it's offered. When DS2 starts to lightly fuss or rustle around, I'll look for hunger cues (nah sound, chewing fist, etc) or give it about 30 seconds to see if he settles back in. Often, he does. Then, when he truly is hungry, he eats very well.
Edited what the bump ate in my post.

kami09 · June 2016

I agree with the pumping/shifts comment. Pump a bottle, go to bed, DH can feed once and you'll get a nice chunk of sleep. I fed DS every two hours for months and months...this was the only thing that got me through.

lalala2004 · June 2016

2 months here and every two hours in the normal, although we've had a few nights where he slept for 3 hour stretches (and even a few rare 4 hour stretches). Cosleeping has saved my sanity and we are all sleeping better. If you look up how to do it safely, it's not as daunting as it seems. We've been scared against it, but when you're BF, it's really quite safe. It's just a matter of following safe cosleep practices. The way I see it, is its way more dangerous to be chronically sleep deprived. I was afraid to drive and barely functioning. Then I got mastitis and I was just in survival mode. Things are soooo much better now.

Victoria52516 · June 2016

My munchkin is 7 weeks tomorrow 5 if you go by adjusted due date like wonder weeks. I ebf and let her eat for about 2 hrs straight (while I eat and watch tv for a bit or hang and talk with my SO) then change diaper, jammies, and a swaddle. I feed her for another 10-20 till she falls asleep or atleast sleppy and rock her then put her in her bed. She sleeps 5-6 hrs before she wakes up again. Then just regular feeds 20-45min during the day with 2-3 hr naps. Its tough sometimes to just sit there and be fed on for upto two hours but its totally worth the solid sleep. Good luck! Hope you guys get your routine soon it sucked doing every 2hrs 24-7 very frustrating. Nice hot long showers while daddy kept her entertainment were a recharging sanity saver for me.

kitandcat · July 2016

I am basically feeding LO (6 weeks) as much as possible during the day and I'm lucky and it's working so he sleeps more at night. He eats every 1.5-2 hours (from the start time of last feeding) during "daytime hours" which is like 9am-10pm for us, and he sleeps longer stretches at night. My pediatrician recommended this - he said to wake him up and not let him go more than 2-3 hours since the start time of last feeding. Initially I was waking him up but now he wakes up on his own during the day and sleeps a lot more at night. I get a lot of 3-4 hour stretches at night, and I mean actually 3-4 hours of sleep, not 3-4 hours from last start time :-) I've gotten a couple 5-6 hour stretches of sleep. Rough on the boobs but amazing on the sleep ;-)

I haven't reintroduced the bottle so haven't done this in awhile... but we were bottle feeding the first two weeks due to latch issues and I would get in an extra pumping session and have DH/my mom take an overnight feeding and I would sleep through it - this was back when he ate every 2-3 hours round the clock and I
desperately needed a longer stretch and it made a big difference !!

LizM61409 · July 2016

Thanks for the input. I know there's no perfect solution, but I will definitely be trying these ideas. Unfortunately night #1 of tank-up-before-bed failed miserably, he woke up 2 hours later just like usual. I'm only pumping once a day (really tough by myself with DH at work) and trying to stash most of it for when I go back to work, but I will also try pumping more so DH can maybe do one of the night sessions.

doozer1345 · July 2016

I agree with all of the above. I just wanted to add my experience with both my girls. We co-sleep more often than not (either way they were/are both in our bedroom) and I got a ton more hours out of them doing that than not. DD2 will give me 8-9 hours now if she sleeps in the bed with us. DD1 would at least give us 7 (I BF DD1). GL

seasalt123 · July 2016

The tank up method, along with DH giving a bottle after I'd gone to bed is what eventually worked for us. At first LO also didn't sleep much longer after being fed more. However, this started to improve quite quickly thereafter. Also, keep things very dark and boring when you want LO to start getting sleepy and for all the night time feeds.

Here is how our current schedule goes:

I keep breastfeeding up until about 8:30pm. I offer the boob often from about 5pm onwards and pretty much resign myself to spending those hours tethered to LO on the sofa. From 8:30pm onward, DH will keep a bottle handy and offer it to him whenever he is awake. He then feeds him a full bottle after I go to bed at around 10pm. LO then sleeps until 2am and around that time I wake up and feed him. I then wake up for his next feeding at around 5am. If I'm lucky, I am able to fall asleep again after and sleep until 7 or 8.

Ocasionally, he will not wake up until 4am for the first feeding and those nights are awesome.

Charla1224 · July 2016

Yes to everything above.
What I think has helped us also is having a bedtime routine. Every night DH gives her a wipe down bath. We only bathe her with soap once a week but DH at least wipes her down with water every night. Afterwards I put lotion on her in a dark room using only a night light with white noise playing . Then I feed her, lay her down, and turn off the lights. She's not even always sleep when I leave the room. But she's quiet and she's learned that this is the bedtime, long sleep routine. When she wakes at night we limit any talking to her or between us. DH changes her and hands her back to me for feeding. And once she's done eating I lay her down again. Even if she's not sleep.
LO does best when wrapped in a SwaddleMe. We only use these at night. They've become her pajamas.
Also if she becomes fussy after I've laid her down, I know she's clean, I know she's not hungry, she just wants to be held to sleep, I rock her RNP, calmly talk to her, make the shhhh sound, rub her and try to soothe her in every way except picking her up.

NB817 · July 2016

@LizM61409 when you BF do you do one side at a time? Or do you give him some from both breasts each time you feed?
I've noticed that by feeding on only one side at each feeding keeps DS fuller longer because he's getting the hind milk and emptying that breast. He's a week older than yours and in the past few days just started stretching his feedings and going 3.5-4 hours a few times a day...so there's hope!!!

LizM61409 · July 2016

@NB817 I generally do one side at a time.
He slept over 3 hours yesterday while I was wearing him (he likes being vertical!) Too bad I can't do that at night. Hopefully he'll stretch out soon

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