Bedtime struggles

[Katteh]

My LO is almost 4 months and bedtime is really wearing me down at the moment.

We start bathtime at 6, then he is feeding by about 6:20 and he will feed until he falls asleep then I put him down. This is usually by 7-7:30. However, he then wakes up half an hour later for more and then another 20 mins or so later.

The problem is that he just can't stay awake on the boob, he doesn't empty them but he just falls asleep as soon as the milk slows down. I have a bit of a slow letdown so this isn't helped by that. I can keep waking him but it doesn't make much difference.

I tried expressing before bedtime and giving it to him in a bottle which helped but it just isn't sustainable as I usually have to put both him and my 3 year old to bed and trying to add expressing into the bedtime routine is tiresome. It makes my LO even more impatient when he feeds from me too so I'm not overly keen to keep up the bottles. He already has one for his dream feed and I feel that's enough.

I've been tempted to do the bedtime feed as formula but we have got this far without him having any so I am reluctant to introduce it now.

Any tips? has anyone else had the same? If so, does it get better?

 

[CupcakeBaby]

He's still so young, Hun. Evening cluster feeding is very, very common.

It could just be that 7pm isn't his bedtime. X

 

[Kristina6292]

Just keep trying, he might be having a growth spurt ATM and that's why he's waking loads, or teething. When he falls asleep tickle his toes or blow on his face to wake him slightly before putting him into bed.

 

[noon_child]

Have you tried breast compressions when his suck starts to slow, this might encourage a fuller feed. Honestly though at that age my LO sometimes had to be held for a couple of hours before she'd fall deeply asleep. He may not need the "food" just want to suck to get back to sleep. Have you got a sling you could keep him in till the 3r old is in bed?

 

[Noo]

I'd guess that he wants to cluster feed in the evenings and that 7pm is just too early for him to be going to bed right now. I'd concentrate on getting the 3 year old to bed and allow your 4 month old to cluster feed before putting him down to bed.

 

[Katteh]

If he is up and awake he isn't interested in feeding, it's only because he is too tired to stay awake to feed properly.

I'm not keen on the idea of keeping him awake, he would get too tired as he needs his sleep. I think if anything he needs an earlier bedtime as he isn't the worlds greatest napper and is so tired by bedtime.

If I express and give him a bottle he goes straight to sleep as it is quicker for him to drink it all and stay awake.

I think it is probably more that I need to sort his naps so he isn't so tired at bedtime.

 

[Noo]

Can you not express for your nighttime feed earlier in the day? I tend to express during my morning feed as my breasts are much fuller then and then I can either store it or use it that day. All you'd need is 1 express in advance then you could switch to expressing once he's gone to bed and is settled to catch up with yourself.