disastrous sleep and bf cycle at 8 months

[Marythefairy]

Ladies I'm at my wits end and I don't know what to do so I'm hoping you can help.

Dd2 is nearly 8 months. She was born a month early and had jaundice and lost quite a lot of weight but with some expressing we managed ebf. She had reflux up until about 5 months old but has always been a short feeder a few sips at a time.

Lately thus has got ridiculous especially at night. For the last 3 weeks she hasn't slept for longer than an hour day or night and at night often only sleeps for 20 mins before wanting boob/comfort.

She doesn't even really like bf she protests when I offer her a boob and will often get my milk started then refuse to carry on.

I feel like she doesn't like bf and I don't like bf her because it's so traumatic. With dd1 our bf relationship was beautiful and she always loved it. Whenever she was sad tired upset bf always made everything better. With dd2 it makes things worse.

Apologies for the long post, any ideas would be appreciated I am too tired to carry on like this anymore.

Thanks

 

[luna_19]

There is a 9 month sleep regression, for.us it started just after 8 months. There is just so much going on at this age, learning to crawl, stand, walk, babble, eat plus teething and growth spurts. Is co sleeping an option for you? I have a pretty crappy sleeper and would never get enough rest if hewwasn't in bed with me

 

[Marythefairy]

Thanks luna. Yes she's in bed with me most of the time and in a cot next to the bed otherwise. I'm really hoping it might be a growth spurt too. Thanks for your reply.

 

[noon_child]

Sounds like whatever is wrong she wants her 'Mummy cuddle' but then gets annoyed that milk isn't what she wanted after all! She knows bf is comforting its just not working for her at that moment. I had a LO who would on occasion (for a couple of weeks at a time) scream for me at night but then refuse to bf. She'd just scream in my arms for a few hours till she did get hungry enough to bf and then finally conk out. I never got to the bottom of whether it was regression, wind pain, teething etc. Sometimes calpol worked and I though "Oh she's in pain" other times it did nothing .

I think if it is a 'new' thing then it is worth taking her to the doctor to rule out urine/ear/throat infections. Only 20mins of sleep on and off through the night means no deep sleep for either of you so I think a doctor should take you seriously.

No quick fixes here but my LO was an awful daytime sleeper and I ended up putting her in a sling for her morning nap every day till she was 11months old. She only ever got max just over an hour of sleep but it was better than nothing. Sometimes I'd get a second nap out of her if we started driving at just the right time but often just screaming. With my LO her eczema kept her awake a lot. She was constantly overtired but just couldn't put herself to sleep.

IT DID GET BETTER!

 

[Marythefairy]

Thank you for your reply. Sometimes you feel like it is only you going through these things and it's lovely to hear they get better at some point. I have seen health visitor and am waiting to see gp as I think she has a mild tongue tie and major upper lip tie. I wonder if this is what makes her feeds so short as her latch is a bit rubbish but then she wants to feed again so soon. Last night was a bit better she did just over an hour twice and 45 mins once too.

Clinging on to the hope that it will just resolve itself somehow