Sleepless Nights Support Thread

[lauren26]

fides I just can't get over the adorable pics of your LO!! I am in CO, too--near Denver. Pretty smoky lately

We have had better nights but since it's been soooo hot here my LO can't be swaddled, which is normally what it takes for her to fall asleep. She'll be OUT but as soon as I lay her flat on her back her startle reflex kicks in and wakes her up and she cries. Even if she's totally exhausted trying to go to sleep on her own or falls asleep every few moments the reflex will kick in and wake her up. DH slept on the couch the past two nights with LO in the bouncer next to him until the house had cooled off enough for me to swaddle her and put her in the bassinet. I'm not sure what to do aside from installing central AC!! I feel so bad for her when she wakes herself up and I can tell she's SO overtired. Not to mention this makes our nights really rough.

 

[Kelly M]

Lauren, you could try a thin muslin blanket to swaddle her in. They are super light weight and great for the summer. Also try a fan, the white noise might help her sleep too.

Sleep training has not worked here. Night weaning didn't work either. He now wakes up screaming in the night. Thinking of taking him to the dr. to make sure there isn't some medical reason for his awful night wakings. I'm desperate for an explanation. He's now teething but I don't think that's what wakes him as I've tried teething tablets, tylenol, and his teething necklace and none seem to work. This has been going on for way too long. He wakes up crying and is inconsolable. When will this pass?

 

[TwoRdue]

Hi ladies

Im new here and have a three week old that just wont sleep.. I dont know what he wants when he crys and I am so frustrated and starting to cry some nights myself.
I feel like a terrible mother as I get so annoyed and upset at him even though its not his fault. I just want sleep

 

[1stxmom]

I have a 4 month old that still wakes every 2-3 hours at night. I am now starting him on rice cereal one bottle at midnight and he still wakes by 4am. I am feeding him about 4.5oz of formula each feeding. If I exceed that amount he starts spitting up. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

 

[Shadowy Lady]

^ he wakes up coz of sleep regression common at four months not because it's time to give him rice cereal. You just have to wait it out it will pass. Rice cereal more likely just upset his stomach

 

[girl friday]

Hi ladies

Im new here and have a three week old that just wont sleep.. I dont know what he wants when he crys and I am so frustrated and starting to cry some nights myself.
I feel like a terrible mother as I get so annoyed and upset at him even though its not his fault. I just want sleep

Have you tried swaddling? How about an extra blanket/sheet?
3 weeks is still very new and LO is used to being somewhere much more snug and warmer than a Moses basket.

 

[TwoRdue]

Hi ladies

Im new here and have a three week old that just wont sleep.. I dont know what he wants when he crys and I am so frustrated and starting to cry some nights myself.
I feel like a terrible mother as I get so annoyed and upset at him even though its not his fault. I just want sleep

Have you tried swaddling? How about an extra blanket/sheet?
3 weeks is still very new and LO is used to being somewhere much more snug and warmer than a Moses basket.

He does love to be swaddled he just seems to pee or throw up over them and run out so we are going to get more.

He had been up for two day and always demanding to feed so I gave him formula and another hour of crying and he slept for 5.5hours, I had to wake him to feed as my boobs were so full.. he had another great feed and slept for 3.5hours. My boobs just got another good full and the samething happened.

Could he have fed so much that he was not getting enough from me? And needed more?

 

[Kelly M]

1stxmom, every 2-3 hours can be quite common at this age unfortunately. Try to get a good bedtime routine going and keep the sleep crutches to a minimum if you can. Try putting him down drowsy but awake and help him learn to settle himself if possible. When he wakes, keep the lights dim, don't talk, be boring and if he needs to eat just feed and put right back to sleep. If he's waking for comfort offer minimal touching and shushing and try giving him something he can use to soothe himself like a blankie or lovey. It will pass!

TwoRdue, A 5.5 hour stretch is amazing for a 3 week old. And it sounds like you have plenty of milk. Be careful with supplementing with formula. Just nurse your lo more and it will increase your supply. if you supplement when he's hungrier instead of nursing, your body won't get the message to make more milk as it's a supply and demand thing. Swaddling, white noise (loud like a vacuum), rocking and nursing are what helped calm my son to sleep. He slept in his swing for the first 2.5 months of his life.

We are currently trying cc and so far it's looking good. He cried for an hour the first night, 30 minutes for his morning nap the next day, zero crying for his afternoon nap, and only 20 minutes of fussing tonight. He woke only a couple times last night and went right back to sleep after I handed him his lovey. Here's to hoping sttn is on its way. I have a good feeling about this. We've tried everything and this is a last resort!

 

[girl friday]

Hi ladies

Im new here and have a three week old that just wont sleep.. I dont know what he wants when he crys and I am so frustrated and starting to cry some nights myself.
I feel like a terrible mother as I get so annoyed and upset at him even though its not his fault. I just want sleep

Have you tried swaddling? How about an extra blanket/sheet?
3 weeks is still very new and LO is used to being somewhere much more snug and warmer than a Moses basket.

He does love to be swaddled he just seems to pee or throw up over them and run out so we are going to get more.

He had been up for two day and always demanding to feed so I gave him formula and another hour of crying and he slept for 5.5hours, I had to wake him to feed as my boobs were so full.. he had another great feed and slept for 3.5hours. My boobs just got another good full and the samething happened.

Could he have fed so much that he was not getting enough from me? And needed more?

Breastfeeding is all about supply and demand, by sucking he encourages your boobs to make more. There is a big growth spurt around week 3 so that could have been part of the issue. There's also ones around weeks 6 & 12 (and several others and "wonder weeks in the first 6 months), they can contribute to increased night waking.

 

[BettyBoop152]

I have a 4 month old that still wakes every 2-3 hours at night. I am now starting him on rice cereal one bottle at midnight and he still wakes by 4am. I am feeding him about 4.5oz of formula each feeding. If I exceed that amount he starts spitting up. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

Wow this sounds familiar! My 3mths old won't take more than 4 ounces and wakes every 3 hours.. sometimes he can do 7-2am but won't take a dummy so if he wakes earlier I can't settle him without a bottle.. Soooo different to my first!

 

[SHAMto3]

I feel for all of you sleepless momma's!! My wee babe is 5 weeks old and 3 nights ago started waking every 2 hours at night....he was sleeping beautifully prior since birth - down at 10, up twice from 10-6am. Now he's down at 9 and up 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30.....I'm so tired.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Il swap 2-3 hours for 45 mins? ?? Any takers? Zz

 

[twobecome3]

Il swap 2-3 hours for 45 mins? ?? Any takers? Zz

im there with you, about every 30-40 mins up

 

[CoffeePuffin]

Amelia has been up since 3am and refuses to go back to sleep

 

[donna noble]

Ive had about four hours sleep in two days. OH refuses to stay up and help.me at night. Says i get enough sleep... not looking good tonight lo doesnt wanna stay asleep.so far.

 

[twobecome3]

every hour last nite. a bit rough as ive had a headache behind my left eye going on 3 days now....

 

[girl friday]

Ive had about four hours sleep in two days. OH refuses to stay up and help.me at night. Says i get enough sleep... not looking good tonight lo doesnt wanna stay asleep.so far.

Why does he think you get enough sleep? Are you FF it BF? Does he work and is he in leave?

 

[StellaBella24]

Hi ladies

Im not sure if i am glad i found this thread or not Glad i am not alone but disheartened at the stories of it not getting better or sometimes worse.

My lo wakes every 2-3hrs usually but sometimes more often. The feeding process takes about 45mins each time as she is a sicky baby and very nasally after eating.
Nearly 6wks of no more than 2hrs sleep at one time is taking its toll now especially as she was prem and so i worked in a busy job right up to the very end and so have never felt ready/caught up ever since.
OH is useless with helping out at night.

 

[BettyBoop152]

Hey Stella I fins this thread the same.. I am happy others are in my situation etc but I see things going from bad to worse for most mums..
All I can say is having a 2 year old that it does get easier maybe not today or tomorrow or next month but eventually
Also can you not get somebody to help during the day so you can take a nap? Xx

 

[StellaBella24]

Hi Betty...yes my mum came round today to help and i got some sleep. She doesnt drive so havent seen much of her but i can drive again as of this weekend (c-section!) so can go to hers for a break more often hopefully.

Thanks for reasuring me it will get better.x