Why won't she sleep properly?

[AppleBlossom]

Grace has never been a particulaly good sleeper (even in the womb!) but I'm worried she's going to really tire herself out. At night I usually give her a bottle around half 10 and she'll sleep till about 1 if I'm lucky. Then she'll usually wake again at 3, 5, 7 and 9. Each time she'll be awake for around half an hour. But the thing is as soon as she wakes she wants feeding. The first time she wakes she'll usually have almost the whole bottle. The second time she'll have maybe 2 ounces, then next time she'll have one, then the next time almost a whole one again. I don't know whether the milk she's on just isn't filling her up properly which is why she wakes up so frequently to top herself up or whether she thinks she's awake therefore she must eat. Also I was thinking it might be a comforter to her when she wakes up to get herself back to sleep but then she has a dummy for that and most of the time it'll send her off, other times she'll refuse it and keep spitting it out. She has naps in the day, usually around 4 that last about half an hour to an hour. Whoever said babies sleep around 21 out of 24 hours a day was seriously mistaken!

Anyone got any ideas? Or any advice that might help me ensure she sleeps a bit longer? I'm just so tired!!

 

[Vickie]

Sorry no ideas here, Hannah's actually a fairly good sleeper. You must be exhausted

 

[ColtonsMom]

Coltons always been quite a sleeper.. however, have you tried comforting/shhing her back to sleep when she wakes for the 1-2oz? giving her more when she wakes around 1? or giving her water instead of formula when she wakes for the 1-2oz?
Just a few ideas. She probably wont sleep through. Colton still woke every 3-4 hours at that age. He started sleeping for 5 hours in a row at night when he was about 2-2.5 months, and then started sleeping 8-9 hours at about 3-3.5 months.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I do cuddle her and shush her quietly but she opens her mouth and starts shaking her head as if looking for the teat of a bottle. I know she won't sleep through (unfortunately!) but it would be nice if she slept for more than 2-3 hours at a time.

Would putting her on the hungrier babies milk make any difference. I didn't want to although all she ever does is eat because it's thicker and didn't want to upset her stomach by giving her something to heavy but I'm thinking it might fill her up more and for longer

 

[Holldoll]

At one month most babies tummies aren't capable of holding enough milk to sleep longer than 2-3 hours. At 10 weeks Bella is just getting to the point that she sleeps for 4 hours. Hang in there, everyone said it to me, but I didn't believe it, but at 2 months something clicks and everything becomes SO much easier!

 

[AppleBlossom]

I hope so!

 

[coz]

mine was the same too i keep saying hes a baby who never sleeps but he is getting a bit better and only gets up twice now from abou 11pm - 8 am which i feel i stil dont get as much sleep as i like but hopefully your baby will get better as she gets older im nto sure about the milk though maybe its not filling her up but i dont understand bottle milk as im breastfeeding xxx

 

[KarenLV]

Dont worry...all babies are different.My boy has exactly the same sleeping pattern as your little girl.I have just learned to accept it.If you keep questioning it like I did you will just go crazy.You are not alone.I know how you feel....

 

[Munchkin]

I do cuddle her and shush her quietly but she opens her mouth and starts shaking her head as if looking for the teat of a bottle. I know she won't sleep through (unfortunately!) but it would be nice if she slept for more than 2-3 hours at a time.

Would putting her on the hungrier babies milk make any difference. I didn't want to although all she ever does is eat because it's thicker and didn't want to upset her stomach by giving her something to heavy but I'm thinking it might fill her up more and for longer

You seem to be doing the right thing by cuddling and shushing her.

It is true that babies do need to feed every couple of hours when they are little. I really would not give her something heavier. Try increasing her intake during the day, but to be honest, a lot of babies do feed every couple of hours through the night and grow out of it in a few weeks.

 

[embo216]

Hi Bex

Lily has been like this since she was born, nothing has ever worked for her, shes on hungrier baby milk now and its made no difference, a lot of people tell me 'she must be on solids now' because shes 17lb 5 but Im her mum and im too worried to start weaning her yet because of all the research into how it harms them I totally know how u feel, i might not be helping here, just want you to know your not alone hun, and u do kinda get a bit more adjusted to the lack of sleep. Saying this grace will probably get better really soon, i hope so hun. worst thing is when u tell ppl how tired u are all they seem to say is 'oh try and get a good nights sleep' argggggghhhhhh feel like screaming at them!

 

[Baby-Love]

Don't worry, sweetie.. Kaida is the same way.
Constantly willing her back to sleep and she's constantly attached to my breast..just like she is now.
I say hang in there...it'll get better..Or so I am told.

 

[cupcake]

i have the same problem as you, my son feeds every 2 to 3 hours. on the odd occaison hell go for 4 hours. at night he wakes at 1, 3, 5, 7,9. a good night is when he wakes only 3 times but its usually 4. i nurse so i dont know about bottle feeding.
i cant wait till the gaps are a little longer, its so tiring!

 

[lorrilou]

nicole was like this when she was a baby, up and down all night.

im sure she'll grow out of it soon enough, although nicole only did a year ago!!!

 

[AppleBlossom]

nicole was like this when she was a baby, up and down all night.

im sure she'll grow out of it soon enough, although nicole only did a year ago!!!

argh, don't say that!!

 

[lorrilou]

she's still just little, im sure she'll sort herself out soon enough.

 

[bigbelly2]

tommy was really settled when i got hom from hospital and i woke him every 4 hours for food day and night, hes now decided hes not happy and wants to eat constantly...he ate at 730pm last night, 10pm 1230, 330, 630 and then 930...no matter what time he has eaten through out the day he has to eat at 330pm aswell...he sleeps well after his 630 feed not bein unsettled just like the early evening feed (hes asleep now) but the rest hes constantly niggly and moaney, waking himself up and bringing bits of milk back up, i sure he will settle himself into a routine soon enough but i wont introduce hungry baby food to him as i did this with maddy and i suffered for it she ended up with a milk intolerance and i totally bame the blue cap sma for it!!

hang in there, i know a couple of times in the mornin i have bought him into my bed and hes slept so peacefully for 4 hours!! That was heaven does anything like that help for you?

h x