What am I getting wrong !

[Deee]

I am starting to get really worried that I have got something terribly wrong with my darling Z monster. He simply absolutely positively will not sleep more than 5 hours at night. In fact getting 5 hours out of him is pretty rare.

I see and hear about all these other wonderful bubbas sleeping 8 or 9 hours and need someone to tell me the trick !!!

He'll sleep maybe 4 hours from 7pm till 11 then have a sleepy feed which he only takes about 3 or 4 oz of, then is awake again by 2.30 to 3am. I've tried water at that feed but he is having none of it. Then again by 5.to 5.30 he is awake again needing a top up. If I do the top up he sleeps till about 7am then is awake and wanting to play. Not awake and crying, just coo-ing and gurgling and chatting away I guess cos he's had enough sleep.

He is a slow feeder and rarely finishes a bottle in the day, maybe takes 5 or 6 oz but it takes an hour to get that down him with the rests he seems to need.

I've even started giving him baby rice about 5.30 pm but that doesn't even help

I go back to work in a few weeks and starting to panic a bit !

Love
D
X

[Clareok]

Hi Dee

If you find an answer that works, give me a shout Don't suppose it's any consolation but Arlo is an even worse sleeper than that! Ho hum.

[loubylou]

Both my boys never slept through for a very long time. In fact I got so used to it Ive never slept all night with out waking several time myself since.

My 2 snacked all night or just wanted to play, I never found the answer I'm affraid so expecting the same this time too.

Hope someone else may come up with a plan for you.

[Mrs Bear]

(((Dee)))

I have an idea that with prem babies you should work on their adjusted age rather than their actual one. My cousin had her little one at 28 weeks and constantly had to remind herself that he was actually 3 months younger than it said on his birth certificate.

If that is right, then Zach's adjusted age is only 3 and a half months and I am pretty sure that Sam was not sleeping much more than about 4 hours when he was that age before he wanted a snack. Also, all babies have a growth spurt at around the 12 week mark (+/- Z's adjusted age) and eat like crazy. Perhaps that is why he is snacking so much. I am sure as he matures and grows he will start to sleep a little better.

Another thing that occurred to me is maybe to check what size teat you are using on his bottles? If you are still using newborn ones you may want to consider getting the next size up so he can get a bit more food a bit quicker. Newborn teats have very small holes and give a slow flow. As the baby gets stronger and wants more, they have to work really hard to get the milk out of the tiny hole. They then end up totally knackered or lose interest in the feed. This may explain why Z is feeding so slowly and needing to rest. It may be that if the teat size is increased (to a medium flow) he will get a bit more milk into him before before falling asleep and hopefully may then sleep a bit longer.

If he is already on the medium flow teats then just tell me to shut up!

Hope this helps and good luck!

[JennyBean]

Aha!! you are being brainwashed by the idea that babies should sleep 8/10/12 hours and not wake up!!!!

No, no, no, no, no!!

Babies are meant to wake up and feed in the night, what he's doing is totally normal, but the Gina Fords of the world have hoodwinked us into thinking that they should be sleeping all night.

And as Mrs B says, he's really only 3 months old, so it's even more "normal" for him to be waking like this.

I have no magic solutions, I was up every three hours with Milly until she was nearly two, and Phoebe, at nearly 14 months, is still having a 4am feed, after a quick slurp when I go to bed at 11pm-ish. (She's in a bedside cot next to me)

So in answer to your original question, nothing. You are not doing anything wrong, at all, and neither is he, he's just being a baby!

It will get better in time, honestly.

Jenny

[Deee]

Thanks for the replies ladies, I've just been in to give the late eve feed, as he went off to sleep early this eve at 6.30 he was awake and complaining about 9.45 !!!

Because he is so big now (17lb 8oz yesterday !!) I forget about the corrected age thing and I have a feeling you are right on that score Mrs B.

I guess some people get lucky with the babies that sleep long periods at nite from an early age.

I switched to level 2 teats about 2 weeks ago and now he has got used to them (we had the choking and spluttering !) I can get a bit more down his neck a bit quicker - i also thought that might be the magic answer but as I am learning there is no such thing.

Thanks for the reassurance Jenny, I actually read a bit of the Gina Ford book a few months ago and then put it back down - as it scared the life out of me - quite sure it works wonders for some people but I just couldnt deal with that strict regime and wouldn't want my little baby to either. Babies are meant to be babies.

By the 5am top up Z is in the bed with me as its just easier to keep him comforted that way. Plus (and this is probably where I am making a rod for my own back) I like waking up and looking over and seeing him, especially when he wakes up all happy and gurgling, grabbing his feet and smiling. Nothing beats that first smile of the day from your baby - knowing its just for you and that he is happy cos he has noticed his Mummy is awake. Fortunately we have a super kingsize bed which is 6 feet across - poor DH is relegated to the spare room at the moment but at least that gives me a break from his snoring - so its win win !!

Think I better go and get my head down now.....while I can

Love

D
X

[mum.of.4]

Sorry JB, all my babies slept all night.

Dee, I think it must be very hard when they don't sleep. Mine only became wakeful when teething and that was hard enough.

The big change happened for me when they went into their own rooms at about 3-4 months. I honestly think we were waking them up by moving or snoring etc.!! Once they were in their own rooms they all slept right through from 7 till 7. I missed not having them beside me but I loved the rest!!

Good luck with whatever solution you find.