2 month old waking every 2 hour during night ask for feed

[tracyxin]

Hi, this is a new mom (also, sleep deprived....) asking for help. We started EASY from one month old. At the beginning, he was doing great. Eat every 3 hours for 20-30 min, nap half an hour (because he always fell asleep after feeding), then wake up, change diapers, play for a while until he showed tired sign. Then we would put him sleep for 1.5 hours.

During the night, we put him sleep from 8, then he could sleep 4-5 hours, wake up and feed. then 3 hours, wake up and feed. then at 7, he wakes up and feed. Because I have not tried dream feeding yet, I was pretty satisfied about his night sleep.

BUT recently, his night sleep became terrible. Daytime routine stays the same. The only difference is: he showed hunger sign every 3 hour before, but now, he does not show the hunger sign every 3 hour. The nighttime changed a lot. I still cluster feed him at 6pm, 8pm, he went to sleep then and wake up at 11ish and cried for feeding (with his eye closed). He could eat for 15 min and fell asleep. Then, every 2 hours, he would wake up and cry for feeding, also with his eyes closed. he would eat for 10-20 min each time and fell asleep. from 5-7am, he would wake up every hour and ask for feeding.

I am breastfeeding. Does this mean he did not have enough milk? What could I do? Thank you!

Tracy

[Smurfette]

Hi there

How many weeks old is he and how long has this been going on?
There is a growth spurt that happens around 4-6 or 6-8 weeks (depending on which book or website you read) and then another at 3 months, so if you're in that range and it's only been going on for a few days, then I would try to get more calories in him, especially during the day and just feed him on demand at night.
You might want to also try a dreamfeed too. Some ppl like this and others don't like waking/disturbing their baby, so you need to see if it's right for you.
GS generally only last for about a week but what you're saying sounds like that. If you Google it, you will see articles that talk about exactly what you're experiencing. It's baby's way of increasing your milk supply as they grow.

However, if it's been going on for awhile then I have some more questions...
Are you sure he's hungry?
How long does he cry for before you feed him? Many babies cry out in their sleep when they transition from one cycle to another...I'm not sure if this is what's happening, but it's something to keep in mind.
Have you tried shhing him back to sleep instead of nursing if it's a ' I need you ' kind of cry?
Does he use a pacifier?
Is he swaddled?
How does he fall asleep? Is he nursed or rocked to sleep? Any sleep props?

Let me know what you think and we'll go from there.

[tracyxin]

Thank you so much for your reply.

He is two month old now. And this happened last week.

If this is a growth spurt, should he also ask for feeding frequently during the day? As he only asks for nursing more during the night, I do not know whether it is growth spurt.

This week he could sleep for 3-4 hours from 9pm. Then he wakes up every 2 hours.

About whether he is really hungry: I am 70% sure, but not 100%. Because his cry is the same as daytime when he is hungry and he won't settle down unless I feed him. I think he is hungry. BUT sometimes I doubt since he only sucks maybe 5 min (most of the time, he sucks more than 15 min.)

He does not like pacifier.... and he is swaddled.

He always fell asleep at the 8pm nursing. he is held to sleep or rocked to sleep during day time.

Thank  you for your help. Any suggestion is appreciated.

[*Kara*]

I agree with Smurfette - it does sound like a growth spurt...

[Diana1981]

It happened to me last week with DS. He is on a 3 hour easy and one night started waking every 2 hours sucking his fingers so I basically knew he was hungry. I started feeding every 2.5 hours during the day in order to get more calories. The GS lasted 2 nights.... We are on a 3 hour easy again during the day

[Smurfette]

he is held to sleep or rocked to sleep during day time.

I think this might be the key then.
If he is only nursing 5 mins at some wakings and that's not the norm for him, then he may be using you as a sleep prop. Especially if you are rocking him to sleep at nap time, then he isn't getting a chance to learn how to go to sleep and fall back asleep by himself. Does that make sense?
Babies this age still need to feed during the night, so you will have some NWs, but waking every 2 hours sounds more like he's waking every 2nd sleep cycle or so. As the night progresses, sleep gets lighter, so that would explain why he is sleeping more solid at the beginning of the night and then you are seeing more wakings from 5-7am. But we can help with that.

When you say that he won't settle until you feed him-what have you tried to do before feeding?

Also, when he cries at 11 or every 2 hours, how long do you wait before you go into his room or get him?

Can you post your routine for me-wakeup time, A times, nap lengths and times and bedtime, and we'll go from there.
Hang in there!

[tracyxin]

E: 7am
S: 7:30am
A: 8am
S: 9am
E: 10am
S: 10:30am
A: 11am
S: 12am

The rest of the day keeps this routine. At 6pm and 8pm, I will give him cluster feeding.

He always falls asleep during feeding and nap for 30min. Then wake up, change diapers, play a while, wind down and then nap around 1 hour (sometimes 30 min).

I tried the pat/shh, but rarely had a success. So until now, I still hold him to sleep.

When you say that he won't settle until you feed him-what have you tried to do before feeding?

Also, when he cries at 11 or every 2 hours, how long do you wait before you go into his room or get him?

His crib is next to ours. So each time his cry wakes me up and I will first put my hands on his tummy and shh for 1-2 min trying to put him back sleep. But his cry will get louder and louder. Then I will pick him up and hold him. He just cried and cried until I feed.

[Smurfette]

He always falls asleep during feeding and nap for 30min

So until now, I still hold him to sleep.

Sorry...I'm confused about this. As you nurse him, he falls asleep and then you continue to hold him for the rest of the nap...is that right?

How long does he nurse for on each side? Have you tried sitting him up and trying to keep him awake during the feeds? I believe Tracy gives advice on how to do this in both books.
Ideally, you want to have the activity time after feeding, so if you could slowly start to break the cycle of feeding to sleep, it might help you in the long run. Does that make sense?

[tracyxin]

Sorry for the confusion.

He always falls asleep after nursing, then I will put him on his crib. Then always after 30min, he will wake up and play. After play for 30min or so, he will get sleepy again and cry. Then I hold him till the second phase of sleep and put him on his crib.

He will nurse on one side a time for around 20-30 min. I try to keep him awake during nursing. But in the end, he will fall asleep.

I am still trying to have the activity time after feeding...no success yet...

[Smurfette]

I think, if I remember correctly from the book, she suggests undressing them a bit, walking your fingers up and down their back while their nursing, unlatching them and sitting them up for a few mins if you see them getting sleepy, switching sides, and/or even changing their diapers in between sides.

When he nurses for 20-30mins is he actively sucking and gulping or is he falling asleep right away and nursing in his sleep?

[tracyxin]

He is a very active at the first 10-15 min, then slow down for the rest of feeding.