20 weeks and never slept through

[Alison7148]

Hi

My DD is 20 weeks and has never slept through.  For the first 14 weeks she screamed every evening (??colic) but would then have a 2230 feed, go down  and sleep til around 0300 then wake at 0700.  Since cracking the evening sleeping (she is now in her cot by 7pm at the latest) she still wakes any time between 2130 and 2300 for a feed then at least twice in the night.  She is excusively BF and won't take a bottle (so all my lovely expressed milk remains in the freezer!).  There doesn't seem to be any pattern to her wakings so I assume she must be hungry??  She is quite easily distracted from feeding in the day so maybe she really is hungry at night?  The other thing is that she has become very proficient at rolling over but can't then roll back, so ends up like a little beetle with legs and arms waving, screaming until she is 'rescued'.  Not quite sure where to go from here.  I am sort of pinning my hopes that weaning might help her go longer at night, but I don't want to start just yet.  Any suggestions would be very gratefully received - I am exhausted!
Thanks
Alison x

[yaya]

have u tried cluster feeding at night? sounds like a growth spurt to me...any chance it could be this?

[Alison7148]

I don't think it is - its been going on for about 3 weeks now.  I don't feed her at every waking - just shhh/pat her, but if I don't do this she escalates to full blown screaming.  She is in a bed-side cot so I am quite aware of here evry movement - maybe things will improve when she moves into her own room.  I have tried cluster feeding at around 1600 then 1730 before her bath then feding again at 1830 before bed, but I'm not convinced it made any difference!

[binxyboo]

And before her last feed of the evening was much later. Now she is in bed as 7, so it would seem to me that she would need that feed by 10:30 or so. It is really common for lo's to night nurse at this age. Is she easy to settle after feeding?

[Alison7148]

Generally reaonably easy to settle, although I must confess that she often ends up in bed with us - we co-slept for the first 12 weeks.  The only time when she is really hard to settle is when she is due a poo - she only goes every 4-7 days, and the night before is always awful, with lots of screaming and wriggling, until she falls asleep exhausted after about 1-2 hours! 

[yaya]

oh dear! it sounds like the poor love is constipated, have u talked to ur doc?
I was wonderign if she fell asleep on her own in the cot (or whereveer she sleeps? ) i say this coz it can have a huge impact on nightwakigns

[Alison7148]

I have been told that it isn't unusual for a BF baby to go that long between poos so am pretty sure she isn't constipated.  Yes she falls asleep on her own in the cot most evenings. Occasionally if she is really tired she falls asleep while feeding but generally I put her down when she is quite drowsy.  She sleeps in the cot or in our bed for naps unless we are out and about when she will sleep in the car seat or buggy.  I often have to put my hand on her back for her to go to sleep, but sometimes I leave her and she falls asleep on her own.  she is just finding her thumb, not v consistently at the moment, but hoping that might help!!

[yaya]

thats great! she can sleep independently which rules out one reason for nightwakings.
what does ur routine look like?

[Alison7148]

Routine is a 'loose' 3-4 EASY.  (Closer to the 3 than 4 ususally), wakes around 0630-0700 and has usually 3 naps.  This suyits us fine as I am out and about quite a lot and anything a lot more rigid would actually be quite disruptive.  Bedtime is always the same though - bath at 1800, then PJs, breast feed and sleep by 1900 (aty least thats the plan!!)

[Kimberly®]

It could be a bit of gas too, though most likly I suspect that your reacting to fast. When you go to her do you go as soon as she stirs? or do you wait untill she cries? I suspect a move to her own room may actually help you. Try it for a night or 2 (without a monitor) and see if things improve.

[Alison7148]

Yes - thats what I've been thinking too, but a bit reluctant to as she sleeps on her stomach (I know!! - but needs must!!), and I like having her close to me.  She can roll onto her back but htat always wakes her up as she can't then get back onto her fornt to go back to sleep.  I am trying to teach her to roll the other way as I am sure this is wehat wakes her often.  What do you think?

[Kimberly®]

Possible. What about moving the bed away from her so you can try giving her a moment to settle? Its a matter of finding the balence

[Fenella]

Hi I have no advice for just wanted you to know you are not alone and may well not be doing anything wrong at all.  My first ds slept thru from dreamfeed from around 10 wks and ds #2 despite being on easy since week 1 has slept thru only twice he has reflux so sometimes still wakes every hour.

[Alison7148]

Thanks for that - I guess sometimes I compare her with others a bit too much!  Last nightshe only woke twice, and each time it seems to be because she has rolled onto her back and can't get back onto her tummy.  I guess I need to teach her to roll the other way!!! And I need to remind myself taht she is a little individual who will do things in her own time, and to be honest, I am not back to work for ages so it really doesn't matter if I have to have a nap with her at lunchtime to catch up on my sleep!!!