3 mo old waking every 1 to 2 hours at night

[sjaneld]

My son is almost 3 months old and a week ago I started implementing EASY as I was losing my sanity!  Our days have become much better as I can almost predict within the min when he will eat, sleep, play, etc.  Nights are a WHOLE other story though!!! 

During the day, I put my LO down in the swing or bassinet to sleep, but at night he gets completely hysterical if I try and put him anywhere except next to me in my bed, nursing for most of the night.   

The first month, my LO would go 6 hours between feeds at night.  When he was 2 mo old, he would go about 4 hours between feeds.  The last few weeks though he's waking every hour to 2 hours!  I nurse and he usually falls right back to sleep.  I have tried sh/pat when he wakes throughout the night but he just gets more and more upset until he is crying so hard that he is choking.  He won't settle unless I nurse him, then he settles almost immediately.

For the last 5 or 6 nights I have tried to get him to sleep in his bassinet beside my bed.  This is has been very unsuccessful.  LO will fall asleep between 8 and 9 if I am rocking him and may sleep for up to an hour in his bassinet at this time but then will wake.  I then feed again but he will never settle after this unless we are laying in my bed and he is nursing.  I have tried to let him cio, he cried for over an hour and I knew that just was not the right thing to do.  So now, I am just sh/pat and rocking him to sleep but as soon as I set him in his bassinet he is awake and just gets more and more upset.  By 11:30 or midnight I am so completely frustrated and exhausted that I give in and bring him into bed with me.  Sometimes even then it takes him over an hour of nursing before he falls asleep and then he is up again every hour to 2 hours. 

This is how our EASY has been going so far today!

Last night he was asleep about midnight and up every 2 to 2.5 hrs.

10:15 Wake (he needs cuddles when he wakes or he just cries and cries)
10:30 E
10:45 A
11:30 S
12:25 E
12:45 A
2:05 S
2:20 Woke, picked him up and rocked him back to sleep
2:55 E
3:15 A
The rest of the day typically goes:
4 to 4:30 S
5:30 Wake and eat
6 A
7 bathtime
8 to 9 S
9 to 10 Wake and Eat
11 to 1 am he will finally settle back to sleep

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  Also, I am a single parent and my LO dad has no involvement at all so I do everything on my own.  I also have a 14 yr old daughter who is a big help!

[sjaneld]

Does no one have any advice for me at all?  I am really desperate!

[oe]

big hugs sjaneld. I am def no expert, at all! From looking at your easy it is like he is eating every 2 hours around the clock? Is that right? If so, could be either not enough milk supply? Have you tried to pump and see how much you are getting, maybe you have to supplement. Or it could be possible that he is comfort nursing and you could try a paci. I know that my LO is addicted to his (a whole other issue all together) but it helps and will let you know when he needs to actually eat and just when he wants to suck. I am pretty sure by 3 months he should be on a 3 hr EASY during the day and maybe 1-2 nw. I hope this helps HUGS!!!!

[sjaneld]

Hi oe, I do pump and get about 2 oz off each side so I know he isn't getting a whole lot!  Not sure why though? 
I have tried and tried and TRIED to get him to take a pacifier (tried 4 or 5 different nipple shapes, etc) and he just will not!  I know in the long run I will be happy not to have that issue to deal with but in the meantime it makes life a bit difficult cause he is a sucker.  He seems to need to suck on something, anything to fall asleep!  Usually he can manage to get his fist in his mouth or he will suck on his blanket but often it is my finger or he nurses.  I also feel that he definitely nurses a lot of the time just for comfort.  I don't know how to break him of this though  

So if he isn't getting enough milk, should I be giving him formula along with breast milk?  I had a midwife for my birth and she was involved until he was almost 2 months old and she said the more I feed him, the more milk I will produce and that if I supplement with formula, my body will think it doesn't need to produce the milk and will produce less.  I don't know what the right thing to do is?!

[oe]

Well, all I can tell you is follow your gut. Sometimes no matter how much you feed, some people can't produce enough. Plus feeding every 2 hours (at night) regardless is crazy and I am sure making your miserable and tired! Midwifes, your friends, family, everyone has their own opinion but it is your baby and your decision. I had issues with both my kids nursing and when I gave it up I was way less stressed, so obviously that is my opinion... again, yours is the only one that counts. Perhaps post in the breastfeeding forum to get some advice there as I don't know much else.

[sjaneld]

Thanks again oe.  I met with my family doctor today and she suggested trying some pablum in the eves.  She also confirmed that my LO has eczema on his face that she thinks is due to an allergy to lactose so she said I may need to switch to lactose free formula anyway.  Gonna start with supplementing a formula bottle in the eves so I know he's getting a good amount of oz before bed and in a few days, start added a tiny bit of pablum to that too.  Here's hoping I can get more than a 3 hour stretch between feeds at night!

[oe]

good luck!

[sjaneld]

Well, gave my LO a 6 oz bottle of formula at 8:30 last night.  He was asleep by 10:30 pm with a small top up of breast milk and slept til after 4 am!!!  Then was awake every 2 to 2.5 hours after that because I was just nursing him so I really think he isn't getting enough to eat.  I pumped after giving him the bottle last night and even with the missed breast feed, I could only get 3 oz (and that was pumping both sides) so clearly he is not getting enough from me.  I think I may start a formula bottle in the afternoon now to see if that helps him have a big nap in the aft!
Thanks for your support.

[oe]

that is awesome! good luck. I hope it gets better.

[~Amz~]

I know usually at 3 months there's a BIG growth spurts for LOs and they tend to feed more often.

About your milk supply if you want to increase it u can start taling fenugreek capsules. They really work. Days that I feel like my supply has dipped a bit I take about 3 fenugreek tablets 3 times a day for 3 days and I find that my supply increases.

Hope that helps.

[sjaneld]

Thanks Amz, I will look for those.