13 month waking every 2 hours

[HG]

Please help!! Am exhausted and clueless. My 13 month old has been waking every 2 hours for the last 4 nights, gets himself in a real stew if i try PU/PD and will only go back to sleep if breastfed. He recently had full blown flu and was with me 24-7 for about a week as he was so poorly. For a few days at the end of the illness he went back to 1 wake a night, late on (we were aiming to wean him off this and then he became ill). Then he randomly started waking 2 or 3 times going crazy (don't think it's night terrors though). I still feed him before bed and have previously succeeded withPU/PD at night and with naps, but now everything has gone to pot and he doesn't seem that keen on his cot. Please, please, any advice would be so welcome!

[babybarr]

Hello and welcome to BW!

Waking so frequently would indicate some sort of discomfort still.  Is he completely well?  Not left with a cough or ear infection perhaps?

[HG]

Hi and thanks for welcome. He is completely recovered, though is also teething. He is fine during the day, happy and not suffering with his teeth at all. He has never demanded feeding in such a way before, and not woken so many times in the night for months. I think it is something to do with the comfort of the breast as he doesn't stop crying when I pick him up, just gets more and more upset til fed and then goes straight back to sleep, there is obviously something going on for him, but I am at a loss as to what.

[babybarr]

At the beginning of the night does he fall asleep on the breast or does he go to sleep independently?

Can you post his routine inc. nap time too?

[HG]

I breastfeed him at night, but he is usually awake when he goes down. I still have to do PD and somethimes PU/PD, though not much any more. I was getting to the point of going for the moveable chair routine before he fell ill, so he doesn't quite settle himself completely - same at nap time, though this usually takes longer.
Routine:
Wakes between 6 and 7 (usually more towards 6!)
Not interested in breastfeed for past few days, so breakfast usually about 1/2 hr after waking
Snack around 10.30 (usually has 1 nap now, sometimes 2 depending on how tired)
Lunch 12ish
Bit of a play until nap time, usually 1/1.30. He will nap for at least 1 1/2 hrs (am not letting him sleep past 4pm)
Milk (cows) and snack after waking
Tea at 5 or 5.30
Bath 6.45 and breastfeed and bed at 7ish.
He usually falls asleep around 7.15 to 7.30.
He was sleeping until around 3 or 4 when I was feeding him, should have dropped this a while ago probably!! Last night he only woke twice, at 12 and 3.45.Fed him both times. Not sure where to go with this now!!

[babybarr]

I would perhaps bring his nap forward as that's a very long morning A time for a 13mth old and it may be making him tired.  Typically how long is his nap?  Sounds like he generally is a good napper?

I would stop all feeding in the night.  There was another thread I helped on about night feedings and they did something quite clever to stop them - I can't remember off the top of my head what is was but I'll see if I can find out in a mo. 

I would try def not to feed in the night anymore though.  I wonder if moving the nap forward may help though.

[babybarr]

I can't find quite what I'm looking for and can't search for it I'm afraid, will see if I can get any other bf mummies to take a look too..

[HG]

That would be great if you could find me something clever to do!! I intend to stop BF tonight, am sending hubby in to do PU/PD and have warned him that he may need ear plugs and can expect to be in for the long haul at first!
Will try bringing nap forward, sometimes he does sleep from 11-1. He is a good napper yes, usually an hour and a half to two hours
Ideally appreciate this support, thanks.

[~ Vik ~]

Not sure how clever I am but hopefully I can help too!

I was going to suggest having your DH help out if you can   If you go in your lo is likely to expect food, since he's gotten it in the past.  But if DH goes in then it isn't an issue, kwim?  Has your DH done pu/pd with lo before?  It will be a long first couple of nights, but once the feeds are dropped you'll probably find that he's interested in that morning breastfeed again!

I never actively dropped any night feeds except the dream feed, so I don't really have any BTDT for you.  Dylan dropped all of his night feeds on his own (the last one finally went just over 1yo) but that doesn't mean that I fed at every waking.  Here's a link to a page that you might find really helpful, it has other reasons that baby might wake at night and how to minimize them:  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-night.html

[HG]

Thanks for that, all help is appreciated. DH has been going  in for past 2 nights and last night Dylan woke twice but only took 15 mins to settle each time. Fingers crossed for tonight! Will check out your link.

[~ Vik ~]

That's fantastic news!!  Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

[babybarr]

Great stuff!! 

and thanks to Vikki