5 mo baby, never eats for longer than 10 minutes :(

[annazet]

Hello!

My LO is 5 months now and since he finished 3 months he's been waking up every 2 hours every night.
During the day he wasn't that interested in eating any more- everything distracted him, but after we gave up the pacifier (advice of a lactation consultant), I fed always in the same place and I started to feed him from both breasts, that improved a bit. So now an average meal takes 10minutes.
I feed him every 3 hours and am afraid to switch to 4- have a big problem with NW.
Our EASY looks like that:
6.30 (sometimes 5.30!) wake up
8 eat (breastfeed)
8.30-10 nap
11 eat
12.30-14 nap
14 eat
16-16.30 catnap
17 eat
18:20 eat
18:30 sleep
20:30, 22:30, 00:30, 2:30, 4:30, 5:30 night wakings. Sometimes eats for more or less 6-7 mins, sometimes just takes a few sips and goes to sleep. If I try just to resettle him- cries a lot and I end up worrying that he's not getting enough during the day so I feed him and goes back to sleep.
He wakes up really early too, after 5:30 it's really hard to resettle him and he wakes up already in a bad mood (should I try to resettle till 6:30 anyway?)
I'm really tired of those night and early wakings and don't know where to start.
Should I try just the DF and survive a few nights with him crying, trying to resettle him? I'm really worried this will make him malnourished. Or will this make him eat more during the day.
I'm really desperate and will appreciate any advice!

[PaulsMom]

hi,
a lot of 5 month olds can take a complete feed in 10 minutes (or less) so I wouldn't assume that he's not getting enough milk based on time alone.  As long as he has wet diapers throughout the day and he is growing, he should be fine.  As for his nw's, I'm wondering if the paci was a prop and he's unable to re-settle himself without it at night?   

Should I try just the DF and survive a few nights with him crying, trying to resettle him?

If I were you and the paci is a prop, I would feed every 4 hrs at night (in case he is hungry) and for all other nw's re-settle with shh-pat (or you could try pu/pd). HTH

[*Kara*]

Are you breast feeding exclusively?  If so, will move you to the breast feeding forum.

[annazet]

Yes, I breastfeed exclusively and accidentaly posted on this forum.

[annazet]

Yesterday I fed him at 17, 18:20, 20:30 and 22DF and than at 3 and 7. Do you think it's ok? Should I try to switch to feedinf every 4 hours during the day?

[PaulsMom]

I think you should be moving towards a 4 hr schedule so try feeding every 3.25 hrs for 3-4 days, then 3.5 hrs for 3-4 days, etc until you are feeding roughly every 4 hrs. 

As for the evening cluster feeds, I'm assuming that the 17;00 and 18;20 were just prior to BT at 18:30?  Did your LO wake at 20:30 for a feed?  If yes, then this is a feed that I would try to drop and just soothe your LO back to sleep.  If no, then I would drop this feed as it's just two hours after the previous feed.  As for the DF, is your LO awake at this time or are you feeding your LO while they are still asleep?

[annazet]

Tonight I ded my LO at 18:30, before going to bed, than he woke up at 20:10, but my husband managed to resettle him and at 22 he woke up again, before I managed to do DF so I just fed him and put him back to bed (yesterday there was a successful DF). Unfortunatelly he woke up at 23, 1 am, 3 am (I fed him then b/c he made tipical "hungry" noises) and then at 6 am (I fed him again but it was a mistake, he wasn't very hungry then and got so unsleepy that I wasn't able to resettle him to sleep till 6:30 or 7).
Am I doing something wrong? Those night wakings are killing me. I know only 2 nights passed, but is it going anywhere? I'm desperate for some support!

[Shiv52]

10 minutes is all ever took at that age to feed for both mine.

Does your LO feed to sleep? Is there any reflux issues?

[PaulsMom]

Hugs Hun.  If the paci and now the breast feeding is a prop for sleeping it will take time for him to learn a new way to fall asleep and stay asleep without those props. 

Are you still feeding every 4 hrs during the day?  Did he take a full feed at 11 pm, 1 and 3 am? 

I should have asked this question sooner but how long has your Lo been waking every 2 hrs to feed at night?

It's great that your husband was able to resettle at 8 pm.  Sometimes it's better if DH does this because the Los know that DH won't feed them so they resettle better for them.  Whereas if you try to resettle, it's harder because the Lo thinks, "ok, it's mom, so she can feed me a bit and I'll fall asleep again".  This is the cycle you want to break so your Lo learns to sleep independently.  You need a plan as to how you and your DH will resettle your Lo at night and he be very consistent with it fir several days to give you DS time to learn the new way.

I'm wondering if this should be moved to the props board. 

[Fiver]

Personally, with a very distracted LO, I'd probably not aim for a 4h EASY just yet.  Often BF LOs don't get there until after they've started on solid food.  You might need to be a bit flexible with the ordering of your day and try for something like a 3.25/3.5h EAESY/EAEASY type pattern for a little while.

[annazet]

Does your LO feed to sleep? Is there any reflux issues?

No, he has never fed to sleep exept for night wakings which I'm trying to eliminate now. He;s never had reflux confirmed but I suspect he might suffer from it.

Did he take a full feed at 11 pm, 1 and 3 am?

No, I'm trying to fight with his night wakings, so I only fed him at 22 and than at 3 am, the rest times I just resettled him and after 10-30 mins he was asleep again. I'm just worried that he won't be able to get rid of the habit of waking up...

how long has your Lo been waking every 2 hrs to feed at night?

For two months I think... Since he finished three months or so.

Today I fed him every 3,5 hrs and it went really well. He started to show hunger exactly when 3,5 hrs passed. I'm just really concerned and tired of his night wakings... 

[Fiver]

Around 4/5 months, it's really common to see some sleep regression.  Could be this is what you're seeing here, albeit perhaps starting a little early.

It might be a daft question, but do you feel you came out the other side of the massive 4m growth spurt?  Some do seem to carry it on for a good long while.

[PaulsMom]

Good to hear that feeds every 3.5 hrs works well.  I would keep this routine for a bit since your DS is hungry then. 

Ok if he's been waking every two hrs at night for several months, I'm thinking its not a growth spurt but he's having difficulties transitioning between sleep cycles and is waking up.

Wrt the night waking, if he took a full feed at 10pm (df) and 3 am, that's reasonable..  As for the other nw's, hang in there. It may be rough for a few days but he will learn to transition on his own but you do need to be consistent.  Hugs, I know it's hard when you don't get enough sleep.

[annazet]

do you feel you came out the other side of the massive 4m growth spurt?

I have absolutely no idea! Is there any way to find out?

It may be rough for a few days but he will learn to transition on his own but you do need to be consistent.

Do you really, really think it's going to work finally? I'm trying to find some evidence of success in a similar situation as mine on this forum, but with no success...

[Fiver]

I have absolutely no idea! Is there any way to find out?

Sadly, no, there isn't a good way to tell.  You will get to the other side of this