Was sleeping well before, now waking alot....HELP!

[jennp]

My daughter (14 weeks) was sleeping from 8:30-8:00 with getting up usually once around 5:00-6:30 (different every night), sometimes it would be twice in the night but not often. Now she has started waking up at around 1-2 am and then again at 4, sometimes 5:30 and again at 6:30. She wants to eat and half the time I know she's not hungry (doesnt really eat very much-bf) and goes back to sleep.
I'm very very very frustrated and dont want this habit to continue. I dont mind getting up once or even twice, but 4 or 5 times is too much and i cant take it. Also I have a feeling she's in the habit now and doesnt really need it, but I dont really know how to break it. I try not to give her the pacifier at night because sometimes when it falls out she wakes up.
Shes not the type that is easily soothed without being bf, but obviously i dont want to do this every time.
Does ANYONE have any suggestions as to how I go about breaking the habit now??? picking her up does not really sooth her as she expects the breast.
Anyhelp would be great! This has been going on for 2 weeks now.
Thanks,
jenn

[Mommy in Moose Jaw]

We too had to get away from BF for comfort at night.  Once you rule out hunger (cuz that could be what started it one night) by trying to increase your supply during the day (feed both sides then go back to each side for a few minutes once more at every feed for 3 days -- if she doesn't take it that's probably not the issue), or try tanking up at night,  then you know it's only comfort they are seeking.  We just had to tough it out with pu/pd for a few nights.  That took about 2 weeks to really perfect.  It went from taking 40-60 min each time at night to just a reassuring word and gentle pat to resettle our dd (she was about 19 weeks at the time).  It was a tough couple of weeks with much reduced sleep but now she is quite consistent over night.  Expect the occasional regression, but at least you know how to deal with it.  Hope that helps!

[spudballoo]

I'm currently having the exact same problem and I'm at the end of my tether knowing what to do, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to ride it out! My 3.5 month old son has been a great nightsleeper from 2 weeks, settled himself to a bedtime of 7.30am with 2 feeds, dropped the 1am one at 6 weeks. 

But at 12 weeks this all changed, coinciding with growth spurt and innoculations. He now wakes every 3 hours ish, and won't be settled without BF. He has never had a dummy and I don't want to introduce one.

I decided that his rubbish daytime sleeping must be the issue so I am on day 9 of sleep training and it's going really well, using a shush/pat type technique.  Not sure if I'm brave enough for it at night though!

I read on another thread that it's a good idea to take them off the breast once the sucking gets less strong, to try and make sure they don't get in to the habit of taking lots of calories at night.

Would moving towards a 4 hour EASY help? 

I am completely exhausted, haven't had more than 2 hours sleep at a stretch for 3 weeks now. Plus the sleep training is very labour intensive, and has been a bit hard on the ears/nerves at times. 

Who took my fabulous night sleeper and gave me this rubbish one?!!!

x