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Parenting Club Forums > General Infant Parenting > I think he's switched his days & nights...

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 06:15 AM

It seems particularly the last week or so that Waylon is eating less during the day and is therefore waking more at night to eat. He started by going 3 1/2 hrs during the day, which I thought was great! Then, even though I've tried doing a dream feed around 11 pm, he has been waking at 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 to nurse. I can figure the 3 OR 5 am feeding is needed, but to wake up hour after hour to nurse?!?!? Something's gotta give... I'm becoming quite zombie-like from the lack of sleep now. His initial feeding during the night is a normal feeding, but the others are just small ones. I've tried just rocking him, patting his butt, etc (he refuses a paci) but he still cries/screams 30-45 minutes in to it. I'm not sure if I should just keep doing this and hope it'll lessen over time or if he is really needing to eat.
During the day the last 3 days he's gone as long as 4 hrs on a couple of feedings and then when he does nurse 5 min into it he's pausing to look around - he's getting so distracted lately.
We haven't been really doing any solids lately as I just have been worn out and that takes a bit more effort. I'm not sure if it will help if I make it a point to feed him solids 2-3 times a day after his nursing or not.
I guess I have a few issues going on.

Any help will be much appreciated! Will was such an easier baby sleep-wise, this one is throwing me for a loop.

Posted by: A&A'smommy Mar 26 2009, 06:25 AM

how old is he again? I'm thinking he is around 4 or 4 1/2 months old?

I don't really think he has his days and nights mixed up.. is he sleeping more during the day? if so trying slowly trying to keep him up more during the day, keep him busy LOTS of play time in the evening. Does he have a bedtime routine? if not that might help. My guess is he doesn't need to eat that many times a night but I could be wrong. If he was going through a growth spurt he would eat more during the day too.. can you give a little more information on how much he is sleeping during the day?

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 06:26 AM

My guess is growth spurt? How old is he again? I mean usual mixing of days and nights happens when they are newborn, but usually after that it's due to growth spurts. It is all normal and honestly just something you have to get through if you are going to breastfeed. I can't tell you if this happens with formula fed babies. You also said he is teething, right? That will also cause a baby to be distracted when nursing, and can cause pain to where they aren't eating normally. Maybe it hurts less in the wee hours, not sure.

I know it's tough not getting sleep. Believe me! BTDT, and then had to put on a happy face at work all day with no time to sleep. It was rough, but I made it through it, and now here to tell about it.

There are a lot of tough stages, at least there were for me, when BF, but it was 110% worth it to me, you just have to muddle through them the best you can and really chant to yourself that YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS. Then when it's all over with, months/years later you'll be sad it's gone.

Hang in there.

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 06:28 AM

BTW, for a breastfed baby - going 3.5 to 4+ hours between feedings is a HUGE stretch, which is he's doing that during the day, that could be why he's eating more at night.

Posted by: moped Mar 26 2009, 06:30 AM

QUOTE (A&A'smommy @ Mar 26 2009, 09:25 AM)

I have to disageree a bit on this, only because my philosophy is the more sleep they get, the more they want. So at his age he sould only be awake 1.5 - 2 hours a at any given time, yes that means a lot of naps. How much does he weigh????

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 06:30 AM

Here is some info on reverse cycling - which is what he seems to be doing and is completely normal. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/reverse-cycling.html

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 06:33 AM

Double post.

Posted by: A&A'smommy Mar 26 2009, 06:40 AM

yeah that reverse cycling we never went through that so I guess that is why I was slightly confused.

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 07:07 AM

I think that's it - the reverse cycling thing. I'm sorry - I didn't mean that he had his days/nights mixed up sleeping wise, just eating.
Now here's the info you all asked for...
He's 4 1/2 m, weighs 15 lbs (maybe slightly more now). He naps every 2 hrs, but only for about 45 min. We've tried lengthening the nap time different ways, but nothing seems to work. He wakes up happy and ready to play so I think he must just be a short napper. At one time when he was about 2 1/2 months he was sleeping from 11-5 or 6, and this was for a good 3 weeks. Then he had a growth spurt and we've never gotten back out of it completely. Since then he'd wake up once during the night to eat again. But this waking up all the time at night has really just been since he's also been getting distracted during the day - the last 2 weeks or so.
For his night routine we usually change his diaper and pj's around 8, then I'll rock him a bit and nurse him one last time. He usually goes to sleep fairly easy. I have been trying to help the night sleeping by doing the dream feed around 11 but I think that may actually be making it worse, so tonight I'm just not going to do it and see what happens.
His teeth bother him off and on, no real pattern. Some days he seems fussy from them, other days not at all. Not sure how much effect they are having on him overall.
Do you think I should try nursing him more often during the day, even if he doesn't really want it? It seemed we had a problem with him snacking and that's why I just started feeding him when he asked for it. But now we're here....

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 07:12 AM

QUOTE (my2monkeyboys @ Mar 26 2009, 10:07 AM)

Do you think I should try nursing him more often during the day, even if he doesn't really want it? It seemed we had a problem with him snacking and that's why I just started feeding him when he asked for it. But now we're here....

I can't really answer that. Some would say yes, some would probably say no. I just did what they needed when they needed it.

Yes, my husband would tell you (and so would I, lol) it was a rough 3 years with Kylie and a rough 2 years with Megan, but now they sleep just fine all night long and are no worse off because of it.

You can try to feed him more during the day. I always fed on their demand, but of course I had to do that because I was away from them all day at work, so if they wanted to nurse all evening, all night, a lot of that was the "reconnecting" that they needed from me and I had to accept that. (edited for wrong word usage, lol)

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 07:49 AM

I was thinking if I feed him when it's time for his nap maybe he'd stick with it instead of bobbing off and on, since he'd be tired. Any opinions on that?

Posted by: moped Mar 26 2009, 11:50 AM

QUOTE (my2monkeyboys @ Mar 26 2009, 10:49 AM)

I was thinking if I feed him when it's time for his nap maybe he'd stick with it instead of bobbing off and on, since he'd be tired. Any opinions on that?

I always say feed upon waking, not to fall alseep.....

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 12:15 PM

That's what I've always done so far. Just trying to figure out how to make him eat better.

Thanks!

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 12:21 PM

I disagree with Jen, but her and I disagree on sleep issues anyways.

So it's ok

I say try whatever you want to try. I always nursed my babies before they went to bed. They didn't always fall asleep when I nursed them and if they did it wasn't always because I nursed them.

Posted by: moped Mar 26 2009, 12:45 PM

QUOTE (coasterqueen @ Mar 26 2009, 03:21 PM)

I disagree with Jen, but her and I disagree on sleep issues anyways.

So it's ok

I say try whatever you want to try. I always nursed my babies before they went to bed. They didn't always fall asleep when I nursed them and if they did it wasn't always because I nursed them.

I would say MOST people would disagree with me..........so it's all good!

Oh and yes and I say do whatever makes you and W happy!

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 01:21 PM

Thanks ladies.... I've been trying to feed him a little more today and so far he's already nursed 4 times, so hopefully I'll be able to get 2 more in him before midnight. Maybe that will help him sleep a little more tonight. That'll be one more nursing and I also fed him some cereal/swt potatoes earlier.... I guess we'll see what happens!

Posted by: coasterqueen Mar 26 2009, 01:25 PM

QUOTE (my2monkeyboys @ Mar 26 2009, 04:21 PM)

GL!!!

coming your way for tonight.

Posted by: my2monkeyboys Mar 26 2009, 02:43 PM

Thanks... I think I'm going to need it!