Hi all,
I have a baby girl who is 3months & 3weeks old. Up until about 2 weeks ago her nightime sleep was good and improving (about 5-6hrs straight before waking & feeding, then back to sleep). Then about 2 weeks ago she added a feeding and is now feeding every 2.5-3 hrs per night. She is exclusivley breastfeed and is a really good weight (15pounds) so I don't understand why here sleep is worse/feeding needs are greater now. A bit more info: she still sleeps in our room but in her own little crib - I had planned on moving her to her own room and bigger crib these days but with the new extra feeding i think the only one who will suffer the change is me! She also is making a ton of noise when she is asleep (tossing, turning, moaning, etc.). She usually falls asleep with a bit of rocking in my arms/pat down and after feeding in the middle of the night falls asleep on her own. I thought my milk production was down/or her needs were greater so I started pumping a bit during the day to increase production and give her a bottle of my milk at night but that did not seem to work (did not want the bottle or if she took it gave her bad gas) but I think my milk production is fine..... but cannot understand why she now wakes up starving after 3 hrs when before it was 6. One more thing, she NEVER burps during nightime feedings (i try for 5-10 minutes but just give up and put her down).
any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. thx
That's a very young age to expect any kind of "great" sleeping patterns. As they grow, their needs change every day. Sometimes they'll sleep more and eat less, and vice versa.
Hang in there,
Lynsey
two words: growth spurt. She'll grow, then it will calm down again. Just remember, though, just when you think you have it all under control and on a schedule, Baby will have a growth spurt or go through a new phase or leap toward independence or something and throw you off! :-)
G.,
Great that you are breastfeeding exclusively! That's awesome and the best thing for her.
She's hungry. You can try increasing her feedings during the day (and topping her off before bedtime). She's starting to burn a little more during the day with using her head and upper body muscles during tummy time. Try to nurse her 15 - 30 min ahead of where her times have been (if you keep track of them). Anticipating and a little extra during the day may help you. (I really think this is it). Your milk is SO digestible, it doesn't stay in the tummy long. She'll start using your milk more efficiently soon, too, and having fewer stools (can go up to a week!) and more wets.
She's got reflux. This might be the issue too. Try having her sleep in her car seat (the handled bucket if you've got it).
Good luck, please let me know if I'm right (or wrong! :)
M.
3 month olds go thru a growth spurt so maybe its a temporary feeding she added!
Now is a good time to move her crib into own room if she keeps u awake. Set up a bedtime routine so she will have sleep associations (bath, book, music then milk+ crib).
She will learn to sleep longer and wake hungry less if she can't smell you.
Sometimes if my son doesn't burp after a few minutes, I try to lay him on back and sit up a couple of times slowly and that works--only if he swallowed air while nurisng. If it was a small quiet nursing session, he may have a tiny burp if any. When he wakes hungry (he is 9 months) I will feed him in his rm then put him back in crib. He used to slp in my rm too and woke a lot more for small feedings!
Your little one may just be going through a growth spurt. That tends to happen at this age. Do you feed at both breasts at night? My little one occassioally feeds at both breasts at night and does sleep a little longer when she does. Otherwise just keep up what you're doing. Good luck!
Sounds like a growth spurt. it happens to all of them about that time. Sounds like a healthy baby. You should be thankful.
I am sure it is just a passing phase. My daughter who just turned three (and still nurses 1-2 times a day), went through things like this all the time. Since, I practiced extended breastfeeding with my daughter, I can clearly say that things constantly change. When they want more attention, or sick, hurt, overtired, etc., they will want to nurse more. You are doing a great job - keep up the good work!
3 months is prime time for a growth spurt. Give it a couple of weeks to settle down. She's also probably finding the breast more of a comfort than the bottle and wants extra mommy time too :D And if she's feeding from the breast efficiently at a good angle, then she may not need to burp. My little girl NEVER burped once she was 2 months old--well, until she had her first sip of carbonated water, that is. ;-)
You're worrying too much. She's probably going through a growth spurt. Nothing is consistent in the first 4 or 5 months. Just go with the flow and you'll be fine. My babies rarely burped either. I read somewhere that breastfed babies rarely burp.
Relax, sleep when the baby sleeps, and don't worry about holding her too much and you'll be fine.
I have 3 kids under 4 and finally learned that with #3.
I glanced at some other comments and I agree, growth spurt and she'll have lots more! The feedings will spread out again after she has your milk supply to where she needs it:-).
I couldn't put my daughter in her room till 6 month, the feedings just stayed too close together till then.
Good luck and enjoy!
Hello G.,
I'm sure you have read already from many moms that babys change all the time, so do their habits/schedule. She may be going through a growth spurt right now, hence the extra night feeding. Or maybe someones snoring is waking her? (That happens with my little one all the time. I'm with her every night, so she's used to my loud snoring, but her dad works nights, so when he is home weekends, his snoring disturbs her.)
As for the little crib you mentioned, maybe she is not comfortable and may need the extra space of a bigger crib.
Now the mention of gas. I would try a little longer and/or in a different position.
1. Try laying her on her belly in her crib, while still patting/ rubbing her back.
2. Or try laying her across your lap while you sit, and patting her back that way.
3. Walk around with her for a couple minutes, with her hanging over your arm, your arm should be across her belly/bottom of rib cage, with her facing away from you(usually with her head hanging, and pat her back.
If she is not burping for you after trying this, maybe you should ask your doctor about Mylicon drops for infants,I used generic. I had to use it for my daughter when she was only a month old. (We had to do alot of driving, long distances, a couple times a week, and sometimes she wouldn't burp properly after eating and would start screaming during our long trip) It helped alot. Though it shouldn't be used everyday.
Good luck, and I'm sure other moms would have some of the same suggestions, and many even better!
she is probably just going through a growth spurt. My daughter did the same thing. She'll sleep really well and then all of a sudden will start waking up a bunch during the night. I have just decided to make "It's just a phase" my new mantra, because it's all just a phase and she will get back to sleeping longer when she doesn't need as much to eat! Good luck!
She's hungry and going through a growth spurt!!! Nothing you can do to stop her from growing!! :) You have to feed her when she wants to be fed...
good luck!!! it does get easier!
