Pleas help!!! How can I get my 18 week old son to sleep longer during the night, I have tried and tried to set up some sort of routine and nothing works, I get him to be around7pm each night, then he will wake at random times, 12:45am, 1 or 2 4 or 5am, he will nap during the day in my arms, and will only last 1 sleep cycle (40 mins), he doesn't seem to be able to self settle yet, and I feel too emotional to let him cry for too long, I'm struggling with lack of sleep and need help! He also sleeps in a bassinet in our room should I mkve hi to his cot ? Will that help?He is fed expressed breast milk & formula. Any advice will be appreciated please.
6 Replies
Your baby is not even 5 months old. They need to still have 6 bottles a day, that's one every 4 hours. My 3 year old still doesn't sleep the night through. What your baby is doing is normal. Try putting yourself to bed earlier and getting sleep when your baby does. I don't know if you are a new mum or a mum of multiples. But if your baby isn't getting enough food/bottles they will wake up in the middle of the night. Because they are hungry. Which is totally normal. You could try dream feeding which is when you give them a bottle whilst they are sleeping so that they remain asleep and don't get hungry. Please don't force the issue at such a young age. When you decided to fall pregnant and become a parent, you decided to give up a full nights sleep. Some babies will sleep a full night through from an early age. But I guarantee that these babies are full and are not hungry or full of wind.
Totally normal. A baby that young will still need to wake during the night as their tummy's are very small. If you are becoming exhausted get your partner if you have one to help. I found the biggest thing is to keep lights to a minimum, I feed in the dark. Helps my 5month old to settle much quicker. Don't compare your baby to other babies, if you know babies who are sleeping through. Try and relax about it - remember, this too shall pass.
Me again - I moved my babe to his own room with a baby monitor at 5 months as he was being woken up by me moving round in bed.
The night time sounds totally normal. Sorry! It's exhausting.
If you have a partner he needs to start helping you out by getting up for one of the feeds (especially if bottle fed).
Speak to your local child/baby health nurse. I'd be more worried about establishing some day time sleeps so you can nap when baby does.
So normal. If your baby drinks and goes back to sleep I'd sat youre lucky ans you've got a good sleeper.
Nap when he does. At night take an hour for you anz aim to be in bed by 8. Take the bottles with you so you don't have to get up in the night.
Ans be prepared kids don't sleep through for years and years.
Totally normal.
Look up the 4 month sleep regression.
Both my sons were sleeping through the night from a few weeks old. At 4 months, they were up every couple of hours.
Also, look up the "wonder weeks" (they have an app), it's very helpful.
At 18 weeks your baby is going through major developmental milestones which disrupts daily life.
It get easier every month, just hang in there.