Please Help, I need advice

[lmk]

Hello, This is my first post here. I have a few questions I'd like to hear from other mothers on their advice.

My 4 1/2 month old is breastfed, she feeds 4 hourly during the day but then changes to 2 hour feeds at night. This has been going on for weeks now and I'm wondering if maybe my milk is not filling enough or if anybody has other thoughts on what might be causing this. I was thinking of trying a formula feed at 10:30pm to see if that helps her sleep through (and i'll express). I've tried a dummy and she just spits this out at me.

She also wakes up between 4 and 5 every morning with wind pains. I burp her after every feed and massage her tummy every nappy change. The only way I can get her back to sleep is if I hold her in a semi sitting position with her legs bent up, but I'm tired and want to get some more sleep myself, any any advice will be appreciated.

My last question, Is there any tricks to get her to sleep longer than 40 mins during the day, she self settles the majority of the time but wakes up straight after the 40min sleep cycle.

Thanks for your time in reading my post, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Leanne.

[MothersMilk]

Could you feed her more often during the day?
I would feed every couple of hours during the day then she may have longer stretches between feeds at night.
I found at that age my bub went through a growth spurt and feed heaps also.

[lmk]

Thanks for replying :)

I hadn't thought of that, maybe if I try every 3 hours in the day or would you say every 2 as she is feeding currently at night?

Thanks again.

[MothersMilk]

I think you should try feeding every couple of hours during the day for sure.
I know at that age my bub would wake more at night if she didn't have as many breastfeeds during the day - like she was catching up iykwim.

Good luck.

[Lissa7]

Could you feed her more often during the day?
I would feed every couple of hours during the day then she may have longer stretches between feeds at night.
I found at that age my bub went through a growth spurt and feed heaps also.

:iagree: bulk her up during the day and it may make her sleep longer stretches at night time, also I always found a nice long relaxing bath then feed & bed time at night always worked well for my girls. I have been known to bath my girls at 11pm!!!

[MamaKoala]

I personally wouldn't switch to formula at night if she is otherwise happy and content.
I started replacing BF with formula with DS1 and found that because I did, even though I expressed I started losing my milk at that time because I couldn't drain the breast as well as DS1 could.
It's hard to know what to do with first bubs, especially with all the information out there about BFing. Try looking up the Australian Breastfeeding Association website as they have great info about feeding.
Feeding every 3 hours is a really good idea but it may take bub a little time to stop feeding so frequently during the night.
On the daytime naps, try and develop a solid daytime routine with bub so that she is not over tired when she goes down for a nap and is well fed just before she goes down. Hopefully that will help her sleep a little longer.

[lmk]

Thank you all for your advice. Ill start feeding more often in the day and see how it plays out.
I was worried about my milk supply if I started using formula. I'm the same I can't express as much milk as my baby feeds.
It's so good to hear the advice of other mothers rather than just reading books :)

[LibranTwin]

Just letting you know that my bub woke after her 40 min sleep cycle everytime during the day for the first 4-5 months of her life. I tried absolutely everything to get her to sleep longer during the day (putting her down before she was too tired, putting her down later, going in just before she wakes and pat her back to sleep etc.) and nothing worked. She was always wide awake and happy after her quick naps so we survived :) Now several times a week she will have a day sleep that ends up being anywhere up to 2.5hrs long.

I used to worry about it so much and I shouldn't have. Everyone used to tell me that she needed to sleep longer etc. etc. I should have relaxed and not stressed about it at all!!


I was also thinking that maybe she has wind pain early in the morning because she is feeding so much overnight. Hopefully if she feeds more during the day the wind pain early in the morning will resolve itself!

[lmk]

My baby girl is also happy when she wakes after 40 min, I was concerned about her sleeping longer as all the books say she should and along with a few friends. Hearing that you had tried everything I guess some babies will just be cat nappers. Maybe I should try not worry so much, its just hard when I have people telling me she should be sleeping longer.

[cja]

DS never slept for longer than about 40mins in the day until he turned 1. Then he gave up his morning sleep and went for 2hrs in the afternoon.

Wheras DD always seemed to put herself back to sleep after the first 40mins and sleep for longer.

I guess it is different for every bub.