Tips to stop a baby waking up every 1/2 hours through the night?

Rikki

Breast fed babies go through marathon feeding sessions every few weeks in order to boost mum's milk supply.

Do bear in mind the baby is only two weeks old and it is very early days for any regimented fed and sleep routine.

wildfrog

I agree with the speaking to MW or health visitor, they're the experts!

But just to put my 2pence in.....;)

Could be that LO is feeding a little then falling asleep. So not taking enough milk, and if breast fed only taking the fore milk, rather the high calorie hind milk.

I had a similar issue with my son and we were advised to wake him up if he fell asleep feeding, then encourage him to feed again to ensure he was getting a good feed in one go rather than snacking.

Waking him up within the first couple of weeks was really hard! He just would fall asleep after about 5-10mins on the boob.The midwife advised me several things when trying to wake him. These were holding him upright, removing his clothes, tickling his hands and feet. can't remember the others.

Of course, check with MW or health visitor though!

Ms_Piggy_2

smartpicture wrote: »

My brother's just had his first baby (yay!), she's 2 weeks old and they're struggling! They say she wakes up every 1/2 hours through the night wanting to feed, and as it's soooo long since I had a baby not sure what to advise, so any tips?

It's a two week old baby - it's what they do :rotfl:
http://safebedsharing.org/safetyguidelines.html

Ms_Piggy_2

floss2 wrote: »

Please do not consider this

I would advise that no parent considers this as an option - the risk of layover is very high, especially with newborn or small babies who don't move very much.

Co-sleeping is actually very safe indeed if basic rules are followed:
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/sharingbedleaflet.pdf

RoxieW

i think guidelines must vary where u live as my health visitor was very anti co-sleeping.

Whitewillow_2

I wasnt producing enough milk when my son was born, i couldnt keep up with his demands - ended up with my son having to go into hospital at 4 weeks old because he was underweight (although completly healthy in every other way) and them subsituting some feeds for bottle, which quickly ended up (through my sons choice not mine) with him moving completly to bottle and we had no further issues, so it is completly possible for a mother NOT to produce enough milk, especially when stressed/tired, its a known fact our bodies produce less milk at these times! She should maybe try expressing to keep her milk flow up, and her other half could use these in the night? Then they could take it in turns, although this may not be possible if her milk flow is reducing! I know its controversial, but my mw also recommended a dummy as babies often cry for comfort, not feeding, this of course is down to personal choice. Also make sure baby is warm enough and comfortable, but ultimatley babies will in may cases wake through the night. It does get better but as has been said already this wont offer much comfort at this point!

carolan78

I used to co sleep with my second. I didn't with the first and ended up giving up breast feeding when she was 8 weeks. Now I realise if I had had the same HV I had with my second I could have carried on.

Second time round I was advicsed to co sleep so aby could feed as this is when most tend to need the most milk. Worked for us anyway, and I breastfed DS until he was almost 1.

smartpicture

Thanks for all the advise everyone. I've passed some of it on, and going to see new niece on Friday for the first time so will see how they're getting on then.

Glamazon

ginvzt wrote: »

My cousins had to be moved onto formula, as my aunt didn't have enough milk, so it can happen. My cousin was crying a lot, and was hungry all the time. When my aunt tried to express, she could see that there was definitely not enough milk.

My mum did not have enough milk and I was given a milk from another woman, who had too much.

I had these problem due to 2 breast ops so switched to formula. Hand expressing showed me there was not much there!

floss2 wrote: »

Please do not consider this

I would advise that no parent considers this as an option - the risk of layover is very high, especially with newborn or small babies who don't move very much.

Not if you do it properly - like others have said it can be done.

I do it when LO is feeling unwell or just needs me close - I went into the spare room (double bed away from OH who may roll over). I arranged the pillows and duvet in such a way that Jack had plenty of space around him so that the duvet didn't go over him.
Also, you never really sleep properly anyway unless you're very tired or have had alcohol.

There is so much you're not 'supposed' to do but if you are careful about it you can.

tiamai_d

It sounds like a 'normal' routine for a breast fed 2 week old. They do only have tiny tummies and as breast milk is digested so quickly they will wake to feed more than a formula fed baby.

I would strongly suggest that before a feed she do breast massage, it will help get the hindmilk going which will keep them fuller for longer rather than the watery foremilk. The fat globules in breast milk stick together so if you have seen expressed breast milk that has been in the fridge, the fatty 'cream' sits on top and you have to shake it before using it. Breast massage is similar to that shaking and it does help.

She will settle into a better feeding/waking routine in time but it is very hard work in the early days. All you can do is encourage her to keep going, support her, help her to see that she really does have to sleep when baby sleeps and when she says she wants to switch to formula, try and encourage her to keep going with breast feeding (I've wanted to switch so many times but just needed some support and someone to say you can do it!).

Although I admit that I give my DD a bottle of formula at her 8pm feed and have doen since 2-3weeks) to help her sleep longer at night, she would then sleep till 5am, sometimes waking for a feed about 11pm. But, not everyone agrees with formula top ups and it has caused some problems for us.