11 and half month old is super active and does not sleep more than hour and half. Not only does he wake up constantly but he feeds every hour (during the day he can be stretched out to 3 hours if I constantly entertain him or take him out). He has slept a couple of longer stints at night and once or twice has had a massive nap so he definitely can sleep. He goes from 0 to screaming and be up all night if I don't comply with feeding pretty much every hour at night and or vigorous rocking. There is nothing medically wrong with him not even reflux. I have tried co sleeping but he is non stop active, he will not lie down nicely with me. He just gets up trying to crawl off the bed or cries until I sit up and feed him or rock him standing. If I try to get him to self settle he will stand in the cot shaking the side vigorously getting increasingly upset eventually ending in spew after not even 5 min. If I try to shhhh him in the cot he goes stiff and screams murder. Pick up put down he also won't have a bar of it. I do put him down drowsy but that is after draining both boobs and some form of rocking he will 70% of the time drift off then. After 8 odd feeds a night he gets up at 5.30am and has a bowl of baby cereal, water and some of my toast, fruit after his morning nap, he isn't really keen on lunch but will snack on whatever I am eating, for dinner either what we are having or half a jar of baby food. He is quite a hefty little thing and is not starving, I offer him healthy food all day plus have always had an ample supply of milk. He won't take a bottle. I do bath with massage before and story or quiet play and he goes down for his original night sleep reasonably well considering he wakes up 40 Min later for another feed. Please help I am so exhausted, every time I fall asleep he wakes up and I am beginning to not like breastfeeding it is just non stop and exhausting.
Active 11 and half month old feeds constantly and won't sleep
Active 11 and half month old feeds constantly and won't sleep
Posted in:
Baby & Toddler, Baby Feeding
12 Replies
What state are you in? It sounds more like a sleep association (the feeding) rather than him needing it for sustenance.
Different states have different resources to help. We are in WA so had help from Ngala. They were amazing.
I'm in Queensland. I agree with it being a sleeping association but not the feeding itself but having a full tummy. He will feed until I have a let down weather it takes a Min or an hour when I am half asleep he will not go down empty. He rarely actually falls asleep at the breast I either put him down or rock him a bit straight after he is finished feeding or he will start trying to play and crawl away or scream and tantrum until I rock him
Have you called the Ellen Barron Family Centre? They seem like the Ngala/Tresillian equivalent. I used to either feed or rock my bubs to sleep. Ngala helped for both my kids. I'd give them a call and see what they say. You might be able to get an admission. With my youngest we got admitted to them. Most of it (except maybe $50) was paid by private health insurance. We stayed to one week but then needed another week later on because baby got sick. It might be worth a call.
Have you have your milk checked? It may be that it’s not satisfying him for some reason.
Otherwise, you definitely need to get in contact with a sleep consultant, request a referral from your GP or maternal health nurses :)
You must be absolutely exhausted! we have a shitty overnight sleep a few weeks older than your son and he does the cot shaking too - we are exhausted but luckily he doesn’t want feeds overnight. We simply refused them and now he has no bottles at all
I thaught that about my milk but the health nurse assures me it's not. I have a very healthy whole foods diet, don't eat junk, take a feeding support supplement and have great supply.
I am reluctant to do sleep school as I did it with my first and it was horrible.
That’s understandable, what about an in home sleep consultant? Someone who can come and offer tips as opposed to a structured sleep school.
Also, instead of offering milk, what about a sippy cup of water or a small feed?
Each child is different however my son eats breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner (sometimes dessert if special occasion) and just on 12 months. No milk offered unless cows milk now via sippy cup.
We were told overfed on milk can cause sleep problems, stopped and voila, much longer sleeps.
How’s his bowel movements?
He does snack through the day when his sisters are eating. I give him crusts off their sandwich, handful of grated cheese etc
He is really regular once a day around 1 lol
We don't have any money to have anyone come out.
I might see if I can get him a different dippy cup and see if he will have more water
Will he eat more solids if it's offerred? By 11 months my kids were offerred food before milk during the day and eating a lot more than what you've described - my only thought is maybe it will make him feel fuller for longer. I wish I had a better idea - you must be exhausted. Have you spoken to your gp or health nurse about it? Just to rule out anything else going on
Find another way to settle. It’s ecpxhausting, but try rocking with a dummy.
It takes time, but if you hold him close, side to side, under a soft light putting his eyes to light/dark slowly, he will get sleepy and eventually sleep. My mum has to help me as I was exhausted - and this is what she did. I tried everything before that helped.
What brand dummy did you use?
Less daytime feeds and more solids through the day, he sounds hungry. Milk will be making him feel full so he is eating less, which would be making him hungry through the night.
I've been through this.
You need to get rid of the night feeds. It is not worth the sleep deprivation.
Doing so will be a few horrible nights so get someone in to look after bubs for the day while you catch up on sleep.
A sleep school in your state will help (Tweddle in Victoria). Find them and get rid of those night feeds.
Good luck xoxo