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My baby is now 17 weeks old. I would like some tips on getting him to sleep through the night. I generally have no trouble in getting him to sleep at night. He falls asleep anywhere between 6.30/7.30pm and will sleep until 3/4am. I give him a feed but does not take alot and he will fall asleep but he will only sleep for about another hour and then be fully awake. Once he is up in the morning fed and nappy changed he will fall asleep about hour after getting up. What advice can you give to me in getting him to sleep better from his early morning feed. Should I try waking him up about 10/11pm to give him a feed?

Hi Mel,

You can give him something called a dream feed, you basically lift him from his cot without waking him and you just rub the teat across his lips, he will know what it is and will start sucking on it. He wont wake up (or shouldnt!), and because he is asleep he will be relaxed and so wont need winding or anything. when he's had enough you just pop him back into the cot!
I did this with my little girl but for a different reason. It doesnt mean that he will sleep through, i dont think they do this until they are ready and up until that point there isnt much you can do - but it may do the trick for your little boy!

Afraid it just takes time and they normally do it when they are ready. My twins always had me up between 4.30 and 5.00 until they were about a year or so old and even at the age of nearly 5, they are still early risers, anywhere between 5.30 and 6.30. Its tiring i know, but it wont last forever, i am looking forward to having trouble waking them in time for school instead of being up so early.

Mel he is doing ever so well to be sleeping for 8-9 hours at 17 weeks so you're obviously doing something right He's obviously in a really good routine and over time eventually he'll cut out the 3/4am feed and sleep through til 5/6am, but like others have said this just takes time and might not happen til he's started weaning and can last longer at night.

The only other thing I can suggest is that you keep him up later so and don't put him down til say 9pm and see if that helps him to get in the habit of sleeping through til 6am and then start bringing his bedtime forward each week, 8.30, 8, 7.30 etc, but you take the risk that this will disrupt his routine and he'll probably be very grumpy in the evening.

Loocy xx

to be quite honest hun i think hes doing ever so well at such a young age, maybe try putting him to bed that little bit later around 8.30 the mabe he wnt wake till 5/6 then go back over till around 7 ??? i dunno but i wouldnt worry too much yet as hes doing very well

THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSES. I HAVE TRIED FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS WITH A DREAM FEED BETWEEN 10-11PM. AT THE MOMENT HE IS STILL WAKING UP HOWEVER I WILL KEEP TRYING THIS FOR THE TIME BEING. I AM RELUCTANT TO TRY AND CHANGE HIS NIGHT ROUTINE AS TO WHEN HE FALLS ASLEEP AS HE BECOMES SO GRUMPY IF HE DOES NOT GET TO SLEEP IT JUST TURNS INTO A FIGHT AND BOTH OF US BECOME TOO STRESSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND REMARKS, ITS GOOD TO KNOW I'M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT AS A FIRST TIME MUM.

Sleeping through the night !! Whats that??

lol Sorry Josh is 1 now and has never slept through ! he is a little tinker so any tips for me girls?? i have tried dream feed, tough love etc etc etc and nothing seems to work.

Julie

Ditto here Jell!!! Never mind 17 weeks, Liberty is 17 months and still wakes up 3 times a night!!! I am wondering if it could be food intolerances giving her night time tummy aches.
I need sleep!!!!!!!

Hi baby usa

could be lactose intolerance. Josh was diagnised with it at 8 months and although he is a different baby through the day he is still terible at night, ay least 3 times per night !!! I need some sleep! i work full time and lack of sleep is taking its toll

Julie xx

Hi Jell-how did they diagnose Josh? I have been giving Liberty paracetamol and ibuprofen in the night and she is only waking twice for the past 2 nights but I know if I carry on they will stop working and it won't stop the cause only the symptoms-I just needed a little sleep, I work full time too and get up at 4.45am mon - fri

its a long story but ill make it as short as i can.

Josh was born emergency section and spent the first 5 days of his life in ITC unit. when i brought him home he never settled and wanted to be constantly cuddled. The HV said it was due to traumatic birth. I tried everything even took him to a chiropractor. At around 3 weeks he constantly cried for hours on end so went to see my GP who diagnosed colic. This went on for months n months. He never settled and has always woke throughout the nihgt and i found it really hard to settle him back down once he had woke up. At around 8 months he was projectile vomiting and bad runs after every bottle. After 4 visits to the GP and him saying it was a virus i had ahd enough so i started to look things up on the net and Josh had all the classic symptoms of lactose intolerance. I mentioned it to the GP and agreed to try soya formula. After a week he was a changed baby. Still wakes through out the night maybe 2-3 times per night. but on most ocassions i can give him a bottle and he will go back down. During the day he is such a happy baby now and i swear it was the lactose. maybe worth mentioning to your GP.

Good luck, if you need to ask me anything just give me a shout.

Julie xx

Just thought I would give you a quick update on our progress of the night sleeping. The dream feeds did not work for us unfortunately. Callum will be 6 months on Tuesday. I met with my health visitor on Wednesday last week who gave me some information on "controlled crying" to help with the night sleeping. I started this on Thursday. Thursday night was hard but he was only awake for about 30 mins. Friday night he only woke slightly twice and once comforted with a cuddle and his dummy he is quickly falling back asleep. What a transformation. He is now happy to be in his cot sleeping during the day too as he used to sleep on the settee beside me. Our day however still starts at 6am but I can cope with this now the nights are more peaceful. I probably shouldnt tempt fate by telling you this huge improvement in just two days but hopefully this will continue. I would definetely recommend the controlled crying technique as long as you have good stamina in the middle of the night!!!

HI Mel,

Glad the controlled crying has worked. Its a nightmare when you dont get your sleep!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

lol.
after battling with a toddler who has more energy than duracell batteries it is very hard to find the stamina in the middle of the night.lol glad the controlled cryings worked for you, any tips from other mummies on here will be gratly received

Ems x

The clocks go forward tonight... hope the dont disturbe the babies!!

Ruby is 11 weeks and other night she slpet nearly 12 hours! So proud of her, she normally sleep from 8ish till 7ish, last night she woke up at 5! That was only cos her nappy needed changing tho, was a shock to system waking up a them times again! lol


I can remember when we bought her home from hopsital, she wouldnt sleep till 3am! Im really proud of her on how much shes come along in the past weeks .

This message has been edited. Last edited by: *Laura*,