ALI - sorry to hear about the house, fingers crossed for the one on Saturday.
Campari - nice to see you are back! I feel exactly the way you do about the night feeds! I am in the same boat, feeding at 8pm, 11pm, 3am currently, no matter what is eaten or bf during the day it seems. Poor DH on Tuesday night, I went out for dinner with Mother's group and fed her at 6pm, left at 6.30pm, then she woke at 8pm, screamed for 45 minutes and then sat up with DH until I got home at 10pm, had a bf and went straight to sleep. I am going to Matchbox 20 concert next Thursday and he is preparing for the screaming again. He can't seem to settle her and I can't settle her without a bf.
I spoke to the Nurse about it on Wednesday, and she said that she must be having lots of little drinks during the day and night, (feeding 6-7 times in 24hrs) but probably only equates to 3-4 full feeds. I am finding that DD best feeds are during the night. during the day she has so much to do, not much time for a long feed before she is distracted.
My main concern is that I go back to work on May 1, and whilst yesterday I managed to get DD to only bf on waking, a little at lunch and before bed (I need my body to get used to only a few feeds whilst I am at work all day 3 days pw) so she ate alot during the day, she really had big feeds during the night still and I am going to be so tired going back to work!!!
Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions. This coincided with Ella getting her first tooth, FINALLY! So I don't know if it will settle down, but my gf in BNE is having the same with her DS who is only 5 days younger than Ella.
To be honest, my DS didn't sleep during the night until he weaned himself at 10mths and went onto a cup of formula before bed - if you want to try that don't be hard on yourself because it may be the best thing for you and your DD. My DH said as he left for work this morning that I should try and get Ella to drink formula in a cup more so he can feed her. I'm a bit lazy but also I like bf and don't want it to stop altogether, so am willing to keep going at least until I go back to work.
I think you would have to be consistent and not give in to bf (before bed) for at least 3 days to see if it would work which could involve a lot of crying. But if you have got to that point and a prepared to do that, then go for it.
I think that you could try EBM, at least you would know how much she was getting, and if that didn't work, go for formula in the cup/bottle, that is if you have the energy for expressing. I think formula fills them up a bit more.
Sorry for the long post - goodluck and let me know what you decide/try. Having read this, I think I will talk to DH about him giving Ella cup of formula if she wakes during the night, over the Anzac Day long weekend and see how that goes. Then he won't be too tired for work the next day.
Bookmarks