We had been doing pretty well up until last night. At night I get Elliot down to bed and then pump a bottle so that J can take the second wakeup of the night and feed Elliot while I get a little sleep. Well, that all got shot to hell last night.
I got him down at 8:45 after his bath and a little nursing. I came back downstairs to start pumping and after only being down 20 mins he was up and crying, so I went back up to nurse him some more. I pumped a 4 oz bottle and headed to bed at 10:00. Just a few minutes after climbing into bed he started crying again. J went in to feed him the bottle and get him settled. At 11:55 he was back up. I nursed him and rocked him and got him back down. I hadn't even been able to fall back to sleep when he was up and crying again at 1:43. I tried giving him a bottle (figuring I might be empty) and he just cried and gagged and choked like had never had a bottle before. I ended up nursing him again for 20 minutes and got him back down at 2:02. At 3:42 he was crying again and still refusing a bottle so I couldn't even kick J out of bed to go feed him.
At that point I was getting very frustrated. He needs to take a bottle, especially when he starts daycare in December. And because I need some help at night and if I have to do all of the feedings all the time I am going to lose it.
I contemplated just lounging in the recliner with him until it was time to get up, but I put him back in the bassinet at 4:30 and crawled back in bed. At 5:30 he was crying. Again. This time J did get up and went in to try to give him a bottle. I finally fell back to sleep at 6:00 and slept until he was crying again at 6:55.
Aaaaahhhhhhh! What happened to my baby that slept 5.5 hours and then 4 hours the night before? And why is he all of a sudden refusing bottles?
I know there is a 6 week growth spurt but I thought we were past that since he'll be 7 weeks tomorrow. Maybe he's just a little behind. I'm praying that tonight is a better night because if nights like last night are the norm I am going to be a zombie. Or more of one than I am today.
And I guess the not sleeping has caught up with my little guy because he is currently snoozing away in his car seat sawing logs:
He's in the car seat because I had to drop Andrew off at daycare and since he was passed out when we got back I didn't want to wake him. I should probably be taking advantage of him sleeping and try to take a nap myself, but I'm supposed to be working. I think I'll just turn the volume up on my computer so I'll hear if anyone emails me or hits me up on chat. This mommy needs a nap...
I once in a blue read your blog (old April 11 board...I have a 6 and a 2.5 yr old boys). Both of my boys were like this and my 2 yr old still is. I bed share with my younger (bed shared with my older son until he was 4 when my 2nd was born). It's what works for us or I'd never get sleep. Especially with breastfeeding. I would just lay there and nurse him and we would both drift off together. I know Elliot is still tiny but soon maybe this is an option to consider?
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so hoping for a better night for you tonight! Very, very much hoping... :)
ReplyDeleteIt was actually worse. :(
DeleteYou forgot, I have forgotten what it Leland was like as a newborn but I am sure I will be reminded when #2 makes his arrival.
ReplyDeleteI know it's preference but this is exactly why we cosleep. I could never get up that many times! My guy sleeps through with me waking him once to feed so I don't explode. I know know I'm lucky because my first son had me a zombie. It's awful I know! I bet he just missed you.
ReplyDeleteElisabeth would never take a bottle from me or if I was in the room. If she saw me she wanted her milk straight from the boob. Perhaps Elliot is the same.
ReplyDeleteHe's taken them from me before, but he's stopped wanting a bottle the last few days. Hoping it's just because of the congestion.
DeleteIt sounds like a growth spurt. Try having J give him a bottle instead of you.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately he doesn't want one from either of us. I did get him to drink 2.5 oz last night, though. He's congested and having trouble breathing out of his nose, so I think that's part of it. I bought the saline drops for his nose today and we're working on clearing out his nose so he can breathe. Fingers crossed that it helps (I've been up since 4:45 this morning).
Delete