12 week old daughter only sleeps 2 hours at a time

[NV_in_VA]

We need help. Our 12 week old is only sleeping ~2 hours at a time, which is killing us. She's breast-fed, and was born at 37 weeks, and was small for gestational age. Mild reflux which we're treating with Zantac. She's growing very well, and is very healthy - she's just not sleeping.

We're unsure how young is too young to try to start some of the methods we've read about, such as Ferber. Maternity leave nearing the end, so it's only going to be worse for sleep deprivation.

[Anonymous]

I EBF'ed, but made sure to give a bottle of pumped milk before DH and I went to bed to make sure DS had a *full* tummy, which seemed to help. I would pump then too to keep supply, but I liked knowing he got a good amount as my supply was lower at night.

[Anonymous]

Read 12 hours by 12 weeks - it change our lives and allowed me to return to a functioning adult I was on the brink of being fired ( fell asleep at my desk and missed a deadline the first week back!)

[Anonymous]

NV_in_VA wrote:We need help. Our 12 week old is only sleeping ~2 hours at a time, which is killing us. She's breast-fed, and was born at 37 weeks, and was small for gestational age. Mild reflux which we're treating with Zantac. She's growing very well, and is very healthy - she's just not sleeping.

We're unsure how young is too young to try to start some of the methods we've read about, such as Ferber. Maternity leave nearing the end, so it's only going to be worse for sleep deprivation.

You're definitely hitting what, in my opinion, is the worst stretch of baby-parenting. The good news is that you can sleep train in a couple months. The bad news is that you can't really now - baby is too little to self-sooth. But you can definitely read Weissbluth and start to develop good routines.

Biggest help - split the night with your husband. Pump a bottle during the day if you can, then go to bed EARLY (like same time as baby), then see if you can get a 4-5 hour stretch while husband gives the bottle. So you get to sleep 8-1 straight, then interrupted 1-6 or whatever. And husband goes to bed after feeding (at 11 or whatever) and gets to sleep until 6 or so.

[NV_in_VA]

Re: 12 hours in 12 weeks

I admit, I'm hesitant about this, because it relies on larger feedings. She's only now 9.5-10lbs, so expecting her to take large bottles of pumped milk or big feedings from the breast doesn't seem realistic.

[Anonymous]

NV_in_VA wrote:We need help. Our 12 week old is only sleeping ~2 hours at a time, which is killing us. She's breast-fed, and was born at 37 weeks, and was small for gestational age. Mild reflux which we're treating with Zantac. She's growing very well, and is very healthy - she's just not sleeping.

We're unsure how young is too young to try to start some of the methods we've read about, such as Ferber. Maternity leave nearing the end, so it's only going to be worse for sleep deprivation.

It's sacrilege to say, but we let our reflux baby sleep on his tummy. Ours used to only sleep in 2 hour stretches, too, even though he wasn't necessarily hungry (he'd eat every 3 hours in daytime). Without sleep training, at 16 weeks he'll now go from 9/10 to 5/6, just because he's on his tummy and is not awoken by acid coming up. For whatever reason, it doesn't come up at night while he's on his tummy, or if it does, he just lets it drool out, as opposed to going back into his throat where he'd have to choke and cough and growl and generally never fall into a deep, restorative sleep. He wasn't waking up hungry before, he was waking up in discomfort. My breast milk would soothe his pained throat, but he wasn't really needing the food, he was just needing the coating in his throat to take the acid pain away. (We're on Zantac, too, but even the mild discomfort kept him from really sleeping well.)

We use a Snuza to help keep us from being completely petrified about SIDS.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe any kind if sleep training is recommended before 4 mon, and I think your problem may be the baby's weight. My first was born 6 and 1 oz and gained about a pound a month and woke frequently to feed - my per even advised not cutting her off until over 12 pounds... My second had the same birth weight but gained much faster and was 9 pounds at 1 month. He started sleeping through the night (11pm to 7 am) by 5 or 6 weeks.

Now, the older is 4 and never wakes up at night and the younger is 2.4 and wakes up twice every single night... So a perfect nights sleep continues to elude me ...

[Anonymous]

NV_in_VA wrote:Re: 12 hours in 12 weeks

I admit, I'm hesitant about this, because it relies on larger feedings. She's only now 9.5-10lbs, so expecting her to take large bottles of pumped milk or big feedings from the breast doesn't seem realistic.

PP here, yes, and large feedings aren't ideal for a reflux baby -- the fuller their tummies, the more likely they are to spit up more, and keep spitting up once the diaphragm is irritated. I wouldn't go that route myself.

[Anonymous]

I also had this issue and used 12 horus in 12 weeks. The thing is though, I don't think you are allowed to start until the baby has reached 14 lbs? (I could be wrong on this - check the book- I just know that we had to wait until my DD was 16 weeks because she was not heavy enough).

This book truly changed my life. I did not sleep longer than a 2-3 hour stretch until we started. My daughter also started gaining weight much quicker afterwards, which was critical because she was in the 5th percentile and really needed to gain. She had reflux as well.. such a nightmare, I look back and just wince at how we ever made it through! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

NV_in_VA wrote:Re: 12 hours in 12 weeks

I admit, I'm hesitant about this, because it relies on larger feedings. She's only now 9.5-10lbs, so expecting her to take large bottles of pumped milk or big feedings from the breast doesn't seem realistic.

I was unsure about it but like I said it change our lives, my husband travels for work so I'm on my own during the week and not sleeping just wasn't an option - I had to be at work and accomplish tasks. I would give it a try and if it doesn't work well then it wasn't a good for for your family. DS has slept 12 hours since 13 weeks when I followed the book, he's now 2 & we have another baby on the way who I plan to follow it book for as well.

[Anonymous]

I don't know what your LO is sleeping in, but our reflux baby absolutely could not sleep in a crib. She slept swaddled in her swing for a few weeks, which was a million times better than a crib but still woke up multiple times per night. Then we bought a rock n play, she went to one wakeup per night (down around 10pm, eat at 3am, awake at 6am) for a week, and since probably 10 weeks has slept from 9:30-6am, only waking for early AM feedings when she had a little cold.

She also cluster-feeds in the evening, which helps, she definitely goes to bed with a full belly.

At 4 months, we are slowly transitioning her back to crib, she much prefers the rock n play.