Charlie was not a fan of sleep for the first three weeks of his life, just like lots of other newborns. From about 10pm - 4am every night, he screamed or moaned or whinged and then about 4am he would drop off for a couple of hours. Then, at Easter, when he was about three and a half weeks old, we went away to stay with my parents for a week and all of a sudden one night, he went to sleep at 11 and stayed asleep until 5am! I couldn't believe it. He carried on doing this and gradually the 11pm became 10.30, which became 10 which then became 9pm. Annoyingly he would not go to sleep before this though! The 5am also started getting later and he would sometimes sleep until 7am ish. I started to feel better and look less tired and everything was running along smoothly.
And then, all of a sudden a couple of weeks ago, he woke at 1am, then 3am, then 5am and then 7am! What?! The next few nights he continued to wake up a couple of times, if not more. We are now approaching the end of two weeks of this and I am knackered again. Fortunately, I am still off work, but I go back in 5 weeks so how the heck am I supposed to plan and teach lessons to hormonal teenagers if I am not getting much sleep! When he does wake, he won't go back to sleep without a feed, so he gets in bed with us, meaning that I have to cling to the edge of the bed and therefore I don't sleep well. Co-sleeping was easier when he was teeny. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but the logistics are slightly different now.
Charlie was 20 weeks on Tuesday. I am not sure if his constant wakening is due to a) the weather; it has been so humid here lately, b) milk isn't satisfying him enough now and he needs more; or c) he just fancies more cuddles! I went into work for a week just before he started doing this and I was told that this can often result in babies wake up more frequently during the night as they want to be with their mummy as they haven't seen them as much and haven't fed as much. But it's still happening so I don't know if that's the case or not.
We have started giving him a few spoonfuls of fruit puree and veg puree here and there. Hopefully this might start filling him up if it is hunger, but I am also trying to stop him dropping off too soon during his last feed to try and ensure he is completely full. What else it could be down to, I really don't know!
I miss my sleep! I had got used to it and was clearly taking it for granted! I really hope he settles back down as I forgot how lack of sleep, also coupled with anaemia can make you feel!!
Please Charlie, be good for mummy and go back to just waking the once.
mummystartingout x
