Feeding FAQ: 0-8 weeks – Breast Feeding

My 6.5 week old is restless in the evening and is waking earlier in the night

My 6.5-week-old daughter has slept through to 4-5am a quite a number of times over the last week or so, but now seems to be waking at 2:30-3am again. She sleeps fairly well during the day, following the 6-8 week routine. We do still have problems settling her at 7pm. It’s fairly touch and go whether she sleeps through until 10pm. Sometimes she settles well at 7pm only to wake up not hungry or crying in any way as long as she has company. This usually happens after the first 45mins. She will sometimes drop off to sleep (after a short 5min feed) at around 8.45-9pm. We then struggle to wake her for the late feed. We always do the late feed the same, keeping her awake for an hour (excluding the time it takes to wake her up). At her lunchtime naps she is quite capable of settling herself back to sleep, and does so even at night when she comes into a light sleep – so I’m a bit baffled as to why she can’t do it in the evenings.

The usual pattern after such an evening is that she wakes anywhere between 3-4am and I feed her (25-30mins one side). She is then awake again around 6.30-7am & takes about 3oz of expressed milk from my husband. Usually I have to top her up before putting her down for the morning nap.

I am concerned that on the evenings that she does sleep from 7-10pm, she seems to be waking earlier in the middle of the night. Last night, for example she woke at 2.30am. I tried to settle her with cooled boiled water (she took about an ounce) but it didn’t look like she would settle so I gave her 15mins on the breast. She settled again by 3.15am, this morning she was awake at 6.15am. She took 3oz and I settled her back in her cot till 7.30am.

I am very keen to resolve the 7-10pm sleep issue in particular, preferably without back tracking on the night sleeping.

At present she weighs 10.14lbs [birth weight: 9lbs]. She lost weight initially; I also had problems with my milk supply but followed the plan for increasing the supply when my daughter was three weeks.

She feeds at 6.45/7am 3oz expressed, 8am 10 minutes, 8.45am 5+ minutes before going down for her nap, 10am 20-25 minutes one side, 11am 15 minutes second side. I offered her a top up at 11.40am as she was beginning to wake at 1.30pm from her lunchtime nap. 2/2.15pm 20-25mins one side, 3.15pm 10mins second side, 5pm 20-25 minutes [she was still unable to wait until after her bath], 6pm 5 minutes first side and as long as she wants on second [could be 35 minutes]. I take her off when she is getting too sleepy. 10.15pm 25 minutes one side, 10-15 minutes second side. The rest of this hour is spent trying to keep her awake as she gets very sleepy after the first side. In the night she will take a sleepy 15-20 minutes at what ever time she wakes.

Not settling properly at 7pm could be due to several reasons. Although at times you say she wakes after 45 minutes and is content to be awake, she does then need a feed to get back to sleep. Offer her a top-up of expressed milk when you have fed her at 6pm. Often by this time of day your supply is low. Be aware that she may also be falling asleep at the breast and beginning to associate this with sleeping. She stirs in her lighter sleep after 45 minutes and wakes herself missing the comfort of sucking at the breast. It would be better to offer 20 minutes on the second side after her bath and then follow with a top-up of expressed to be sure that she has had a good feed.
Another reason for her waking after 45 minutes is too much daytime sleep. Look at the length of time she is sleeping, especially in the afternoon, and make sure she is fully awake by 5pm. If her lunchtime nap is better after having a top up at 11.40am she will only need around 30 minutes at 4.30-5pm. If she falls into a deep sleep in the afternoon rather than a catnap she is more likely to be restless in the evening.
At her age, your daughter may have begun to wake earlier again in the night time due to her 6-week growth spurt. Again, using a top up after the 10pm feed could ensure she is receiving enough milk. It can be difficult both to wake and to keep a small baby awake at this time. Try beginning to wake her around 9.45pm, especially when she has slept from 7pm. Feed her from one side and then put her down away from your warmth onto the floor for a kick. Allow there to be plenty of light and noise from the TV or radio. Changing her and allowing her a short time on her mat with no nappy can also help keep a small baby awake.
Offer her the second side followed by a top up to settle her well.
If your daughter does wake in the night earlier than she has been, wait ten minutes or so before going into her. Then, if still unsettled offer her water first before a feed. Pushing on in the night can take time, especially as she goes through a growth spurt. It is important not to cut back too quickly on the middle of the night feed as your objective is to get her sleeping from 11pm to 7am when she is able to do so. A fully breast fed baby may still need a small feed in the early morning, although hopefully this will go back to being around 4/5am once you are ensuring she is well fed at 6 and 10pm.