6 month old baby issues

[gemmabegley83]

Hi all. Wondering if anyone has any advice.
I have a 4 year old 3 year old and a 6 month old. Also I’m having some major anxiety/panic attacks. Which isn’t like me at all I’m normally very controlled. My older two babies life’s are ruled by routine they slept from 7-7 from 13 weeks and took to feeding well. Dropped bottles for meals on their own and I found the whole thing so easy. This 3rd baby is knocking me for 6. She has a bad milk allergy and has literally cried for comfort or attention since the day she was born. Given COVID situation I’ve really not had much in the way of support of guidance with her. I’m really stressed now because she is so hard to get into a routine. Can some one please help.

she goes to bed 6-3/4/5 has 8 oz
Nap from 7-8 am on couch till everyone else wakes
2nd nap always awake for next feed 10.30 8oz
Nap mid afternoon sometimes 2hours
2.30 130g food pouch and 80g fruit purée
15/20mins nap around 4pm
6 start bedtime she is so grouchy I try to keep her up later than this. 6.30 9 oz

why isn’t she sleeping and how to I get her next meal into her breakfast is so hard because she wakes so early!
Any help would be fab. I’m in such a fog right now I feel i can’t sort this out myself!! Thanks

 

[NotSorry]

Hi Gemma

I’m a little confused by your first line - are you saying she goes to bed at 6pm and can wake at 3am then 4am then 5am or are you saying that she goes to bed at 6pm and can wake at any of those times?

It’s a long time since mine were that little but if you look at the her nighttime she is actually doing 9 hours if the earliest she wakes is 3am - if you were able to work her round bedtime round to slightly later - even 15 minutes per day hopefully she would start to wake up later - this what we had to do with our eldest as he was going to bed too early but then would do a long sleep but wake up 4am-ish. It wasn’t easy but eventually we got him into a later bedtime and he then work up at about 6am (he was always an early riser)

I’m sure someone will be along soon that has better advice than me, apologies my youngest is about to turn 18 so I’m trying to remember back!

 

[gemmabegley83]

Go thanks for the reply. Yeah she goes to bed around 6 and wakes either every little while between 3 and finally up at 5 I’ve tried to just put her dummy in and kind of ignore her/sleep train a little bit it’s no good. The stress comes that I’m going back to work as cabin crew next month she will have to go into the room beside my 3 year old and I hoped she would be better for moving rooms at this rate she will have the whole house up at 3am and that’s sometimes when o have to go to work!!! Finding it a bit difficult. I am defo trying to put her to bed later last two nights she’s went to bed at 7 but she’s been a mystery For that last hour even though she’s had a wee nap around 4pm. And she still woke up for 4am x

 

[lifestooshort123]

Hi Gemma and welcome.
I think you were extremely lucky if your first 2 slept 12 hrs straight at 13 weeks!! My grandson is 12 and has never slept for more than 8 hrs straight - we're hoping he'll be a regular teenager! You've got your hands full with 3 under 5s and things will settle eventually but I agree with putting bedtime a bit later if you can. Having a demanding baby is tough with others to care for and perhaps she will settle more once you start weaning her - having a milk allergy doesn't help the little girl. I'm sorry you're having a tough time.

 

[Oldcoot]

What about adding another food pouch in the evening? So instead of trying to instigate a breakfast, just try lunch and dinner instead?

It's been a long time since my two were that young but DS was constantly hungry and milk just wasnt enough, he was on puree a lot younger than yours is now although I know it's to do with current recommendations. Maybe some riceflakes made with whatever it is you use instead of the milk?

The milk allergy sounds like hell.

 

[DinosaurChickens]

No advice, I am well beyond the age of baby care and can barely remember it. But I wanted to say what an outstandingly good Mum you are, from your post you just sound so together and brilliant and conscientious and with that going for you and advice from the above who do still have good baby skills I think you have 'got this.' xx DC

 

[CakeO'clock]

It's been a while but you could try an 10/11pm dream feed to top her up in case she's waking because she's hungry. It is possible to do it without waking them too much, but you might want to pick a suitable night that has less impact the following day to try it out. Otherwise I'd try feeding her dinner and/or supper in the evening to see if that helps too, doesn't have to be much but it's worth a shot if she'll eat it.

I had two that didn't sleep, breastfed to settle, wouldn't follow any routine and were generally quite high maintenance. They did sort themselves out in the end so there is light at the end of the tunnel. Didn't feel like it at the time, but just do whatever you need to to get through the day.