nursing all night long-i'm exhausted

[omelette]

I'm co-sleeping with my 4 month old son. He was sleeping 3-4 hour stretches between feeds but is now up within 20-40 minutes after a feed and I can't get him back to sleep without nursing him again (we often get 1-2 1.5 hour stretches a night and it feels like heaven).
He seems to wake up with gas, I massage his tummy/pump his legs to help him pass it and then try to gently rock him to sleep with my hand on his tummy, sometimes this works but now very often so I resort to nursing him. I know if I stood up and rocked him I could get him back to sleep but I am so exhausted it's easier to nurse him to sleep. I know he does not need to eat after he's just had a good nurse 20 minutes prior but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions to try and get him to sleep longer stretches or other tricks that might help him get back to sleep with out nursing. I want to keep him in the bed but I want some sleep.

One more Q - DH is sleeping in the spare room for now, do you think it would be useful to have him rock baby to sleep when he wakes up after 20 minutes as opposed to feeding him. Maybe if it's dad he won't want milk and will actually go to sleep?

[kelly]

I pretty much left a nipple out all night so I could sleep. DD2 was a champion night-nurser, especially after I went back to work and she hated the bottles during the day. A lot of it was probably comfort nursing, but I didn't care. We both slept blissfully, and around 10 mos she was ready for her own bed. JMO.

[omelette]

Originally Posted by kelly

I pretty much left a nipple out all night so I could sleep. DD2 was a champion night-nurser, especially after I went back to work and she hated the bottles during the day. A lot of it was probably comfort nursing, but I didn't care. We both slept blissfully, and around 10 mos she was ready for her own bed. JMO.

If I could sleep while he nursed he could be attached all night long but the problem is that I can't sleep while he's nursing so I'm looking for alternatives that might help me get a bit more sleep. I also realize he is still very young and I have no problem with night time nursing I'm just hoping to cut it back from every 20-40 minutes. He's with me all day long too and nurses well and often all day so he's not trying to play catch up from the day.

[Louisep]

Do you swaddle and use white noise? We also ended up using a pacifier eventually. All three things helped us. It could be a growth spurt or teething - how long has it been going on for?

[omelette]

Originally Posted by Louisep

Do you swaddle and use white noise? We also ended up using a pacifier eventually. All three things helped us. It could be a growth spurt or teething - how long has it been going on for?

We already swaddle, which was what helped with the original 3-4 hour stretches he used to do but it doesn't seem to be helping much anymore. We've also resorted to a pacifier. He would stay at the breast all day and all night if he could so when I pop him off I pop the soother in right away. I haven't tried white noise, that might be the next step.
It's been going on for weeks but has been getting progressively worse. I was wondering about teeth too as he has been drooling like mad and loves to have his fist or any part of my hand or arm in his mouth.
Thanks.

[Louisep]

The other natural thing to consider is food allergies - or an intolerance to something you're eating. I'm not sure how it works given the fact that your LO was sleeping okay, but food intolerances are a common thing to rule out. I did a couple of elimination diets that had no effect, but they do for many. What about other possible things like the fabric of the clothes your LO is sleeping in. Or have you changed washing detergent recently? Have you had your LO checked out for an ear infection?

He is coming up to a busy developmental time, which might help explain the wakings, but I know it doesn't help you with getting anymore sleep.

We just use a fan for white noise.

[LadyCatherine185]

4 months is a really common sleep regression time. I agree with PP's to look into food intolerances or reflux. Also, white noise helped us tremendously. I would also work on doing things to make sure YOU are comfortable, so you can maybe sleep through some of the nighttime nursing. I would not restrict nursing at night with a 4 month old.

Have you read The No Cry Sleep Solution? It has a lot of great tips to gently help your baby sleep better.

[omelette]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

I agree with PP's to look into food intolerances or reflux.

He has both. I've cut out dairy and gluten which has helped with his mucousy poops but not with the gas. Maybe I need to look into some other possible food sensitivities as it seems that it might be the gas waking him up.
He also has reflux but he is a 'happy spitter' and does not seem to have the burning part of reflux.