Night Feeds and waking - HELP!!

[lil monkey]

Ok, tonight is the night we are going to let bub cry - she has been waking up 3 times a night because she cant resettle without a dummy or feed. She is getting up to 7 feeds a day (she is 4 months) and her last feed last night was at 730 and then she woke up at 1215 and resettled with her dummy until 315 when I fed her. Then she woke up at 510 and we had to give her the dummy again and then she woke up at 715 for a feed. To me I think she doesnt need a feed as she is getting plenty during the day and for 3 weeks straight there at 3 months she slept from 730 om until 7am with only 5 feeds during the day.

Any advice out there on how long we should let her cry for? How often should she be fed at night? Help!!!!

[lil monkey]

Well last night she did her usual and woke up at 1245am. I let her cry and grizzle until 115 and then gave in and gave her the dummy but within a minute she spat it out. Then she grizzled some more and at 130 I gave in again and fed her. She fed strongly for 10 minutes and then slowed down for another 10 and then I put her down. She then woke up for a feed at 715 am this morning with no other 3am or 5am wake up.

She woke up at 1245 as she coughed and obviously couldnt get back to sleep but perhaps she was actually hungry? How do you know these things??? ;)

[Chickadee]

You never know really, it's all guesswork. It's what makes this job so much fun! Isn't that reassuring? :D

But really, she will settle down in time and it will be easier to do the guessing. Bubs do go through growth spurts when they might start waking and being hungry in the middle of the night when they were sleeping through before. And even I'll get up and have a snack in the middle of the night sometimes if I've woken and can't sleep again.

Dummies can be more trouble than their worth. Once she's getting mobile enough to turn her head easily or roll you could introduce a cot toy that she might attach to for comfort instead of the dummy all the time. We used a very small bear about the size of my hand.

And congratulations on having only one wake up, even if it was a long one! Maybe without that cough she'd have gone straight through!

[red crayon]

Hi Taylasmum, I'm having the same problem. As a younger baby, Spencer used to have a feed at 6-6.30pm and then go to bed. He'd wake at 1am and 4am for feeds and then wake up ready for the day at 5.30-6am. Now that he is nearly 5 months, he's waking more often during the night. Last night, he had a feed at 6pm and went to bed. Then he woke at 10.30pm for a feed; then 2am for a feed, then 3.30am (which I ignored by replacing his dummy), then 4.30am for a feed, and finally 5.30am. This is the worst night we've had in a while. Like you, I don't think he really needs most of these feeds so I'm not sure how to get him out of the habit of waking too soon after a night feed. Any suggestions? :confused:

[lil monkey]

I am thinking that you are having a growth spurt. Tayla had the same pattern as your night last night for 2-3 nights last week and now has settled back down again by having her last feed around 7pm and then up at 2 and then 530 and back down until 9am. With the 2am feed she goes through 150ml in less than 10 minutes but the 530am I give her the breast and she is asleep usually after 10 minutes.

On speaking with others and CHN etc, I will keep this feed pattern until she is around 6 months and then try to drop a feed. While they are at this early stage, I think we need to just go with it even though we are exhausted but this is their prime growing time! Unfortunately we are not all blessed with a bub who sleeps through the night!!! : )

[red crayon]

Thanks, Taylasmum. I think you are right. For the past two nights, Spencer's gone back to 11pm, 3am and 5.30am. I'd love to drop the 3am eventually. Have the CHNs given you any tips on how to do this?

[lil monkey]

No, the CHN have said feed on demand and aren't a big fan of dropping feeds. However, everyone that I know who has a baby has said that they dropped the night feed by offering a bottle of water - some bubs learnt in 1-2 nights and others had to wait several nights with 1 hour screaming matches to get rid of the night feed.

it;s all trial and error as they are all different and unique! :D

[red crayon]

Thanks again, Taylasmum. I'm living in Vietnam for 12 months and CHNs aren't thick on the ground here :o

[Chickadee]

I agree all bubs are unique! I think it's a matter of listening to what your bub wants and not worry too much about what the charts or books or anyone else says.

I never heard of the bottle of water trick before. Chloe was just gradually less and less interested in her night bottles. And it might be that we actually dropped the late evening feed first. I know we still had one night feed at 6 to 7 months, at around 2 or 3 am. And eventually just dropped that one by putting the dummy back in (& patting etc) when she would wake. Maybe it's easier with bottles since she got the comfort from the dummy instead of wanting a breast?

Even when you drop the night feed, chances are you'll still be up in the night anyways for wet diapers, lost dummies, checking blankets, nightmares, dog wanting out (hmm, that last one might just be me), so I'd rather spend 10 minutes giving a feed than listen to bub cry for an hour.

[J&W'smum]

:o [Dummies can be more trouble than their worth. Once she's getting mobile enough to turn her head easily or roll you could introduce a cot toy that she might attach to for comfort instead of the dummy all the time. We used a very small bear about the size of my hand.

![/QUOTE]

I just wanter to say be carefull my close friend lost her 8mth old when he chocked on some fluff from a ted in his cot.

But i agree on dummies.

I stopped my child now 3years from night feeds by giving water at 6 mth im going to do the same with my baby who is now 6 mth but it makes you feel real rotten but it works and does not hurt them :o

[JessandKirra]

my princess is the same. 6.30 feed 11 feed, 3.30 feed. 6.30 feed. I at first thought she was waking up at 3.30 from cold but now she is warm, I know she is still hungry. my QUESTION is how do you get the little darling back to sleep after the 3.30 feed. Its as though she has had enough sleep and wants to play :p , thats fine but she wants to play in my arms not in the cot. any sugesstions? PS :eek: If possible DONT use a dummie they are frustratingly annoying, most of the time we spend putting the dummie back in :o ! I am trying to get rid of it already. 9 weeks old.

[AM]

I read a fabulous book called Nighttime Parenting - By Dr William Sears, and it helped me to cope with nightwaking much better.

Angie