Sleep problems

[4silvers]

Hi everyone,

I am a new member and would like to say hi to you all and was hoping some of you might be able to help me with my 5 month old. I am a first time mum and he has started waking 3 to 4 times during the night wanting a feed, I have started him on solids hoping this would help but he is still waking often and sometimes just wants a cuddle. I have tried giving him water at night instead of feeding him (this was recomended by a midwife) but he refuses to take it and unless I feed him he doesn't go back to sleep. He has also decided that 4:30am is the time to get up in the morning. Is this normal behavior? If not any suggestions?

Natalie

[mamafelix]

Hi Natalie

sounds pretty normal to me. They go through a lot of different growth spurts, and during that time will need more feeds. I know it's hard to be woken up many times during the night, but your baby really needs that extra food.
Also, at about 5 months they become more aware of their surroundings, and so will need more comforting when they do wake up.

Personally, I didn't rush with the solids- people say that they sleep better, but all the research I did didn't support that- if anything the solids are harder to digest for the small bubs.

Can you make it less work for yourself during the night? Maybe have him in the same room or in the bed wth you so you don't have to get up during the night?

Another thing we did is that if I had a disturbed night, my partner would get up with Felix first thing in the morning so I'd get at least an hour of undisturbed sleep. Is that an option for you?

Good luck... just remember that this time too will pass... it's a really challenging time but one day your baby will be all grown up.

[Christine]

I agree with Mamafelix, it does sound normal too. I have only had the 1 child so far, but we started Luke on solids around 4 months, which is now considered too early, but he loved it and didn't have any problems with digesting. But he still woke through the nights sometimes for feeds until 6-7 months old. As I was breastfeeding, the first night he slept through, I woke with rock hard huge boobs ( I thought I was going to burst!).
Anyway, the local child health nurse also suggested the water thing, but Luke totally refused water, until I fed him.
Waking times also vary completely. This morning (he is now 3 and comes into our room in the mornings) it was exactly 5.23am which I managed to make out through half open eyes. I also remember one distinct morning (after his christening, I think he was still partying), when he woke at about 4.30am and wanted to play. I let him do this as a once-off and after that it didn't happen again. They are still so young, it can be hard to a sleep deprived parent, but yes, they do get through it. It is when they are older, that you remember those sleepless nights and know you will get through it too. Best of luck and try to keep smiling (even when it's hard!)

[4silvers]

Thanks ladies,

I feel a lot better knowing it is normal, we do have him in our room with us and I do sometimes put him in bed with us as he settles very easily there. My husband would love to help more but unfortunatly he is recovering from a broken knee. The only reason I started him on solids is because he tries to grab what we are eating and we felt bad eating in front of him. I didn't want to start him until he was about 6 months old but he loves it so much. Thanks again for your advice, I am happy getting up to feed him if it is all normal.

Natalie :)

[xkwzit]

Hi
Both my babies went through/are going :o through a stage of waking more often during the night for feeds. First daughter always woke once but started to wake twice. Second daughter actually slept through for about 6 weeks before starting to wake once. Both happened around 6 months old, when they start to get more easily distracted while feeding. I think they both started taking on less at daytime feeds and were then trying to catch up at night. I don't think that solids can really help this much, because at this stage they are only eating for the experience, most of the nourishment is still coming from milk. So yes, its completely normal. This was actually the trigger for me to start first daughter on formula, as the waking twice coincided with me going back to work. It did help her to sleep through once we were at the same number of formula as breast feeds each day. You just need to decide what's most important to you and your baby.

Cheers

[4silvers]

Thanks Samantha,

I have thought about giving him a bottle feed just before bed time hoping this will help as I am pretty empty by then but I am having problems getting him to take it he much prefers the breast, I have also tried a sipper cup but he only plays with that. He has become a lot more active too which I realise contributes to wanting more feeds, luckily I am not due to go back to work for another 6 months so I can at least catch up on some sleep during the day when he does.