So Confused....

[Tinylo]

As the title says I'm getting stressed out about not knowing what to do for the best. Any advice, ideas or just let me know what you do would be really appreciated.

Here goes.......Lewis is having 5 x 7-8oz feeds a day, plus veggie puree at lunch time. He has his last feed at 6.30pm, bed at 7.30pm - 8.00pm then he usually goes 8 hours until his next feed at 3.30am. He goes back down & sleeps til 6.30am and feeds again at 8am. (Still wakes up 3 or 4 times for dummy & or cuddles).

Should I dream feed him around 10ish to see if he'll go 8 hours from 10 til 6 or do you think it will throw his routine off?? Would he still wake up at 3?? I've tried water and he gets really mad, I end up having to feed him to calm him down!! If he went the 8 hours from 10 - 6 would he still want to sleep for another 3 hours if I fed him at 6am?? By which time after washing & changing him the morning would be gone. I also want to put him in his own room in the next week or so, should I leave his routine as it is until he's settled or change his routine then move him???

After reading this myself it sounds like I'm just going to have to try something and see what happens, but that's so scary as we're both in a nice routine, I just don't want to be feeding him during the early hours forever.

If you manage to read this without falling asleep and can understand the mad, confused ramblings of a first time mum, thanks. Please let me know what you think x

 

[kayjor04]

i think its worth a shot to try it. one night shouldnt throw his whole routine off. He sounds like he eats almost exactly like my LO...
except its 4x 8oz bottles, and veg mixed with oat cereal at lunch... her last bottle is at 9pm. then shes in bed by 10-1030... you might just have to try adjusting the time you feed him a tad.. not alot maybe just by a half hour or so IF you can. Jodyn is every four hours like clockwork. i could never re-adjust her.

When He wakes in the middle of the night, try to not pick him up.... i know, its so much harder said then done, but your going to want him to be able to soothe himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night. just let him know your there... rub his belly or back, give him back his dummy... but try to not pick him up, unless of course hes crying... then by all means pick him. Hopefully this will help him leanr how to self soothe...
goodluck, i hope this was some help

 

[Tinylo]

Thanks for the reply hun.

I think your right about just giving it a try. I think I'll leave it until he's settled in his own room. I don't want to try too much at once and confuse him.

Thanks. x

 

[kayjor04]

no problem lovey! goodluck!
by the way, hes adorable!!!

 

[jax]

We had this exact same predictament, Max would go down to sleep at 7 and then wake at 3 for his next feed, we thought that this was fantastic but then it occurred to us that we would need to keep this feed forever! So we started waking him at 10 and feeding him at 10.30. Max goes down really well with a full tummy and sleeps til 7! It did take a few nights of adjusting but now he is in a lovely routine and it means uninterrumpted sleep for me which is soooooooo needed!!! I know every baby is different but it is definitely worth a try if it means that you and him would be well rested! I think you are right about changing one thing at a time, let him get used to his new room and then maybe try it then. Good luck x

 

[JennTheMomma]

Your son sounds normal for a 5 month old. Infact, 5-6 hours is normal for infants, instead of 8 hours like adults. Kids thrive on routines, and it sounds like your son has made a routine for himself. If you try feeding him at a different time you'll start making a new routine, and probably won't be consistant for weeks. Or he'll just eat extra and may gain too much weight. You should read the book "The no-cry sleep solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. Its a great book on how to get babies to sleep better. When my son was your age he got up every 3 hours to feed. He is 1 1/2 years now and still gets up atleast once in the night. Its normal, they don't sleep like adults do. Good luck!

 

[mommyof3co]

I would really just follow him, if he is waking up and wanting to eat, he still needs those nighttime feedings. I def wouldn't replace them with water yet, he needs the nutrients from his breastmilk or formula more. All babies are different and he just might not be ready to sleep through yet, my 15mo old JUST started sleeping through the night within the past 2wks or so, he's very small and really NEEDED those nighttime feedings until then

 

[Sweetie]

As the title says I'm getting stressed out about not knowing what to do for the best. Any advice, ideas or just let me know what you do would be really appreciated.

Here goes.......Lewis is having 5 x 7-8oz feeds a day, plus veggie puree at lunch time. He has his last feed at 6.30pm, bed at 7.30pm - 8.00pm then he usually goes 8 hours until his next feed at 3.30am. He goes back down & sleeps til 6.30am and feeds again at 8am. (Still wakes up 3 or 4 times for dummy & or cuddles).

I was in a similar boat when Brooklynn was 3 months, she is 5 months now. I started putting her to bed at 10:30 and for the first bit she did wake at 3 for food but I started just giving her the soother back and she would go right back down... Then she started sleeping through. It takes a few days but we did manage.

Her routine now is wake up around 8 has 4oz play for a bit. Nap around 10 for about an hour and a bit wake up 6oz, play and then she either has another nap around 2:30 or 5 it depends on her mood when she takes the second nap. Then awake no later than 8:30 and back to bed around 10:30 if she had the early 2pm nap then she sometimes goes down around 9:30 She has been waking the last few days around 3am but we just give her the soother and she is back out (she has been sick) We make sure that when she wakes in the middle of the night that it is completely uneventful, no chats or anything

Should I dream feed him around 10ish to see if he'll go 8 hours from 10 til 6 or do you think it will throw his routine off?? Would he still wake up at 3?? I've tried water and he gets really mad, I end up having to feed him to calm him down!! If he went the 8 hours from 10 - 6 would he still want to sleep for another 3 hours if I fed him at 6am?? By which time after washing & changing him the morning would be gone. I also want to put him in his own room in the next week or so, should I leave his routine as it is until he's settled or change his routine then move him???

He is likely going to wake up a few nights at his normal times try to soothe him back to sleep without feeding him if you can as his body will soon realize that it doesn't get food right now. If he gets upset feed him and try again the next night. It took us quite a few nights -probably a couple of weeks- to do it. You will find another routine quickly. I take up the last couple of hours of the evening with a bath and playtime and the last thing I do before putting her down is feed her so before I even start that bottle she has a clean bum and tylenol/vicks or anything I need to give her is done.

After reading this myself it sounds like I'm just going to have to try something and see what happens, but that's so scary as we're both in a nice routine, I just don't want to be feeding him during the early hours forever.

It is all trial and error you are certainly not alone. The night feeding will end I promise, some LO's just take more time than others do.

If you manage to read this without falling asleep and can understand the mad, confused ramblings of a first time mum, thanks. Please let me know what you think x

I should totally be in bed but I hope in my tired ramblings you can find something useful good luck

 

[Tinylo]

We had this exact same predictament, Max would go down to sleep at 7 and then wake at 3 for his next feed, we thought that this was fantastic but then it occurred to us that we would need to keep this feed forever! So we started waking him at 10 and feeding him at 10.30. Max goes down really well with a full tummy and sleeps til 7! It did take a few nights of adjusting but now he is in a lovely routine and it means uninterrumpted sleep for me which is soooooooo needed!!! I know every baby is different but it is definitely worth a try if it means that you and him would be well rested! I think you are right about changing one thing at a time, let him get used to his new room and then maybe try it then. Good luck x

Thanks for this Jax, I feel a bit better about trying it if I know someone else has, and has had success. What time do you feed Max before his 10.30pm feed and is the 10.30pm a dream feed or have you not yet put him to bed??

 

[Tinylo]

Thanks for this sweetie, I'm definitely going to try feeding him about 10.00 but still put him to bed after his bedtime routine at about 7.30, that way DH and I still get a little of the evening to ourselves....hopefully.

Own room first I think, sometime in the next 2-3 weeks and then when he's settled I'm going to be brave and give this a try.

Thanks for the reply. x