5 1/2 Month Old Wakes up Every 2 Hrs to Feed at night-Help!!!

Hi D. -

A couple people have also mentioned the Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child book and that worked really well for us. My baby is almost 6 months now, and has been sleeping through the night for at least 2 months. She is still an on-demand breast-fed baby, so for us, on-demand and sleeping through the night have worked together. Her naps and eating are not really routine, but her last feeding and bedtime always are (I end up cluster feeding towards the evening so that we can get her down to sleep by 7:45pm or so).

If you have the time, give the book a read. It even tells you which chapters are critical, and which you can read later, so you don't have to read the entire thing all at once. I still refer back to it now and again.

Good luck!

D., I had a similar experience with my daughter when she was 6 months. She had been sleeping through the night, but started waking up crying and very hungry. I was breastfeeding, but had recently gone back to work fulltime, and I started working out a lot on my lunch break. I realized when I pumped I had very little milk (possibly from stress at work, workouts and not eating as much). Once we added formula to her diet, she was back sleeping through the night. Good luck!

My daughter (now 10.5 months old) has tended to wake up frequently at night to eat. She's big for her age and breastfed. She didn't "sleep through the night" until seven months old, and even now she usually doesn't go more than five hours.

At 5.5 months she was also waking every 2 hours through the night and I was just exhausted. So we used CIO to put her down at night and to stretch out her night feedings to at least every three hours. If she woke before three hours had passed, I did not go to her. I would turn down the volume on the baby monitor until she fell asleep again and then turn it back up so I could hear her next waking. Yes, it was amazingly difficult at times to hear her crying. Yes, that's her only way of communicating to me. But I just needed one more hour between feedings of sleep to be a better Mum during the day.

We did have one very memorable bedtime when she screamed for 90 minutes, and yes, that was miserable. However, most of the time she settles off to sleep without fussiness. If she does cry, she's almost always asleep within a few minutes of me walking out of her room. Most of the time the reason she cries is pure exhaustion. At those times, holding her rarely helps her settle down - what works is me leaving her alone.

I love the book by Weissbluth - Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Following that book has helped us a lot. Even when she was waking frequently to nurse she always settled down again rapidly once she was done feeding.

Something else to think about - sometimes my daughter seems to wake up because she is cold. A quick snuggle with Mummy plus warm milk in her tummy puts her back to sleep right away. When she was younger that was a big problem for us - I tend to worry about dressing her too warmly and causing SIDS, but I noticed on nights when I put extra layers on her or the house was a little warmer she would sleep better. So maybe re-evaluate what your LO is wearing to bed.

Good luck!

No one knows better than your baby if he's hungry. Trust him. Both my babies ate every 1.5 to 3 hours every night until they were about 9 or 10 months old. He doesn't want to be awake crying either.

As for crying it out, please understand it from your baby's perspective. He only has one way right now to get your attention--vocalization. Can you imagine calling out in the only way you know how and the one (or two if hubby ever responds) person he's put his trust in doesn't answer? I cannot imagine how helpless that must make him feel. I found tons of great advice from the book, The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. The other source was my pedi. who recommended that when our babies got a bit older (10 months to be conservative--that by then they can start to wake out of habit and not out of true hunger), Daddy be the one to go in and sooth baby in the middle of the night. Yes, they got really mad at first, but after a week or so they got used to it and did start to wake less often. And at least they are not left to cry on their own--their cries are being answered and they are lovingly being soothed (my husband would pick them up, rock them, shoosh them, etc.).

Good luck, and most of all listen to your Mama heart for how to nurture and raise your bundle of joy!

You must be so tired! Every two hours through the night is a lot of awake and not much sleep. I have two kids, both 9 1/2 lbs at birth, and both breast fed. I took my cues from other family members that had tried various things, along with the advice of my pediatrician. Here is what I think, for what it is worth. :o) Babies that are demand fed tend to eat less at each feeding and therefore wake up sooner to feed again. Kind of like snacking. They eat just enough to warm their little tummies then off they snooze for a while. I found that sorting out a routine for feedings helped them to sleep for longer stretches.
I started with 3 hours. When feeding I made sure they finished a full feed and did not fall asleep at the breast. If they started to doze off, I would unwrap them, play with their feet, or even unlatch them and change their clothes if that what it took to keep them awake. :o) (always going right back to finish the feeding). If they woke up before 3 hours seeming hungry, I would stretch it out as long as possible before feeding again. Not too rigid 'sorry kid, but 3 hours isn't for another 10 mins!', but more of a goal. 'It's only been 2 hours, so let's see if we play a bit, and walk around, change diaper, go get the mail, etc. if we can stretch you out for another 1/2 hour.' The basic idea is to make sure he is good and hungry and make sure he really fills up so he can go longer between feedings. If they were still asleep 3 1/2 hours after their last feeding (during the day), I would wake them up. My thought was if they were going to start sleeping a 4+ hour stretch I wanted it to be at night! I found, as did many other mamas in our family, that babies fed on more of a routine slept better than demand fed babies. During the transition from demand feeding and moving to a routine, he may still wake from habit more than hunger. You can let him cry a little to see if he'll settle himself (10 mins max), if not, go in and rub his tummy, no lights on, no real talking, just sshhh. Then walk out quietly. If he really just can't settle give him the worlds shortest feed. 2-3 mins, just enough to warm his tummy, in his own dark room (move a chair in there if you don't already have one) then right back to bed. It will take a week or so for him to fully adjust to the new habit and start sleeping through.

On another, somewhat related note, I made sure to put them down drowsy but still awake so they got used to falling asleep on their own. This helps them get through lighter times of sleep without needing you to get them back down. If they fall asleep with you, then wake up without you that can cause distress and crying even though they are still tired. If they fall asleep alone, and wake up alone, no biggie. If they are still tired they'll just fall right back asleep. When my babies were ready to get up I would hear 'talking' on the monitor, not distressed crying.

So there you have it. This is what worked for me. :o) Enjoy your adventure!

Mommas have said it before, but I just want to assure you, my son is doing the same thing. My son was born 5/10/09 and sleeps about 1 - 4 hrs (at a given time) throughout the night. Naps aren't that great either. My 2 year 4 month old did a similar thing as a baby and by 11 months was only waking 1 or no times through the night.
I'm not comfortable letting them CIO, and I just am not going to let what books (or my mother)say stress me out (although it's easier said than done!). Good luck!!

a

I had the exact same thing happen at 5.5 months. I read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" cover to cover in 2 days after a friend recommended it. I employed the techniques from the book and "sleep trained" my son in 3 nights. He's now 19 months old and that book has been a life-saver. It does employ "cry it out", which wasn't easy for me but the results were stunning. It is great to allow your child to learn how to soothe himself to sleep so he does not need to rely on someone else to do it for him. This is a skill you need to help him learn and it is a very important one.

Snuggle spot...It is a baby bed/pillow that makes a baby feel like it is being held when you cant hold it. www.laneybug.net

I don’t know about you but I had a spoiled baby that only liked to sleep if someone is holding her. I got tired of sleepless nights so I invented this pillow that I call the Snuggle Spot. The pillow snuggles the baby so they feel like some one is holding them and they are safe. Babies love it, the first time I put my daughter in it she slept 9 hours straight and every night since! I put her in the pillow fully awake with a full belly, and swaddled. Since the pillow snuggles them the swaddle stays intact! I recently went out of town and I did not want to pack the portable crib, changing pad, etc. so I just took a chance and only took the pillow. It was amazing, even in a diff environment she slept all night. I just put her in the pillow in the bed next to me or on the floor next to me. It is the perfect Co-sleeper! I changed her diapers in it, She likes to watch colors and lights of the TV so i put it in front of the TV. It fits perfectly in portable cribs and in regular cribs. My Daughter has reflux and has to be elevated so that her formula stays down, The pillow slightly props her up so that she is comfortable and stays clean!!! If you have and questions or concerns or want to place an order feel free to send me a message. The pillow is totally custom, you can pick the fabric, name or saying.

Sounds like my son, who now is 14 months old. I was breastfeeding him on demand as well, and this was my second baby (fisrt boy, who is now 4 slept through the night at 3 months). My second baby did NOT sleep through the night until he was 10 months old. I breastfed until he turned 12 months and was getting more food and solids. My advice is to just feed him, he will eventually sleep through the night...every baby is different. I would just feed my little guy until he went to sleep. He is soo little still, enjoy your baby and breastfeeding...because it doesn't last forever and your little guy before you know it will be big and you won't have that bonding anymore. I wouldn't let him cry it out yet...too little. Best of Luck.
Enjoy your baby...I know the sleep thing is hard on us, but it is soo worth it.

The book happy baby healthy sleep habits got my daughter sleeping from the first week we moved her from the cosleeper to the crib...@ 7 months. It entails training them to self soothe & yes some 'crying it out'. Just remember they are either training us or we are training them-all through life-you have to take the control now when they are young. It is never easy to hear them cry but in the 3 or 4 nights by the 4th or 5th night when they have dropped the habit, everyone in the household is happier not to mention the new found strength you will feel as the mother taking control for the betterment of the whole family.
Good luck-u can do it Mama!

I used the book The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems with both of my kids and they have been sleeping through the night since they were 3 months. It was a fabulous resource for dealing with feeding and sleeping questions. Yes, it advocates a schedule, but it was really easy to do. The book does not advocate crying it out, but we found that sitting near the crib worked better than the book's suggested pick up put down method when there was an actual sleep issue (rather than hunger issue). There is also a "dream feed" that you do between 10-11 pm without actually waking your baby up.
Best of luck whatever you try!

Hi D.,

My son (now 13) was like this as an infant during the night :O) Sometimes, I think babies are just born hungry! They grow so much during their first year, and they obviously need the nourishment to continue growing :o)

Now that I'm not a "new mom" of babies any longer, I can look back and compare to my kids now, and the are very similar to when they were babies. Their eating habits and their sleep habits......it's funny to me.

As your son grows these first 2 years, he will constantly change his "schedule" all by himself. At 5-6 months old, he already has somewhat of a "built-in" schedule......we just need to learn to "listen" to it :O) If you are pretty "in tune" with his needs, then you can figure out his schedule. And as soon as you master it.....your little "stinker" will probably change it again :O)

My son was just a "grubber". Always wanting to eat again every couple of hours day or night. I just went with the flow and fed him. I figured a 5-6 month baby doesn't know how to play "tricks" on me yet, that came later at 10 years old. If a baby is hungry, they are hugnry.....if they need to be changed, they need to be changed.....if they are tired, they sleep....the first year is pretty easy if you just let your baby grow :O)

D., I'm sure you are doing everything right for your son. He just wants to eat! He will eventually change his routine, and let you sleep maybe 4 hours at a time :O)

I hope something I've said can help you figure out something that can work for your situation.

~N. :O)

Hi D.,
My baby is 7 months old and we live in Sunnyvale as well. My son does the exact same thing (wakes every 1-2 hours at night) and he doesn't nap well either. I feed him on demand and cosleep with him so I can get as much sleep as possible. My husband takes him for about 2 hours in the morning when my son wakes up for the day, so I can have a nap before my husband leaves for work. I feel like I've tried everything the books tell me, but I take courage in the fact that my son is not the only baby who does this. I know a couple other babies who do the same thing and it helps me to commiserate with them.

The advice that the other moms have posted is helpful. I have a few more ideas to try now. I think, however, that I've finally come to the point where I know I've tried more sleep strategies than most people have ever heard of. I try to stay confident that I am being a good, caring mother for my son, especially when I feel bad or when someone tells me their opinion about the problem.

You're not alone!

A.

I'm also a first time mom. My son was 9 lbs 7 oz when he was born so he came out wanting steak and eggs. I could feed him for 45 minutes straight and I would have to feed him 10 minutes later. This would go on for 5 hours at a time I know how you feel. I starting giving him cereal bottles at a very young age becuase he was just not satisfied with just milk. You might try giving a thick cereal bottle right before bed. I tried this and he started sleeping through the night and it was amazing. I think that everybody says not to do this but when you have a big baby what are you going to do they cant eat from a spoon until about 4 months so. hope this helps

Sleep issues are so hard, but maybe try putting him down nice and fed awake. That worked for us, cuz if mine fell asleep nursing he would wake up more often. Try that a few nites and see where it takes you.

I highly recommend reading "the No Cry Sleep Method". It gies you a much better understanding of sleep patterns. Even if you choose not to use this method you will have more understanding of how to help your child sleep more. My son is 6 months old now and I was experiencing the same thing. We have always co slept. Since I have read the book and applied some of that knowledge my little guy has been sleeping 5-7 hours every night with only one feeding and then back down for 3-5 hours. I am happy to share more info from the book off line if you are interested let me know. Good luck--
A.

Hi D.

I'm a mother of 4, all breast fed babies. I've learned that it can take longer for breastfed babies to sleep longer strecthes through the night. I've also learned that mommies will make decisions based on what makes them feel more comfortable.

I've done both. With my first child it seemed so easy to put him on a schedule, even with night time feedings. He was such a gooooood baby. I think at about 4 months I started feeding him less through out the night, he cried a couple of nights and then his pattern changed and he was sleeping through the night. To be honest, I put him on this schedule because I thought that's what I was supposed to do. I was a nanny for newborns out of highshcool and this is what we did to give the parents 'peace of mind'. In any case... this going so easy, I thought it was a piece of cake and it gave me a false sense of security...here is why...

Then I had my twins...even at the hospital, while i was still in pain from a c-section, I was full of myself thinking it was going to be a piece of cake. I practiced feeding at the same time - got pretty good at it - to build my supply and to "eventually" place them on a schedule so they would sleep through the night. One of my twins just wasn't having it. He was little, but boy could he cry. He put up a fight, it wasn't 2 days as I thought... I tried for about 2 weeks to let him cry again thinking that I had to place him on a schedule. Then Igave in completely thinking that it was completely ironic thinking that "I had to" place him on a schedule. When I talked to the pediatrician, he told me that my girl was most likely sleeping through the night because she was a harder sleeper, not that she wasn't hungry, but lazier to wake up and eat. He told me that it was very normal for breasfed babies to ween off the breast for nighttime feedings later than bottle fed babies. So I learned...If he needed to eat more than his sister, than so be it, if he needed to just take in the scent of his mother to fall asleep, so be it. In the end, that made me feel more comfortable.

Then I had my 4th child, and I fed him when he wanted up until 9 months! I tired to make it as non-eventful as possible. his crib was in my room, i didn't turn on any lights, I would just transfer him from his crib to my bed, and then try to transfer him back (mostly, unless we fell asleep together) and I was fine with this.

So I guess what I'm saying is that you'll have to do what you feel is necessary and what makes you most comfortable. Every child is different, every mommy is different. So if you feel that you will lose your sanity if your child doesn't begin sleeping through the night, and that you can let him cry because you know he'll be eating in the morning, so be it. If you feel more comfortable feeding him as he demands, then do so. Either way, you and your baby will survive.

My son is 5 month old and was waking up every 2-3 hrs also. I got so tired that recently I decided it's time to try sleep training again (I've tried a couple books unsuccessfully). This time I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr Marc Weissbluth and it worked. There is some crying out to do, which was not easy for me, but the crying wasn't long when I did everything else suggested by the doctor. Within one day his sleep stretch has improved greatly, and last night he slept 12 hours straight. Good luck with your baby.

What you are describing is not so unusual for a 5 month old who is breastfeeding. They have growth spurts & need more nursings during that time. Breastmilk is a live food, and thus, it works its way through the body quicker. This is healthy. Something that keeps baby full all night is not necessarily best for his/her health. He may settle down to two feedings soon. Feed him when he goes to sleep and he may eventually beging to wake around 1 AM & 4 AM. That is about normal for a breastfed baby. My little ones didn't eliminate that last 4 AM feeding until at least 18 months old. It worked out okay, as they went right back to sleep after that. I worked full-time & breastfed fully.