My 7 Month Old Won't Sleep Through the Night

We co slept. Problem solved. Baby wakes up, eats, goes back to sleep. It doesn't last forever and it doesn't cause any harm.

It seems like he needs to have more calories, at least in the evening. Could he start eating some baby food in the evening? He'll sleep more soundly.

He's hungry. He needs to eat. If you feed him every time he wakes, he will go back to sleep and sleep longer. Feed him.

You can trying to encourage him to eat more during the day. If he is able to get more calories during the day, he won't wake to eat as often during the night.

He will sleep more at night. That day really will come. But right now, his body needs to the calories.

Feed him.

Well mine would have been hungry if they were only breastfeeding and no solids at 7 months. All babies are different, but sounds to me like he's waking from hunger. Are you doing a full feed at night, both sides? I had a friend who used to nurse her baby back to sleep just enough to have her drift off - more like a snack. Baby woke up again a couple of hours later. So do full feeds - both sides - but really try to get him to eat more during the day.

I just brought my babies to bed with me and let them nurse there off and on until they weaned. No way could I have handled a crying baby all night, I needed my sleep, and so did the rest of the family!

feed him more, or find a pacifier that suits his need to suckle
this too shall pass!

Does your baby have any medical issues like reflux? Because that would greatly affect my opinion.

Sounds like he is hungry. Does he wake 4-6 times a night if you feed him the first time or only if you don't? If he goes back to sleep and sleeps for another 3 hours, I would simply continue to feed him until he sleeps through the night on his own.

What time do you put him down for the night? If you are putting him down early (6-9 pm) before you go to bed (I assume 11ish), then I wouldn't even count the first waking. I would just call that his last (planned) feeding and just put him down when you go to bed. Then you likely have an excellent chance of just one waking/feeding before morning.

sounds to me like a hungry baby.
not much to do about that but feed him.
khairete
S.

You just have to accept that some kids are poor sleepers and take longer to sleep through the night. My son didn't sleep through the night until he was 9 months old. He's 20 months now, but still wakes up once during the night. He's also a poor napper -- even when he was a newborn. We co-sleep and that helps. I would try that just so you can get some sleep. Like you, I didn't try Ferber because I didn't want to wake my daughter.

7 months is a common growth spurt time so he needs feeding, especially one who is exclusively breastfed. He is legitimately hungry at least at that first waking.

Also remember that a baby's typical 'through the night' sleep is about 6 hours. You didn't mention when you put him down for the night, but it is possible you're putting him to bed too early and expecting him to sleep too long.

Put him to bed when you go to bed. That may mean either later for him or earlier for you, but you'll get more rest that way. It may not sound like what you want, but the situation is temporary and will adjust itself in the following months.

You've done Ferber before, and if your pediatrician says to go for it, then do so. Mine told us to do it at 6 months, and said a child that age didn't need to eat during the night. She said he would make up for it during the day, no problem.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't undertake 3-4 days of hell in order to get a good night's sleep for you and your baby. Wait until your husband is home for a long weekend, or get Grandma or Aunt Sue to come and help you (or hire a home health aide or night nurse), and just do it. Send the 4 year old to a relative if you have to. The point is, someone else has to calm the baby and get him back to sleep, without your breast.

It's not right that he's waking up 4-6 times per night - that's not a need to feed, that's a habit and an inability to self-soothe. He's using the breast for comfort, and he just isn't eating that much. His brain development isn't what it should be if he's not getting deep and restful sleep. You should not be driving while you are so sleep deprived.

I know you want great answers here - but they're only as good as what you're willing to undertake. For us, it was 3 horrible nights - but we didn't cave in and we committed to it. We chose what we would say/do, and both my husband were totally in sync with each other, no switching up of techniques. We're all better off for it.

Sounds like you sleep trained the first one but not the second. Ferberize him, too. He doesn't need to feed during the night at 7 months. Even if he cuts down to one feeding - hooray! Let him cry it out. You know how well it works!

Our son was late to take to solids.
Still you might be able to try him on some cereal.
He might need more right now if he's got a growth spurt, and
he is at prime time for teething to start up.
Sucking/chewing on his fingers might be a sign of that.
While you are working through this - get a sitter for a few hours during the day so you can catch up on sleep.

There are lots of mixed feelings on Ferber, but if you've done it before and you're fine with it then I'd say go for it. I'm pretty sure the 4 year old will sleep through it, seriously.

This is up to you to curb and that's about it.
You're going to have to sleep train using something method you can tolerate, unless you want to keep going like you are.
There's no magic fix. Sorry.
Just remember...the more consistent you are with it, the shorter time it takes.
So...you can have everyone deal with a couple nights of being up. Or continue to be a zombie.
Your call.