7m old, lots of night feedings

[Robinkvernon]

I have a thread on NW board but wanted to get advice here. What started as a concern on multiple NW'ings has turned into realizing he's needing to eat at night. Since 5 months old my LO has been waking 2-3 times as night. The last few nights we've given him bottles to see how much he's actually eating. He is EBF (with the exception of an occasional FF at childcare).

He has been eating 10-12 oz at night which makes me think he's not getting enough food during the day. Here is his EASY:
6:30am wake, BF and a few bites of solids (he doesn't love solids yet)
7-9:30 activity
9:30-10:30 nap
11 BF then solids (again,very few bites)
11-1:30 activity
1:30-3:15 nap
3:15 BF then solids
3:30-6 activity
6 BT routine,bath, read a book
6:30 BF
7 BT

Waking at 10:30 and 4 most nights. Eating on both occasions. Sometimes wakes around 1am too.

Advice? How to I get him to eat more during the day and less at night?

[*Ali*]

Bear in mind that just because he takes 5 or 6oz from a bottle it doesn't mean he necessarily takes that much when he BFs. EBF Babies typically take more from a bottle as it is faster flowing and takes them longer to realise they are full, or they just finish the bottle.

How long has he been going to daycare? Just wondering if he could be reverse cycling if it is a relatively new thing.

Could you fit another BF in in the day? What about before the first nap somewhere? He seems to go a long time between those first couple feeds and if he isn't big on solids he could be waking early from that first nap because he is due a feed.

[Domestic Engineer]

Nursing four times/day doesn't seem like enough to me for a baby who's not eating much solids. What about adding in another nursing session around 5 pm? (It would take a few days before you start making much milk at that time, so you would have to try it for at least five days to know if it will help.)

Or, since he's seven months old, maybe you need to be focusing on upping the solids more? I know you can't make him eat if he doesn't want it, but how are you trying to feed him? Are you doing finger foods, spoon foods, both? Self-feeding, or you feed? Or maybe he's not hungry since you only offer solids right after nursing. I know some recommend always nursing right before solids at this age, but maybe you could experiment with waiting an hour or so after nursing to give solids and see if he eats more.

Has he always woken twice during the night, or is this new? I think one night feed is normal at least until solids are established, but two feeds at 7 months seems unnecessary to me.

[*Ali*]

I meant to say I don't think 2 NFs at 7mo is excessive for an EBF baby who isn't taking much in the way of solids yet. All babies are different.

[Robinkvernon]

Been at day care for 2 1/2 months. The 2x waking up started around that time. And his NW'ings are all over the place so I don't think its habit/accidental parenting.

I may try back at cluster feeding to see if that helps and also offer solids more often.  I feel we are so well established on a 4 hour EASY that I'm nervous to throw in too many new feedings. Could it cause him to start snacking instead of eating full?

[*Ali*]

What about adding in one extra bf either in the morning or in the evening like Domestic Engineer suggested and moving the solid meals an hour after the BF to give him time to get hungry again? He is ready on 3 solid meals a day so I wouldn't offer more often as that is probably frequently enough. Milk is the main source of nutrition at this age. 5 bfs a day won't lead to snacking.

And check out this link with advice on reverse cycling http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/reverse-cycling/

[Domestic Engineer]

Is it possible that he's not getting as much milk at daycare as he would if he were at home with you, nursing? Are you giving him expressed breast milk at daycare? If you're physically able to pump more, maybe you could try increasing the amount in his day care bottles, or adding an extra bottle?