7month night-waking - help

[Colin Macs Mom]

When you have made adjustments before, how long did you give it? If every day is different that's going to make things worse.

[buba2006]

hi can't extend his naps longest is just over an hour, Friday night he stayed over at my mum's so she followed my routine but he ended up co-sleeping with her cause he wouldn't settle.  Then Saturday was same as normal and yesterday was the same apart from 1.5hr nap in the afternoon.

Milestone stuff - still crawling, standing and generally getting into everything.

I go through when he not quite crying but moaning, I'll try waiting until he cries, its just i know he gets up and just stand against the cot.

I sit with him  for 5mins until sleepy then i pop him in his cot and do shh/pat

Yes he's still getting DF but this week trying to get rid so Sat was 7oz, last night 6oz and tonight 5oz.  I'm adding these oz's to 7am, 3pm and 7pm bottles.

[momofclaire]

I think at this age the dream feed may be really hurting night sleep more than anything.  So you wake him for it or does he wake himself.  I wonder what would happen if you just dropped it? 

[Colin Macs Mom]

I agree with Myia's DF idea, but also it's very important that you do wait until he cries to go in.

[buba2006]

Do you mean just drop the dream feed with no weaning off?? Last night he only took 2.5 oz.

Also Jessica I'm not sure what you mean by adjustments??

[momofclaire]

I think at his age the df (if you are waking him for it) can disrupt sleep patterns.  He probably doesn't need those 2.5 oz so waking him for it just disrupts his sleep cycle.  I had been giving my dd a bottle before bed every night.  She took about 8 oz of milk. I watered it down over time but she was still taking 8 oz of liquid. I was so worried that she wouldn't sleep through without it. I finally just said enough!  She did fine without it. The only change was that she wasn't so soaking wet in the morning.

I think Jessica means that if you are trying something, you should be consistant and that things might take some time.  Am I right Jessica?

[buba2006]

Ben normally takes 7oz but I've been trying to cut it down, did you wean ur DD off thge DF or did you go cold turkey??

[momofclaire]

I went cold turkey.  I have a cold turkey kinda girl over here.     One night I just decided to not do the df and see what happened.  She didn't wake until 2 or 3 am.  I fed her then and went back to sleep.  I then weaned that 3 am feed with the paci.  It took about a week for her to stop waking at that time.  I should say that she was on easy from the start and also is an "angel/textbook" baby.  So that helped me a bit.    I would just give it one night without the df and see what happens.  If you are going in there and getting him out of bed for it when he doesn't need it you may be creating a habit he doesn't have to have. KWIM?

[Colin Macs Mom]

I think Jessica means that if you are trying something, you should be consistant and that things might take some time.  Am I right Jessica?

Yes - sorry, I should have articulated that better. 

[buba2006]

Jessica how do i know he's had enough to eat duiring the day, this is what he eats

Breakfast - 7oz bottle and 4oz cereal 1oz fruit
Lunch - 2 oz bottle and 2 jars
Dinner - 6 oz bottle and 2 jars
Bedtime - 7oz bottle

I'm trying to get rid of the lunch time bottle which i think could be any time now.  Do i add an extra oz to the 3 main bottles??

I'll try no dreamfeed tonight if you think he's eating enough

[Colin Macs Mom]

I think you're doing great! Most LOs drop to 3 bottles around this time so that's normal, all part of the weaning process. 

[buba2006]

Hi, last night i didn't give LO 10pm DF.  He woke up 3 times during the night which is a massive improvement of the past week, when he woke up i gave him his dummy and shh/pat and off he went back to sleep.  The result could be from dropping the DF or sheer exhaustion from waking up alot for the past week but last night was a good night.  Thank you.  Will keep you updated.

[momofclaire]

Great news.  I would be careful with that paci. You don't want it to really become a prop.  Maybe try pat/shh without the paci and see what happens.  Good luck.

[buba2006]

I'm afraid i spoke too soon, Ben's been wakening up now on average 7 times a night.  I must be doing something wrong. I thought he might have been hungry so i moved his feeds slightly so in the afternoon its like this

3pm - bottle
4pm - catnap
5pm - solids
6.30 - bath followed by bottle
7 - bed

Maybe the solids and bedtime feeds are too close together but thought i was filling him up not sure to revert back to old way (swapping naps and solids) cause he's not taking all his bedtime bottle only about 5oz.