BabyWhispererForums.com
SLEEP => Night Wakings => Topic started by: *Amy* on February 16, 2011, 05:19:41 am
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DD is 5.5 months old and last night woke every three hours for food. I know she isn't eating enough during the day, but this is because she eats so much at night and because she is easily distracted during her day time feedings. I try and feed her in a dark room when we are at home, but she isn't really that hungry.
I started her on solids today so not sure if this will make a difference.
I wanted to try and keep BFing past the six months but I am thinking now that perhaps it would be easier to wean the NF's by using a bottle.....(i find it hard to pump so that isn't an option :( )
anyone have any magic ideas :)
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If she is BF, it is not unusual to wake for food. However, are you sure she is hungry when she is waking every 3 hours? Have you tried resettling without feeding?
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Hi, I give her the DF which she wakes for and I don't think she is hungry after this, but I just can't get her back asleep without feeding. I promise I have tried everything, pu/pd, shush pat etc....on sunday she is being moved into her own room as she is a light sleeper and I think DH coughing is waking her.........last night I gave her a bottle and she drank 6oz at the DF at 10.30pm she then woke at 3.30am but DH was coughing - I fed her one side and she slept fitfully until 6am when I fed her the other side. I didn't think she was that hungry at 3.30am
she is BF
Amy
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Ok so yesterday was a perfect EASY day - good naps good 4 hourly feeds. She had baby cereal for breakfast and a crust off some toast. Then Carrot and pear later on.
I put her down for the night at 6pm (she had been awake since 6am (this works for us) )
She cried and looked for more breast milk. I tried to latch her on but she wouldn't take it. So I gave her some formula - it took her a while but she drank 2 oz and fell asleep . She then woke at 9.30pm and had 5 oz of formula. She woke then at 2.40am and I tried to get her to go back asleep but by 3.30am I gave her 2oz of milk - she fell asleep but only until 5am and then I gave her a BF - she only took one side normally takes two.
I don't know what to do???
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What was the day like? I know you said it was perfect, but what did it look like? Can you post it in EAS format?
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Wake and eat 6am
Sleep 8.20am
Wake 9.40am
Eat 10am
Sleep 12.10pm
Wake and Eat 2pm
Sleep 4.30pm
Wake 5pm
Eat and bed 6pm
I can't see anything wrong with the A times? do you think is bed too close to the wake up from the CN?
Today is exactly the same as yesterday! so not sure what will happen but going to top up with formula after the last feed.
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Your EASY looks good. Maybe you could stretch that last A by 15 minutes or so? Don't do it though, if she seems exhausted.
Honestly, it sounds like she is just hungry. If she is taking full feeds at night, then go with it for now. there is a major GS at 6 months and maybe she is just hitting it a little early. I wonder if you had just offered a full feed at 2:40 if she would have slept longer. That night doesn't look bad, with the exception of you fighting with her for 1 hour. Some BF moms still have 2 NF at this point, so it looks like you might be in that group for a while.
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Yeah I guess I am just annoyed cause she STTN from 10 weeks to the 4 month GS! then things went down hill from there!
I would be happy with one NF - I want to move her in with DS and feel I can't until it is down to one NF.
I actually looked up EASY routines and saw that the one suggested says to do 1.5 hours after the CN - So I did that cause she didn't seem exhausted and I BF her before
So today went
6.10am wake and Eat
Sleep 8.30am
Wake and Eat 10.20am
Sleep 12.50pm
Wake and Eat 2.20pm
Sleep 4.45pm
Wake 5.15pm
Eat 6.15pm
Bath 6.30pm
Bed 6.40pm
it took her a little longer to fall asleep but I just left her to it!
Oh and I have moved her into the spare room as I think DH and I moving about is waking her - she is a light sleeper even with the white noise on full!!
will let you know how it goes in the morn - thanks for your help
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Good luck with the longer A. Honestly, I think 4-6 months is really hard. There is so much going on and they just can't stop eating.
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Thanks
So she woke at 11.30pm and took 6oz of a bottle and then a bf - perhaps another 1/2oz
Then she woke again at 3.30am and had a BF
She woke briefly at 4.50am but cause she wasn't in our room I left her and she fell back asleep until 6.10am.
I am going to start weaning the 3.30am feed by offering a bottle with less and less in it.
Hopefully this will get her to start taking more during the day, although I think she takes loads already!! I guess the morning feed could be a little longer!
will let you know how we get on!
ETA - I forgot to say that I changed the teat size on the bottle to level 3 Dr Brown - she def drank it more efficiently and quicker! and didn't bob on and off - she must have been frustrated with the slow flow of level 2!
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I am glad you had a better night!!
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last night was basically the same as the night before - however i have noticed that both today and yesterday for feeds she is only single side feeding and not for very long!!! She is a double side feeder 5 mins a side and now is doing one side maybe 5mins tops.
She isn't hungry before the 4 hour mark during the day and I could stretch it if needed.
so I think she MUST be getting the bulk of food after bed!!
What do you think?
She took 5 oz at 2.30am so going to put 4 scoops in and 5 oz of water for the next few nights.
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A lot of moms wean those NF by giving mostly water. The idea is that the baby wakes and doesn't want water, so gives up on waking. It is worth trying if you want to get rid the night calories and add to the day. Just be mindful of actual hunger.
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Thanks Kara,
Last night she fell asleep just after 7pm and then woke at 11.30pm - she drank 6oz. She then woke at 3.30am and took 5oz bottle with 4 scoops - she woke at 5.10am and it took until 6.10am for her to fall back asleep until 7am. She then woke and won't feed :( I am so full :( :( I will keep going as I am going and lessening the scoops of formula in the bottle.
Hopefully then she will start to take more during the day.
Amyx
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Hi Did the same last night and she refused food this morning - It took 2 hours for her to take a feed this morning :(
trying 3 scoops tonight in the 3/3.30am bottle.
She took a good amount of solids yesterday and she took 5oz of the 11pm bottle.
Eventually the 3/3.30am bottle will just be water but I am hoping that she will take the extra calories during the day......hoping that is :)
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Are there any other issues Amy? Reflux? Anything like that? If not, I would give just plain water and nothing else. She won't want that.
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Think she is sick now - has a temp of 39.7 - has been off her milk all day. also I think she is favouring the bottle over the breast :( so I was planning on taking my time weaning completely but looks like she has other ideas!
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((HUGS)) I am sorry. :( Maybe you can post on the BF board and see if you get some ideas?
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scrap that - now she won't take the bottle AT ALL and only wants to be BF!! these kids keep you on your toes :)
just when you think you have them all figured out LOL
Still has a temp - must be teething - so going to leave it for a while till she is better!
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Many hugs to you and I hope she feels better soon!
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Hi So last night was the first night of tackling the NW's since she was sick.
She took 5 oz at 5.45pm and was asleep by 6.15pm
She woke at 8pm and was off and on (awake and asleep) until about 9.30pm - in the end I heated a bottle of water and she drank about 4oz and fell asleep. (it was very hot here yesterday 35 degrees??)
then she woke at 12.25am and I fed her she took another 5oz.
She then woke at 3am and was awake until maybe 3.45am when I again gave her warm water and she took another 4oz. She fell back asleep again and woke at 6.35am (she may even have gone longer but DH was up and the batteries were dead in the Ipod in her room with the white noise on it!)
So I think that was a success last night
On waking though she only took one side - I waited a few mins and then she went on to the other side, but she promptly threw all of this up once she unlatched - so I guess she didn't need it!
Only doing 4 hourly feeds today.
Is it ok to heat the bottle of water?
thanks
Amyx
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When I had to heat water, I heated it either prior to putting it in the bottle or heated the bottle in a cup with hot water.
How much does she drink per feed during the day?
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I heat the water then put it in the bottle -
Today
6.30am - BF one side (vomited the other side after MUCH persuasion to take it!)
10.30am - Bottle 6.5oz
2.30pm BF - both sides
6pm - 6.5oz
She had cheese, yog, cucumber, carrots, strawberries, and raspberries today.
I think she is swallowing a good amount esp the cheese :) (takes after me there!)
Thinking back - DS was the same he would guzzle warm water in a bottle
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So last night she had her last bottle at 6pm - 6.5oz
She woke at 11pm and I gave her another bottle and she drank the full 7oz (first time drinking the full lot!)
She then woke at 2.30am I went in and gave her a drink of water and she fell back asleep only until 4am when I went in and gave her some pain meds and another drink of water.
At 4am she drank a bit of water but maybe 1/2oz.
She woke for the day at 6.10am - but didn't feed until 6.30am and really wasn't that interested!!
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Hmmm, I wonder why she won't take a morning bottle. Can you post on the bottle feeding boards?
Otherwise, it looks a like a success though!
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Things aren't going so well :(
The other night I went out and left a lady to babysit. I told her that if DD wakes before 10pm not to feed but to resettle - so she did and she didn't wake again until 4am!!!
Last night though she woke at the usual 11pm - took 5oz.
She then woke at 3am - took water and resettled easily. She then woke at 4am and wouldn't take the water, she sounded like she was hungry so I gave her a bottle - less two scoops of formula - she drank the entire bottle.....she doesn't do that in the day time, it is probably the second time she has ever drank the whole thing!
So then she woke at 6.10am for the day. I gave her her morning bottle at 7.30am and she took just 4.5oz :(
During the day she is getting max 21/22oz, I am doing BLW so not sure she is getting full from solids.
Do you think she is drinking enough during the day?
I am thinking perhaps I should resettle for the 11pm feed and work on the other NW - what do you think?
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(((HUGS))) Amy. I wonder if she was just fighting you for that bottle and had you stood your ground, she would have gone back to sleep. If you make the decision to wean a bottle, definitely stay strong.
You could try the 11 pm bottle. You said she is waking for it now? Maybe you would have the energy to tackle it earlier in the evening.
As for food during the day, I would work on eliminating NFs and making sure you offer solids, but not so many that your LO won't drink. Make sense?
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Hi,
So last night she went to sleep at 6.30pm and woke for a bottle at 11pm and drank the entire thing! she then woke for the day at 5am - I offered her water at 5am which she took and was drifting back to sleep when she did a poo! So she was up for the day then at 5.20am :(
She also wasn't hungry for the morning bottle - I gave it to her at 5.45am and she only took 5oz :(
Gave her more solids yesterday and was more persistent about her finishing her bottles - my friend told me to put on mickey mouse to distract them and it worked LOL! (the things you do!)
So I am taking from this that if i got her back to sleep she could have gone to maybe 6.30am without another feed!
Cause I am doing BLW I am not sure how much she is actually eating as the dog is always hovering to pick up the leftovers!
Not sure if you can answer this one though
She woke at 5am but I didn't lift her from the cot until 5.20 (except to give her water) and she was dozing on and off, her morning A time is normally 2 hours 20mins but she was irritable at 2 hours 10min so I put her down - should I have kept to the morning A time???
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Technically, the A time starts from the moment she wakes. But some moms still push that first morning A in an attempt to get rid of the EW. you may get an OT first nap if you do that though.
I am thinking you should post on the bottle feeding board about her not feeding during the day and taking in more calories at night. It feels like something is up, yet I am not sure how to advise. I know you are frustrated and I want you to get support for it.
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Well we had some success last night :)
I stuck to the 4 hours between bottles and actually the last one of the day was 5 hours!
So yesterday went
wake 5.20 am
Eat 5.45am 5oz
Sleep 7.30am
Wake 9.15am
Eat 9.30am 6oz
Sleep 12pm
Wake 1.45pm
Eat 2pm Bottle 60z
Sleep 5.10pm (was late home - had to be rocked to sleep)
Bed 7pm Bottle 6oz
She went to sleep so much easier and she didn't wake until 2.20am!! no 11pm waking !!!
I got up gave her water and pain meds for teeth and it took her to 3am but she fell back asleep - she wasn't hungry just chatting in cot.
She woke then at 5.10am and as she shares with her brother I didn't want her to wake him then so I gave her 4oz of water with 3 scoops of milk - she was crying so I thought she was hungry - this settled her and she slept then until 6am.
I tried to give her her morning bottle at 7am but she drank just 3oz :( so already I have started off on the wrong foot today :) :(
What should I do with the 5am wake up - should I just feed a regular bottle??
I mixed the left over formula with some weetabix so hopefully that will help
Amy
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I would have given her a full bottle at 5, since she had gone from 7 the night before. Your bottle spacing might have been off today, but that is ok.
Great night though!
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So last night in Bed 7pm and I didn't hear her until 5am!
She was chatting to herself but because she is int he same room as her brother I had to get up before it escalated!
I didn't think she was hungry as she wasn't giving out so I gave her some water - she drank 1oz but she wouldn't go back asleep - still chatty and smiley!
So I took her into my bed and gave her a bottle of milk - she only took 3oz!! can't the water fill her up that much?? and it was 30mins after the water that I gave her the milk!
Anyway she didn't fall back asleep until 6.30am - by which stage I have to get up, so I tried to keep her awake but she was having none of it!
Not sure how the rest of the day will go........will keep you posted :)
Do you think she might be getting too much day sleep - why the 5am start? time to drop cat nap?
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So she slept until just 7am - will put her down at 9.30am
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Didn't you already drop the cat nap? Your night was text book when you dropped the cat nap.
Either feed her or not. I wouldn't offer water at that time.
Glad you had a better night. :) It is too bad she shares a room, because I bet she would fall back asleep during some of those chatty times. I think when you go in and get her, it signals her that it is either time to start the day or eat.
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No haven't dropped the cat nap yet but there is none today cause of the EW
5am wake
6.30 sleep
7 wake
9.30 sleep
11.30 wake
2pm sleep
3.40 wake
6.30 bed
fingers crossed then for a good night - top two teeth are cutting through today :(
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Hi So last night asleep 6.30pm she woke at 2am I gave her pain meds (cutting top two teeth and a drink of water) took her about 30mins of being in the cot to fall asleep - she was quiet the entire time just took a while to fall back asleep - she woke for the day at 5.25am! Took 6oz on waking whoo hoo - now I need her to wake just a little bit later :)
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Glad you are seeing improvement Amy. :)
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Last night bed at 7pm and woke about 3 times through out the night - she was def in discomfort - offered water and gave pain meds (not everytime she woke)
She then woke at 6am this morning - whoo hoo!!
Yesterday her AM A time was 2 hours 50 mins - she woke after 30mins but we were in the car - I think perhaps her EW is as a result of her morning A time being too short??? what do you think?
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hello i am reading this with interest as my dd is the same. slept really well from 6 weeks til 4 months when it all went downhill. at 4 month she woke evry 2 hours for more than 2 weeks so i started to wean her onto solids. then she settled down to just one night waking and now shes 6.5 months shes waking up every 2-3 hours again at nite. i have tried offering water but she just screams and screams and i end up bf her. i have also tried controlled crying but again i give up as she is really really screaming. am starting to give formula in the hope that will settle her.
tbh its a nitemare at the moment
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hello i am reading this with interest as my dd is the same. slept really well from 6 weeks til 4 months when it all went downhill. at 4 month she woke evry 2 hours for more than 2 weeks so i started to wean her onto solids. then she settled down to just one night waking and now shes 6.5 months shes waking up every 2-3 hours again at nite. i have tried offering water but she just screams and screams and i end up bf her. i have also tried controlled crying but again i give up as she is really really screaming. am starting to give formula in the hope that will settle her.
tbh its a nitemare at the moment
I am sorry you are struggling. Can you start your own thread so we can help you? CC really breaks the trust between the mother and the child and there are really nicer ways to teach independent sleep. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63839.0
Amy, we get short naps with UT. So that could have been it. But it sounds like your LO is also teething, which can really effect sleep.
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Hi So the last two nights she hasn't woken...but she has woken early at 4am - both nights - she is having a little party in her cot at that time! yesterday I didn't feed her then after 30mins I did then she was awake for an hour and 15 mins :( this morning I fed her straight away she fell back asleep again until 5.30am - I don't think it is hunger waking her iykwim.
I have extended her morning A time to 2 hours 55 mins (was aiming for 2 hours 45mins but caluclated wrong :( ) so will see if that helps - I think I read somewhere that EW are as a result of the morning A time - is that right???
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The morning A can effect EWs if you put your LO down too early every morning. It teaches the LO that they can wake early, since they will get an early nap. Some moms just push that A and fight through OT to eliminate the EWs.
If you don't think she is hungry, I wouldn't feed her. It will just be 1 more habit you have to break. If she starts crying, I would try PU/PD and attempt to get her back to sleep. If she is just talking, leave her.
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You see I can't leave her cause she shares a room with her brother and it isn't fair on him to be awake that early in the morning cause I am not sure he would actually go back asleep???
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Is there white noise in the room?
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Yes and it is LOUD :)
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After consulting with a lovely mom :) who also has to worry about waking older children (twins), I am going to suggest that you focus on teaching independent sleep and eliminating the EWs and worry about the older LO later. He already has independent sleep and it won't be difficult to get him back on track again. If you keep running in every time you hear the baby stir, she is going to think it is time to get up. She needs to learn to fall back asleep in her crib. So if she wakes chatting, leave her. If she wakes crying, do PU/PD.
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Ok thanks will try that!
Last night she was in bed at 6pm (after a day with bad naps) she woke at 2am I did leave her for about 15mins but she was wide awake and I could here DS was awake too. I went in and gave her pain meds and a little drink of water. It took her about 20mins to fall back asleep and then she woke at 6.30am ( I think the longer A time yesterday did the trick!)
The pain meds that I give her when she goes to bed last 8 hours. It seems she wakes as this is beginning to wear off and it takes her the length of time for the new dose to start to work to fall asleep, if that makes sense!
she was chewing on her blanket last night and moaning which is why I gave her the pain meds again.
Will leave her tonight and see what happens - she is on a video monitor beside my bed so I can see what is happening.
Thanks again
Amy
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That is great! We can always tell exactly when the pain meds wear off as well.