7 1/2 mo old - 4am wakings - hunger or habit?

[reecesmom]

I have a 7.5 mo old who has been waking up at 4 or 4:30 for a couple of months.  I've just assumed it's hunger b/c he goes to bed at 7 - I bf him and then he immediately goes back to sleep until 7 am.  But two nights ago he had his last meal at 8 and last night he had a late meal at 10:30 (he fell asleep at grandmas and when we brought him home I decided to go ahead and bf again just for good measure) and he still woke up at 4 or 4:30 each of these nights...this makes me think its habit.  So should I just let him continue to bf him when he wakes (since he eats well from both sides and then falls right back to sleep) or should I try and break the habit?  And how would I try and break him of it?  wake to sleep?  He's in a good routine...
7am wake and bf
8:30 solids
10:00 nap
11:00 bf
12:30 solids
1:00 nap
3:00 bf
4:45 rest (sometimes take a catnap)
5:15 bf
6:00 solids
7:00 bf and bedtime

Thanks for your help!!!

[Jamasco]

We are going through the same thing with my 7.5 month old daughter.  She was a great sleeper for months but started waking up once time then 2 times a night.  We thought it was hunger but I was starting to think it was habit.  Last night she woke up 4 times and we didn't feed her.  She went back to sleep all 4 times and finally woke up at 7:15 a.m. this morning.  I think at this age they say they start to test the waters.  Well, she is testing but we're not biting!   

I don't think at 7.5 months they are supposed to be waking up at the middle of the night unless there is a problem with sickness or teething.

Let me know what happens...

[Mom2Pearce]

Good, i'm glad i'm not the only-est one dealing with that! My ds is nearly 8 mos (will be on 11-16), and boy have we been having a time...i've been a wreck too...this is how i found the site in the first place.

I had used another book that taught me to get him on a schedule (into a routine) but since i'm such a nerd, it was a schedule...which often had the potential of making me nuts...at any rate, when this prob. cropped up, we asked our doc what to do and she said let him CIO ...that wasn't our favorite thing, which is when i looked up the Baby Whisperer...now i'm struggling with getting BACK on track.  I wonder if you guys have any suggestions in that department

Thanks,
jenni

[reecesmom]

Thanks for the input...I think I'm going to work on helping him drop the habit...I've read on other posts that sometimes it helps to gradually decrease the time he bf when he wakes at 4:30.  So I guess I'll try that this week and hopefully my dh and I can spend the weekend helping him drop it entirely.  Anyone know if this is the kind of thing that could be helped with wake to sleep?  I'm worried that at this age, if I wake him, he'll be really upset and mad and I'll still have to try and figure out a way to get him back to sleep.  Any ideas?

[Katet]

Ladies please don't rule out seperation anxiety at this age, that is another reason for night waking (babies don't test the water by the way, they don't have the congnitive development at this age to thing I will cry that will get My mum) they cry because they have a need...just because it isn't a need for food doesn't make the need any less valid. They may need comfort due to sepertation anxiety, tingly muscles due to starting to crawl etc. Also they can make noise when they resettle. so make sure you listen to the cry/whinge before you act as you may be disturbing them from putting themselves back to sleep.

[Jamasco]

Update:  I wanted to post an update because we spoke to our pediatrician about my dd waking during the night.   While I understand the method she recommended is totally against what the BW method supports, it worked for us. 

She told me to let her cry for 15 minutes the first time, give her a bottle with water in it and let her know it is there in her crib.  Second time, let her go for 20 minutes and by the third time you go and reassure her, she should be asleep.  She told us if we repeat this for 2 weeks, she will be sleeping through the night in no time (unless there is a problem like she is sick or teething).

WELL, I am happy to report...our sweet little angel has slept through the night every night for one week now.  I mean she goes down at 7:00 p.m. and doesn't wake up until 6:00 a.m.  We had a few days of waking up and going throught he suggested remedy our doctor suggested but after 2 weeks, we have a baby that sleeps and we are well rested too!

Thanks for the support.