4 month old waking hungry at night

[lrbmum]

Hi,

I'm really struggling to keep my 4month old son on a routine.  He was on a routine where he woke once at night then during the day had 3 naps - one for about 2.5-3 hours and 2 for about 1-1.5 hours, but in any order in the day (usually the long one first, but sometimes not).  His routine on a typical day was:

E: 7am
A: 7:15-8:30
S: 8:30-11
E: 11am
A: 11:15-12:15
S: 12:15-1:30
E: 1:30pm
A: 1:45-3
S: 3-4:30
E: 4:30pm then bath
E: 6:30pm (sometimes also at 5:30pm)
S: 7pm
then dream feed at around 10-11pm then waking for a feed once in the night.

He then dropped his night time feed, keeping his day routine approximately the same.  Obviously, I was delighted by this, but it didn't last.  He slept through the night for a few nights then started waking in the night again.  When he wakes in the night, he now sleeps in a bit later, till about 8am and the routine shifts a bit, but I still have him in bed by 7pm.  He then started sleeping through the night again (so started waking at 6:30-7am) and did so for about a week then started waking at night again (and waking at 8am).  If I try waking him earlier (ie 7am) so that he keeps a similar routine, he won't feed properly until 8-8:30am.

I'm wondering if maybe he's just not getting enough to eat because he's usually very cranky just before bedtime and sometimes I end up feeding him a few times to try and tank him up.  Also, his night waking can be at any time from 3-5am and he just feeds quickly then goes back to sleep.  I have tried giving him a pacifier to get him back to sleep but he won't accept it and is clearly hungry.  How can I get him on a more reliable routine and sleeping through the night?

Could it be that he's ready for solids?  He's only just 4months, but he is big - 7.2kg (16lb).  He's breastfed and I know I could top him up with some formula milk, but I'm reluctant to do this because his father is dairy intolerant so I want to hold off giving him formula until he's 6 months.

[claires mum]

Hmmm...my opinion only but I think that routine looks pretty good...and is quite consistent even though it changes a bit each day.  1 NW for a feed is pretty normal at this age (it can often be 2). 

I would have suggested a bottle top up before bed...but I can see why you've decided to wait.  I think I would make the same choice. 

My only other thought is that he might be getting a little too much sleep during the day and to maybe limit the big nap to 2 hours only.  BUT....if he's truly waking out of hunger then changing his daytime sleep won't have any impact. He just needs to be fed. 

Is the am feed a good one...or is it just a little feed and then back to sleep.  Can he sleep independently or does he need your help?

[Colin Macs Mom]

I would definitely not consider solids yet, his system is far too young to handle that. At his age it's not unusual to still need a night feed and it does sound like he's genuinely hungry. There's a big growth spurt at 4 mo so he may be having that.

[lrbmum]

Thanks for your thoughts Claire's mum and Colin Mac's mom.  Perhaps I'll hold off giving solids and see if it is a growth spurt.  I would prefer if he could sit up more strongly before starting him on solids.

In response to your question, Claire's mum, he feeds very well when he wakes up in the night.  Sometimes on one of his day feeds he doesn't seem to feed well, but the middle of the night one is always a good feed.  He usually goes off to sleep quickly at 7pm and again after the middle of the night after his feed and sleeps well in between, so I don't think it's a problem of not being tired enough.  Also, he sleeps independently.  I used to give him a pacifier, but I've been weaning him off that and now I just give him a cuddle and put him in bed and he usually just drops off to sleep sucking his thumb, unless he's overtired in which case he still sometimes needs the pacifier.

[claires mum]

If all his feeds are good..then I would definitely agree that he's waking out of hunger.  So it will be a matter of feeding him during this phase (if you can increase his intake during the day then you may eliminate some of the NWs).   Have you checked the BF FAQ sheets...there are loads of tips on how to increase your supply IF you think there is an issue there.  PLEASE hold off on the solids....if you start too early you'll have MORE NWs!!

[cbald1976]

My advice is a bit different ....

Curious if you've tried getting him to bed earlier than 7pm.   Like you're doing now, give him his last feed right before settling him down to sleep.  I'm currently reading a book that says that around 3-4 months babies sleep longer & more deeply if you put them down by 6pm & leave them down.  There may be a bit of fussing at the normal DF or wakeup times, but they'll put themselves back to sleep if they are independent sleepers.  Then they'll be up once for a night feeding. 

This frees you up to have an earlier bedtime yourself....so when he does wake at night, you're more rested & actually come out with more sleep...as does he. 

Hoping these suggestions work for you.  Let us know how things go.

[lrbmum]

Thanks cbald1976.  Some of my friends also do what you suggest in setting the baby to sleep bedtime then just letting them sleep until they wake in the night and the thought of an early night is attractive (and it makes evenings out easier).  I've resisted doing this because probably about 1/3 of the time, my son actually wakes around the time of his dream feed, so I figure that even when he does seem sound asleep when I go to bed, he'll probably just wake and hour or two later.

I have been convinced to hold off on the solids though - thanks everyone.