Habit or Hungry??? How can I tell?

[AngelaF]

Friends,

My 4 mos old DS has been waking pretty consistently at 2 and 4 three or four times a week. We have been going in and doing the pacifier or shh/pat but not feeding. Usually he goes back to sleep until 6 or 7.  Some nights though we're going in four and five times, plus he has a twin sister who sleeps in the same room who keeps waking up from all the action.

Two nights ago DH and I decided that maybe he's not ready to sleep like his sister (she gets a DF at 10 and sleeps until 6:30/7), so DH got up at 4 and fed Jacob 4.5 oz. Last night he woke up at 2 and after being in and out for an hour and a half, I fed him at 3:30 and he ate 4.5 oz. Are we right to do this? He has slept through the night before, but never more than two days in a row. So while we know he CAN do it, he doesn't do it consistently.

They just started a 4 hour EASY. We transitioned because at 3.5 they were just not hungry. He's also discovered the joy of being able to push the bottle out as well as wiggle his head around a lot, so feeding him is a bit of a chore and in the past three days he has not eaten very well. He rolled over for the first time two days ago. So maybe his little body is just kind of throwing him for a loop?

But these NW were happening even before all the developmental stuff...any suggestions? I'm feeling like we're regressing with him by feeding him at night, but like DH says, if that's what he needs then we have to do it. Is it unrealistic of me to expect him to go without a nighttime feed? I feel like in the BW book, she's saying that most babies are sleeping at least six hours between feeds and while he might go six hours between, he's not sleeping for all that time.

During the day he takes 2 2-hour good naps and a quick catnap in the late afternoon. We make sure they're up from the catnap by 6:15 and bedtime is 7:45/8. He goes to sleep wonderfully--it's just these wakings in the middle that he can't seem to get back to sleep from. His awake time is anywhere between 1:45 and 2 hours. I really watch for cues and put them down before the fussing starts. I feel like the day is great, but the night is dreadful!!!!

Any help/guidance/suggestions/words of encouragment are welcome and sorely needed!!! DH started back to teaching today and we really thought this would be ironed out by the end of summer. He got no sleep last night, even though I got up every time. I don't want him to have to sleep downstairs just to get rest!!!!

Thanks to all. You all continue to inspire and amaze me!
Angela

[momofclaire]

It is possible that your little guy is hungry. Tracy does say that babies four months of age can "sleep through the night," but every baby is different. 
When you fed him at 3:30 did he sleep through till morning afterwards?
When he wakes at 2 have you tried feeding him right away?  If so, does he wake at 4 again?  Does Jacob get a df as well?
Milestones can cause them to be more restless during the night.  For that I would just help him to roll and roll and roll all day so that he isn't interested at night.
You are doing a great job. To have twins and be doing so well is really amazing.  I know it is tough, actually I only have one so I have NO idea. It will get easier.
Post back and we will try to help you figure this out.
Myia

[rob1lu2]

Hey Angela,

I just replied to your other post too, but I see that you say that they go to bed at 8. Is that too late for them? Do you think that might be why he's waking up? Because he's overtired? I don't know, it's just a thought. Sylvie and Inez are solid 6:30-6:30.

My DH says the same thing, that maybe Inez just can't sleep through the night yet. But as you say, Tracey says in her book that four month olds can and should, so I try not to trip on it. My girls just turned five months old yesterday (four months adjusted). I feel like my plan is to let Inez continue to eat at night until she turns six months old, and then I'll use pu/pd to keep her sleeping. We'll see...

Lu