4.5 month old on EASY still waking for feed in middle of night?

[mom2ene]

Hello ladies,

I am new to the board and could use some advise about my 4.5 month dd Easy.....she seems to be hungry in the middle of the night.

Here is a little background on her.  At 8 wks ahe was sleeping from 7:45 pm until 6 am taking a feed and sleeping until 8:30 am to start the day.  She then started having major diahrrea issues(like 10-12+ times a day/night) and would wake for a change multiple times throughout the night and in fear of her getting dehydrated we atarted feeding her thoughout the night as well because she was only taking about 15 oz of formula in 24 hrs.  She has since been sitched to Alimentum and has an appt with a GI specialist on 1/04/2008 when I will hopefully find out more of what is going on.  SHe has MSPI (maybe full blown allergies....still has the diarrhea but only like 3-4 times a day) and reflux(taking prilosec).  SHe was born at 7lbs 1 oz and at 4 months was 13lbs 2 oz.  I was having problems with her keeping down more than 3-4 oz down at a time and she was still only feeding 4-5 times a day....she has been waking in the night because she obviously has not been getting enough food.... So, since being on the prilosec she seems to be feeling somewhat better and is tolerating more ounces per feed(5-6oz).  This is her schedule as of the last 5 days or so.  SHe is not on any solids yet and is a cross between Angel/ textbook baby. 

Wake/eat 8am(5-6oz)
A 8:30-9:45a
Sleep 10a-12p
E 12p(5-6oz)
A 12:30-1:45 pm
S 2pm -4pm
E 4 pm(5-6 oz)
A 4:30p-6 pm
S 6pm-7pm
E 7pm(5-6oz)
A(bath) till 7:45pm
Sleep (by 8 pm)
Dream feed 10:30-11pm(6 oz)

She has been waking around 3 some nights and seems very hungry....if she doesn't wake at 3am she wakes at 5:30-6am.  If I do pu/pd at 3 she will go back down but won't last till 8 am to feed again....if I feed her earlier than 7-8 am she will fall back to sleep and won't wkae until 9:30 am and it messes with the whole day.  I fed her 3 oz last night at 3am(she drained it and slept until 8 am today).  My concern is she may not be eating enough during the day but if I feed her more than what she is taking she gets really uncomfortable and throws up more.  I want to keep her full and happy and I know I will probably get more ansers to what is going on with her at her appt next week....I just really don't want to eating in the night if it isn't neccessary and making a bad habit. KWIM?

Any advise is appreciated!

Should I continue to feed her if she wakes or just fight the pu/pd with her. 

[vadensmommy]

Hey there!
So sorry to hear that you've had so many GI issues with you lo!  That has to be tough!  Reviewing your routine - it looks really great, she's napping great, sleeping almost a 12 hr stretch at night, minus the wakings to eat.  If I woke up in your shoes tomorrow, I'd probably not change a thing, and that includes, continuing to feed at night, AT LEAST until she has her GI appt.  That way you can get a better grasp as to what is going on GI wise, and if there is really a problem they want to investigate further.

She is also getting right at 5hrs of naps during the day, and that seems to be a good bit - it isn't inappropriate, as she may just be a baby who needs her sleep more than most.  The only thought I have re: these naps, is that it might make her a bit less tired for that night time sleep, and thus make her more likely to wake if she is a bit hungry.  Her weight seems good, compared to my dd - she was right at 13.5lbs at 4mo (8lb at birth), and a 5-6oz bottle was also about what dd was doing at that age.

So, again, I'd probably continue to feed in the night at least until you see the GI doc, and see what they say - you may even ask them about the night feed and see what they say.  If you do decide to wean the night feeding, I would do it gradually.  When we weaned the DF, I dropped the # of oz by 1oz, and brought the feed 30min, or an hour (whichever you like) earlier every 3 nights.  So if you decided to go that route, it could look a bit like this:
Night #1-3 -Wake her at 2:30, and feed 3oz (so to interrupt this 3am waking, and keep it from becoming a nightly habit-I wouldn't actually WAKE her, I'd do it like you do the DF)
Night #4-6-Wake her at 2, and feed 2oz
Night #7-10-Wake her at 1:30, and feed 1oz
Night #11 - do pu/pd if she wakes and cries

That's how I would try to drop it if I had to, but others have done it differently.  I always liked the gradual approach, because then it can give her a chance to work those calories into her daytime calories without a drastic drop in calories that she suddenly has to compensate for during the day, that her tummy can't handle all at once. 

Hope that makes sense, I know others will be along to offer their thoughts too!  Good luck with the GI doc!!

[mom2ene]

Thank you so much for responding.  I appreciate the advice   She goes in tomorrow afternoon so I am seeing what they say.  If all is good we will be cutting out the night time feed

[vadensmommy]

Keeping fingers crossed for you for the GI appt!!!
Let me know how it goes!!