silly question, but how do i know if my 7.5 mth LO is waking up hungry at night?

[JacobM]

hi - i'm getting really desperate! I have a gorgeous 7.5 old son - he is really good-natured and happy in the day - generally, not crying a lot and was sleeping through until about 10 weeks ago - now, however he never goes through a night without waking up once - more often twice - and then is up extra early - like 6am - when it ued to be 7.30...

We weren't feeding him in the night, but I'm now wondering if he is actually hungry - he's not a very good solids eater - we're kind of baby-led weaning as he just won't take a spoon (he's VERy wilful) so he doesn't get very much down him - and milk-wise, he's not bothered either, taking about 4oz at every bottle and then 9 just before bed (on average a total of about 20-24oz per day. So, last night at 2.30 am we gave him a bottle and he had 4.5oz...he then took forever to go back to sleep and we had to do PU/PD with him - each time he woke up after about 15 minutes and we had to do it again!

we are at our wits ends - we just don't know what to do with him - we generally try minimal intervention, but have recently got into the habit of singing to him and cuddling him to sleep out of desperation - he then either goes down fine, but more often then not, wakes up again. We have had success with PU/PD in the past, but weirdly, we started doing it for his day naps - and it worked - and that's when his night wakings started!!!

Does anyone have any advice - should we start feeding him at night regularly? I've tried today to get more and more milk into him, but he is having none of it...he literally will not have any more once he's had enough.

thanks
x

[charmie]

I think if his NW was led by hunger he would have gone back to sleep once you fed him.  But since he didn't it was probably something else he needed.  I would say we need to have a look at his daily routine to see if we can spot something there.

xxx
charm

[JacobM]

Thanks for your quick reply.

OUr routine has gone a bit haywire since Milo has been able to stay up longer, but this is an average day...

up and not happy anywhere between 5.30 and 7.30

let's say up at 6.30am for this routine

E 7am (4oz)
A 7-8am
E 8am (breakfast - oatabix/banana - although not a lot goes down)
S 9.30 (will sleep on average between 1 and 1.5 hours

E 11am (3/4 oz)
A 11-12
E 12 (lunch)
S depends on what time he woke up earlier, but generally goes down about 1.30/2. he's staying awake anywhere between 2 hours and 3 hours. He usually sleeps between 1 and 1.5 hours

E anywhere between 2.30 and 3.30 (4-5oz)
A 2.30 -5.30
E 5.30 (tea)
S he used to have a 45 minute catnap anywhere between 4.30 and 5.30 - but in the last week or so, he has completely stopped.
This has meant that by 7pm he is really tired, so falls asleep on his bottle having drunk anywhere between 5 and 9oz.
I usually give him some milk before his bath at about 6.15, he then has his bath and then bed. It used to be 7.30 or later before his catnap stopped.

Does this make sense?
He isn't teething, he learnt to sit up about a month ago, but his night wakings started way before that, and we've tried everything from changing what he wears to giving him massage before bed.

What do you think? can we be saved?
thanks x

[brenda2]

His nap times are funny... I think this could be because he needs a routine tweak. If he's just dropped the catnap that could be why hes struggling at night.
A 1 hour nap means he could have used a bit longer A time before it.  Can he handle 3 hours A time? I would try 3 hours first thing but if nap one is only an hour then do 2.5 hour for the next A time. Then when first dropping the catnap you need to put him in bed early to avoid ot
you should be aiming for 2 x 1.5-2 hour naps if he only foes 2 x 1 hour nap you may need a catnap that day or a really early bedtime.
So:
6:30awake
9:30-11 s
2-3:30 s
6 bedtime
I think his bedtime is too late believe it or not if he's just dropping the catnap now

my other thought if you're worried about his milk intake and whether or not he's hungry is to try the dreamfeed, then you know he's for sure not hungrywhen he wakes at night

hugs, transition times are always tough. We are having trouble right now with going from 4 to 3 naps and having loads of nws as I try to tweak the routine

if he was a good sleeper in the past he'll get back to it!

[JacobM]

thanks - he did wake up last night at 8.50 and then again at 10, so we took advantage of it and fed him - he had 4oz and then took a while to settle - and then slept through to 6.30...so, i'm none the wiser really - i'm not convinced it's hunger as i'm sure he wouldn't have woken so early in the evening, but at the same time though, he did go all the way through?

I have tried to give him a longer A time this morning, but he only ended up having 1/2 hour nap first thing - not sure why...

also, He's only just dropped the catnap, and his sleeping problems started 10 weeks ago, so i'm not sure if it's that causing the problem - although now it could be adding to it!!

if anyone can spot anything that i can't, would love to know
thanks x

[charmie]

I am thinking that UT led to poor naps which in turn are now causing OT.  A case in point is this 30min nap    And dropping the catnap didn't help.  Early bedtimes are crucial at this point.  Even as early as 6pm.  By how much did you lengthen his 1st a time when he napped only for 30mins?  We might need to have a look at his daily routine or a while and keep tweaking until he's back on track.


xxx
charm