7 month old still up every 2 hours

[esmama]

Hello!

I'm new here - a friend referred me to this site because it helped her so much!  My 7 mo little girl goes down at night with no problem.  We use Tracy's suggestions; she goes to bed with a full belly, after a routine, and wide awake.  She falls asleep on her own, and sleeps for about 2-3 hours.  Then, for the rest of the night, she's up every 2 hours crying.  We've tried patting her belly, picking up/setting down, a "white noise" machine, even using a pacifier. Sometimes she won't go back to sleep for hours at a time.

She takes 3 naps a day, totaling around 3 hours.  She is on solids 3x a day.

She is breastfed - if I nurse her she will go back down quicker (within minutes of latching on), but still wakes up 2 hours later.  I fear nursing has become a prop for her, but we've been trying for 4 weeks to not allow night feedings, and she still keeps waking up. 

Any help is appreciated!  Even if it's just to hear that someone else is up all night with their 7mo.  Seems like everyone I know has a baby sleeping through the night at 10 weeks!

[esmama]

Thanks so much for the welcome!  Thanks, also, for offering to help!

One thing I should add - since she's been on solids she has really stopped wanting to BF or drink from a bottle.  We really struggle with getting milk in her.  But, she's never been a solid sleeper, so I'm not sure that it's related   We've talked to the doctor about it, and since she's growing great and very healthy they aren't too concerned.

Here is our day (roughly):
6:30 - Wake
6:30-7 - Play time
7-7:15 try to BF (usually not very interested in the morning)
7:30 - leave for daycare
8:45 - bottle (usually 2-3 oz)
9:00-breakfast (rice cereal with breastmilk and fruit)
9:30-10:30 - nap
11:15 - Bottle (3-4 oz)
11:45 - lunch (fruit and a veggie)
1-2:15 nap
2:30-3:15 - outside play
3:15 - Bottle (usually 2-3 oz)
4-4:45 - nap
5 - home from daycare
5:15 - BF (usually just one side)
6 - Dinner (Veggie & Yogurt)
7:15 - Bath
7:30 - BF (usually one side)
7:40 - read books
7:50 - lay down in crib

Teething could be an issue - she does have two poking out.  But, she has always had this problem with sleeping.  We have started giving her a little baby motrin at night to help if her teeth are hurting her.

When she cries, should I avoid picking her up altogether? 

Thanks a TON!
 

[*Ali*]

I found that DS cut down on his BFs when we first started doing 3 solids meals a day around the same age. I cut the solids back to half the amount at each meal and he took more  for his BF. Then I upped the solids again a few weeks later and he still kept the same BFs so I think he was more ready for it. Remember solids until 1 is just for fun! BM or FF is the main source of calories and nutrients until 12mo.
Are her naps scheduled by daycare or is that when she naturally sleeps during the day? I think she could be OT as her naps are not long enough to be fully restorative and she has a long last A after the 45min CN. Is there any chance of moving to 2 longer naps rather than 3 shorter ones?
Personally I would probably allow her a NF as she doesn't seem to be taking a huge amount of milk during the day. However, if you are confident she is getting enough during the day and really doesn't need a NF you could do PUPD to resettle for NWs. Here is a link that explains how to do it appropriately for her age.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=69177.0

[~ Vik ~]

It's very common for a breastfed baby to still need a night feed at this age - Dylan was still having a dream feed plus a night feed many nights!

[esmama]

Awesome, thanks Ladies!  I do still like giving her a night feed because she really doesn't get too much milk during the day.  We've tried everything to get more in her - -using a sippy, cutting out a solids meal...she's just a stubborn little sweetie!   The only time she will really settle into nursing or a bottle of breastmilk is when she's sleepy...then I can sneak a good 6 oz in her

One more question - if we do decide to do one NF, how do we determine what time to do it?  She's waking every two hours, so do I do it right in the middle of the wakings?  And, how do I pu/pd the other times?  How do I teach her, "No, you only need to wake up once, and that is for your NF - otherwise it's sleepy time"?

Thanks again, ladies, for all your help.    Happy weekend, by the way!

[*Ali*]

If there is a time at night when she usually takes more than at other times you could stick with feeding at that point. Otherwise you could go by timings, so if it has been less than 4hrs since her last feed and she wakes resettle her without feeding. Personally I always had more success settling without a feed ealier in the night, say before midnight than later. And then out NF just got later and later until her was STTN to his morning WU.