10mo waking hungry? Or something else?

[louis-mummy]

Hi

I wasn't sure whether to post here or nw's......

I think DS is a fairly independant (prop-free) sleeper but has only sttn a couple of times ever, on a good night he wakes twice and is quickly back to sleep after a 2-3 min feed. he's drowsy but not asleep and he usually goes back into his cot no problem. A bad night will be him waking 4-5 times. Trying to settle him without nursing is hard as it ends up with everyone awake and tired. It does feel like he wants the milk more than the suckling, if that make sense

Sleep Routine is a bit hit and miss but approx this:
7:30 am wake
11am sleep (is tired well before but won't settle)
12:30 wake
4pm sleep
5pm wake
8pm sleep

He's nursing whenever he wants it during the day, usually just one side, and doing quite well with blw solids, roughly 2 meals and titbits.

He still has a dummy, im not sure if this is a prop.....sometimes when I go into him during the night it's in his mouth while he's crying. I can't imagine weaning it! I also still swaddle him, unusual I know but it settles him. He's usually out of the swaddle straight after waking.

I would be happy to wake once or twice to feed him but surely he can't need more than that at this age?!

I have tried meds just in case I think he's teething but makes no difference

Any inspiration would be appreciated

[Fiver]

I think I was just doing 1 NF in the early hours with DD at around 10m.

[*Ali*]

I think at this age my two were both still having a feed in the early hours but some nights they would ask for an extra one if they happened to wake. Both were independent sleepers with no props but were used to feeding on the NWs. TBH I think it was mainly habit. They were so used to waking and feeding and going back to sleep it was just what they expected to happen.

I did actually find that sometimes UT was to blame for them coming out of their sleep in the first place. Do you think perhaps you need to cut the second nap a little and/or extend A times a tad?

[louis-mummy]

Thankyou for replies

Some days our schedule goes haywire and he gets far less naptime but it doesnt make any difference. I will keep ut in mind though. I'm usually thinking to be mindful of ot.

He usually sleeps solidly from 8-11pm so that tends to indicate not ot?

Do you think 2 x 1hr nap now then? Or a total of 2 hrs?

Maybe need to try some daddy intervention at night 

[Erin M]

How often is he nursing during the day?  Does it have any sort of pattern?  Sometimes frequent day feeds can result in frequent night feeds.

[*Ali*]

Do you think 2 x 1hr nap now then? Or a total of 2hrs?

No he needs one full, restorative nap so I'd cut the pm nap and leave the am at 1.5hrs. Maybe just 45 mins in the pm to start with?

How many times he feeds in the day will definitely affect his night's as Erin says. 4-5 NFs at this age must be habit, he can't be hungry that often.

[louis-mummy]

Hmm yeah he does feed too often during the day  he's a real boob monster!

Should I be trying to encourage him taking both sides at each feed? He has a dummy which I can use to distract him but it gets to the point where I have to stay away from him or he's madly rooting and furious if i refuse!!

I'm away from him all day on Wednesday so he'll only get feeds at 8am, 5pm, 8pm.

Thankyou

[Fiver]

You could at least offer both and see where that gets you.  Try it out and see how it goes?

[louis-mummy]

Thanks, I'll try.

He had 1 x 1hr30 and 1 x 45min naps today.

I'm going to try and get DP to settle him more often during the night. He always ends up bringing him into our bed (and a feed, obviously) if he can't settle him within 30 seconds 

[Fiver]

Not that helpful LOL!

[Erin M]

Ah, sounds like my dh.  Could you maybe offer both sides and try to keep very busy in between the feeds for a few days so he's not thinking about nursing all the time and see if it makes a difference?

[louis-mummy]

Hi

Thought id give it a bit of time before updating.......

So I'm feeding him less often, a bit hit and miss rather than routine though. He probably has 4 feeds per day.

Hes still waking every 2-3hrs, feeds hungrily but quickly then straight back into own bed awake. Hardly ever resists his bed.

I'm tempted to try to drop the night feeds but I know whats invoved so not very appealing!!!
Or ditch the dummy? What else?

TIA

[Fiver]

Have you switched to offering both sides now?

[louis-mummy]

Yes but he doesn't always want both.....we are into the easily distractable phase!

I really thought the independent sleeping thing would make a difference - it was a major issue with Louis - but beginning to think I just don't make sleepers!! We weaned Louis from the dummy and night feeds at around this age, didn't make any difference.

Last night was 11:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7:00

Oh I don't know??!!

[Fiver]

Not sure how much of this is a feeding issue and how much routine.  Do you think it might be worth a post on the Night Wakings board?