7 mo old; night wakings

[socialde]

So, some background first - DS is 7.5 mos (8 mos 8/5) and had a spurt of STTN from 2-4 mos... after that NW increased until we were up to 10+. Mainly nursed to sleep and we worked on that habit for about 2 mos using Gentle Removal. We started pu/pd last Saturday so we're about 10 days in. We saw immediate results - NW cut in half or less and nursing down to 2/night. DS is a big guy and we are still on 2 fruits/vegs/day for solids so I think he still needs those 2 night nursings still. Typical day runs like this:

Up for day: 0700
E: 0730: solids
A:
E: 0930: bf
S: 1000: wind down, pd and walk out, 0-7 min fuss. 1.5-2hr nap.
A:
E: 1330: bf (have done a few solid lunches, but not regularly yet)
A:
S: 1500: 1-1.5hr nap
E: 1730: bf, then solids dinner
A:
E: 1900/1930: bf
BT: 2000: wind down, pd and walk out, 0-20 min fuss.

NW tend to be: 21:30ish: usually back to sleep on his own. 0040: nurse. 0230: this is the hard one where he sometimes ramps up from mantra cry. 0530: nurse.

So like I said, we're on day 10 or so, and haven't needed much pu. Last night though, I think he may have been UT because he had a nw at 0130 (after bf at 0040, so he wasn't hungry) that lasted 2 hrs. Much of it was mantra so I didn't go, but he ramped up and wouldn't stop. After 2 hrs (I know this is really bad), DH was at his wits end and needed to get up for work soon so he asked me to bf him. I did at 0330 and he slept until normal wakeup at 0700.

I think he was UT, then OT in that NW because he'd had a record 14.5 hrs of total sleep yesterday - his norm since birth has been 12.5-13.5. Any thoughts? We're still getting about 4 NW a night, but for 1-2 of them, he's typically self soothing with mantra. I'm not really complaining, just worrying that we should be further along. Does this sound ok? Thanks for any/all replies!!!

[PaulsMom]

Hugs for the NWs.  Good work with the gentle removal and PU/PD for reducing the number of NWs and NFs. 

Thanks for posting your routine.  I'm wondering if he will take better milk feeds if he is fed his milk first and then has solids 1 to 1.5 hrs after the milk.  At this age milk is the most important part of his diet.  I would also work on introducing a third meal and some protein into his solid food diet. 

Wrt total amounts of sleep, I was thinking that 14.5 hrs sounded about right for a baby this age (may be at the high end but not extreme).  His naps sound good but I would not let him sleep for more than 2 hrs in the morning).

HTH

[socialde]

Thanks for the reply! I'm working on increasing his solids/adding protein, and tweaking his overall feeding routine. 2 questions:

1. Do you think we're in a good spot in the pu/pd program? I think we're ok, but I keep reading successes where other babes were STTN by this time.

2. Do you think I need to up his daytime nursing calories to keep him from being famished at night? I hesitate to give him more frequent nursings as I don't want him to snack, but I also would rather the calories get in in the day rather than the night.

[PaulsMom]

I would continue with PU/PD as its working.  If you were to modify it, I would try to minimize the PU (unless he's really upset) and try to settle more in the crib.  Please don't read other success stories and think that things aren't working for you.  Each baby is different and STTN is a developmental skill (like crawling or walking) and as I'm sure you lnow there is a lot of variability in when babies achieve these milestones.  For example, my son stopped night feeding around 5 months and STTN by 7.5 month however my DD was still taking night feeds until 9.5 month and only just started to STTN at 10 months.  The thing is, is that my DD is a better sleeper than my DS!   What is importsnt is to stay consistent with what you are doing.

I would do 4 breast feeds throughout the day.  I would wait at least 4 hrs between feeds so that he doesn't start snacking.  You also want him to take a full feed so that he's taking the hind milk which has the fat and protein.  As for calories during the day from solid foods you could try some higher cal foods like avocado as well as some protein foods.  Hopefully this way he will take in more calories during the day (and less at night).

[socialde]

Great info! Thank you!

We are rarely having to pu/pd now - as he is settling more in the crib. He also, as expected, tends to become more upset w/ a pu anyway, so we don't do them often.

I'll be heading to the store for more food options when he wakes from this nap!

[PaulsMom]

Great!  Keep us posted on how things are going.