8 month old still waking up

[nbeshey]

I have an infant that is 8 months and he still wakes 2-3 times during the night to feed. I have implemented the EASY method and it doesn’t seem to make a difference in his sleeping schedule. He is one that doesn’t take more than 30 min naps and will only take 2-3 naps during the day. I have rocked him to sleep since birth and I am wanting to change that. I have tried to use the tools in the book for sleeping but I have a few questions, to make sure I am understanding the tools right. When its nap time we apply the quiet time 10-15 min before nap, I then lay him in his crib. If he cries I pick him up and sooth him, and once he is soothed I lay him down, continue this until he is sleeping. Is this what I am supposed to do? When I have done this it can go on for hours and before I know it it’s time to nurse so I end up nursing him which in return he falls asleep at the breast.

I have also tried not picking him up to console him I just try to console him with him in the crib. That usually does not work because he gets really upset!

When he cries at night I don’t run in to get him right away I wait until he is really crying. I have tried rocking him back to sleep without feeding and that only makes him more upset so I end up feeding and he is back to sleep in 12 minutes.

I just wonder if he is waking up again because he is hungry. He is a big baby (23lbs. I feed him 2 Tablespoons of cereal in the morning, 2.5 Tablespoons of food at lunch and 2.5Tablespoons of food at supper along with nursing every 2.5-3 hrs. I feel he is getting plenty but maybe he’s not!

Please help this tired family! My baby girl was nothing like her brother!

[Skadiver13]

Hi Hun, can you post your EASY so I can take a look and see if there is any tweaking to help. Include your feeding amounts in it too. You definetely have a prop issue of feeding/rocking to sleep so the next step will be to get him to go to sleep independantly.  You'll most likely do PUPD/ Gentle Withdrawl to get him to go to sleep on his own. Yes there will be crying and probably a lot to start off with but you'll be in the room to help him through it.

Take a look at the PUPD page here:
FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions & Related Information
If there is no reflux issue PUPD works great. My lo had reflux so PUPD didn't work so we did shush/pat in the crib so after a few days it worked just as well but it all depends on the temperament of your lo.

[nbeshey]

Thank you for responding!
When he was first born there was some reflex issues but not as much today. He does have shaking spells after he cries for an extended period of time. He will cry and when I feed him he will shake when he calms down. I consulted with his doctor on it and he said it’s probably his nervous system still developing.
I feel his schedule changes a bit everyday but this is pretty much his Easy Method:
6:00-7:00am wakes up
During this time he is changed and fed (Eats from breast for about 7 min)
Plays
8:15-8:30- Eats solids (2 Tablespoons of oatmeal)
Plays
9:00 Nap (His naps vary in length from 20 min-1hr)
This is usually where it varies- Depending on when he last breast fed. I feed him 3 hrs. from that time. So if he eats at 6:30 I would feed him again at 9:30-10:00ish. Sometimes longer in between times if he seems satisfied or sleeps longer. He will eat for 7-10min on breast
Plays
11:45-12:00- Eats solids (1 Tablespoon of fruit and 1.5 tablespoon of Vegetables)
Play
1:00- Sometimes eats from breast (again depends on when he last nursed. He usually nurses every 3 hrs. I am trying to space it to every 3.5 to 4 hrs.) Feeds for 7-10min.
1:00 Nap time (Sleeps for anywhere from 20 min-1 hr.) sometimes he won’t fall asleep until 2:00
Play
4:00 Nurses
Might play for a little bit but is pretty cranky
5:30- Eats solids (1.5 Tablespoons fruit and 1 tablespoon vegetable)
At this time he is tired and ready for bed but I try to keep him up till around 7:15
6:00-6:30- Bath
7:15-7:45- Eats from breast and goes to sleep
Lately he has been waking between 10-11:00 pm, again between 1-3:00 and then is up around 6:00-7:00

I hope this helps you:) be able to steer me in the right direction. Like I said this is all new to me my first baby was a text book baby

[Skadiver13]

9:00 Nap (His naps vary in length from 20 min-1hr)

Hi hun, how long as he been doing such a short nap? It wouldn't be restorative at either length which may contribute to being overtired causing the nw'ings. If he only sleeps for 20min do you still push him to a 1pm nap?