5 month old won't concentrate on feeding and suddenly stopped sleeping all night

[dizzyhytes]

I have a nearly 5 month old.  He started sleeping from 7 til 7 without a night time feed at 3 months, but suddenly stopped doing that, and 2 weeks ago started waking up at least 3 times a night (sometimes more).  I've had to start dreamfeeding him at 11 and he'll often still not make it through until 7am, mostly waking up at 5ish needing to be fed.  (NB I'm very sure it's due to hunger as I've observed him over the past week).

His usual night time routine was:
6.30pm   Bath and story etc bedtime cues
7pm        A large bottle feed and straight to sleep with no issues until 7am

During the day, I breastfed at 7am, 11am, and 5pm, with a large bottle at 3pm and 7pm.  This worked perfectly.

Lately the following changes have happened:
1.  Started waking up at night due to hunger
2.  Started demanding much more food at his bottle feeds (up from 180 to 210mls for past 2 weeks), and started demanding to be breastfed every 2.5 to 3 hours instead of 4 hours.
3.  Very distracted for the day time breastfeeds.  Only sucks for about 6-10 minutes, then starts playing (if awake), or falls into a deep sleep.  (I'm guessing he does this as soon as my flow slows down.)

I am associating his need for extra food with a growth spurt, and his night wakings due to the fact he is not getting enough during the day because he keeps playing instead of sucking. 

The only time he feeds well and concentrates is when he is given a bottle.  I am convinced his 6 minute feeds do not give him anything close to the 210 mls he gets if he feeds from a bottle.

I could give in and give him another 210ml bottle to satisfy his hunger during the day, but I don't want to do this and would like to increase his intake from breastfeeding not the bottle.  How can I do this as he keeps playing each time he feeds and has essentially become a snacker?  Even if I lengthen the time between feeds to make him extra hungry, as soon as he is put on the breast he sucks well for a few minutes and then starts playing or falls asleep (one or the other).

I am now demand feeding him every 1-2 hours just to see if he will eat more but I think this may fuel his snacking habit.

I'm at my wits' end and would appreciate any advice.

[*Ali*]

Do you think he could be developing a bottle preference and is holding out for the bottles later in the day and just taking enough to take the edge off the hunger from the BFs earlier in the day?

So you were going 14hrs overnight without breastfeeding? Maybe you need to feed more often to help maintain your supply.

How do you feel about offering the breast at the 3pm and 7pm feeds? Either before or instead of the bottles.

[dizzyhytes]

Hi, I think there is a possibility as it's far easier to take the bottle and get what he needs about it but at the same time he really loves getting the breast and gets all excited when he knows it's time for a breastfeed, except that excitement wears off once he gets on, and he gets distracted and/or falls asleep.

Yes, actually 5pm was my last breastfeed but I would pump at about 8pm, midnight and again at about 3am.   In the day I also pump at least twice.  That was how I was getting milk for two bottles, and more, and also making sure my supply was constant as it's already on the low side. 

Do you think that replacing the 3pm and 7pm bottles with the breast will force him to eat properly as he can no longer rely on getting what he needs from the bottle?  Am definitely willing to try that.

Only worry is I am wondering if that will make him wake up even more often at night since I think he gets less when he feeds from the breast than from the bottle though.  I am really needing sleep!

Thanks for your advice!

[*Ali*]

Babies are more efficient than the pump so whatever you are pumping, he will be able to get more (possibly a lot more) out of the breast.

It may take a day or so for his intake directly from the breast to increase after you cut out the bottles but it should increase if he is developing a bottle preference.

I wouldn't worry about your supply of you are pumping enough for the bottles. If you are pumping at midnight and 3am then I'm guessing waking to feed him would be quicker than waking to pump anyway, no?