Author Topic: 6 month old wakes up every 2-4 hours at night!!  (Read 1074 times)

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Offline Amyann

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6 month old wakes up every 2-4 hours at night!!
« on: March 19, 2015, 00:15:03 am »
Hi, my 6 month old baby boy wakes up every 2-4 hours during the night. I believe it to be a habit rather than hunger, especially since he is a chunker, 23 pounds! He goes to sleep on his own, he sucks his thumb and has lovey.  I usually feed him every time he wakes.  I have tried other ways to get him back to sleep with no success..if I can comfort him..he cries shortly after for booby.  He feeds on one breast each time for about 5 minutes and goes right back to sleep.  He sleeps in a crib in my room.  His day looks like this:
8am-wake up/feed
8:30-10am-play
10am-nap(1-2 hrs)
12-12:30-feed
12:30-2-play
2pm-nap(1-2 hrs)
3:30-4pm-feed
4-5-play
5pm-nap(45 mins)
5:45-6:15-feed
6:15-7:15-play
7:15-7:45-bedtime routine(bath, pj's, song)
8pm-bedtime
10:30pm-dream feed
1:30am-wake/feed
4:30am-wake/feed
6:30am-wake/feed
8am-wake up
I am hoping someone has some advice, I just feel he can go longer between feeds at his age.  I have a 2 year old and need/want longer stretches of sleep so I can be the best mommy to my kids! He has always fed this often, so if its habit what can I do? Thanks :-)

Offline newkidontheblock

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Re: 6 month old wakes up every 2-4 hours at night!!
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2015, 03:36:20 am »
Hi there and welcome to BW

Looking at your routine, my first thought was that your wakings could be caused by too much day sleep and not enough awake time. A more appropriate A time for him would be closer to 2.30 - 3 hours. We were doing 3.20 A with my DD at that point. You are probably in the midst of the 3-2 transition where he can handle longer A times & is ready to drop the catnap.
Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!!
All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months

There is also a growth spurt at 6 months, so it is possible that he is waking up to eat. Have you recently introduced solids? Is it possible that they are interfering with him taking enough milk during the day? Solids are always given after milk to ensure that the milk intake does not go down.

There are other ways to address habitual wakings. Maybe one of them would work for you?
How do I address habitual wakings? (wake-to-sleep and other methods)

Hope that helps:)






Offline Amyann

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Re: 6 month old wakes up every 2-4 hours at night!!
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2015, 14:10:25 pm »
Newkidontheblock-thank you for your reply! Huh, I never thought his awake times were too short since he usually gets fussy after being awake for 2 hours...but I will definitely try to stretch them.  I also didn't think he would be transitioning from 3 to 2 naps already...is that OK for him to be awake for such a long time after 2nd nap?  I was worried about over tiredness.  Funny, I can't remember his brothers schedule then...baby brain :P I have tried introducing solids, but he still doesn't seem quite ready yet, I will try again in a week. I will take a look at that link for habitual wakings...thanks a bunch :-)