Author Topic: 5 months old and waking more often at night  (Read 1748 times)

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Offline krincil

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« on: January 02, 2006, 19:34:42 pm »
My daughter was actually sleeping better at 3 months than she does now.  At her 4 month check up, the Dr put her on cereal twice a day.  She still wakes up very hungry around midnight then again around 4.  She is distracted during daytime nursings.  Should I tough it out at one or both of these nighttime feedings???  I haven't been doing a dream feed b/c she was colicky for so long that when I actually got her to sleep, I couldn't bear the thought of waking her up again.  She also stays awake at night often after her feeds. Help!!!! I'm exhausted.
Kris

Offline GraceKellysmom

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2006, 19:52:18 pm »
How many times does she nurse during the day?

How many naps does she take and how long on each?

Does she roll over yet, is she trying to sit up yet?

I do have to say that waking twice to eat at night at 5 months isn't *unusual*. But maybe we can make sure that hunger is really driving the feedings and if there is anything else that can be done.
Stacy, Mama to
Grace Kelly 01/03, Maximilian Alexander 07/04, Faith Noelle 03/07, Henry Patrick 12/08
and my angel babies

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2006, 20:56:11 pm »
Also, what was the reason for the cereal?  Does she have reflux? Are you making sure to give milk first, so she doesn't fill up on cereal and not get enough milk?
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha


Offline krincil

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2006, 02:08:09 am »
She nurses about 5 times a day, not usually good, long feeds.  Her naps are variable, she usually takes 3/day, 45 min to 1 hour each, and will occasionally take a 1.5 - 2 hour nap.  She wakes up a lot crying and I usually give her a paci and sometimes she goes back down.  She really isn't that fond of the paci and will spit it out as soon as she's falling asleep, but it is helpful in calming her down to go to sleep.  She has been rolling over one way since she was 5.5 weeks old!  She is strong and is constantly trying to sit up.  She has been diagnosed with GERD, and has been on Reglan, Zantac, etc..Right now she is just on Zantac.  My pediatrician advised cereal and vegetables more to help her sleep longer I think.  Her morning cereal is in between nursings and her evening meal usually is too.  She is sensitive to foods in my diet, so I have cut out a lot.  She has never seemed to settle in to nursing like my son did, and I'm constantly wondering if formula would be better for her tummy.  She writhes around a lot, moves her arm and legs and has trouble relaxing.  After getting her down to bed at night, she will almost always wake up once or twice crying out within an hour or two - so I'm wondering if she's not handling the food that well.
Kris

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2006, 00:46:13 am »
I know for refluxy babies, they often do better nursing more frequently, but you stil want to try and get her to take as full feeds as possible - this could be in 5-10 minutes per side at her age though - they're pretty efficient at 5 months!  I found it helpful to nurse my dd in the dark sleeping room, right when she woke from a nap, so that she was still sleepy and less distracted. 

As for the solids, it may well be that it's upsetting her stomach, making her wake more at night.  Could you try holding off on them for a few days and see if there's any change?  And breastmilk is almost ALWAYS easier to digest than formula, so I doubt that switching to that will help.

If she's just starting to sit up, too, this can cause a lot of nightwakings.  Were her naps better when she was younger?  With 45 min naps, they can get more and more tired as the day goes on, which can lead to more nightwakings...

I think I'd first try getting fuller, less distracted feeds during the day, and maybe taking a break from solids.  Then see where you stand.  HTH!
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha


Offline krincil

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2006, 02:20:19 am »
I've been nursing her in her room for over a month now, but the problem is that she has a 3 yr old brother who is noisy!  Her best feed of the day is when he is napping and she has just woken up.  She did nap a little better when she was younger and slept on her tummy.  Her dr. says she can sleep on her tummy when she is 6 mos. old.  I tried to stretch her out to a 4 hour schedule today so she was nice and hungry and I was nice and full, but she still didn't eat well at the a.m. feeding and then was hungry early for the rest of the feedings.
Kris

Offline GraceKellysmom

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2006, 02:46:18 am »
I have a little experience with a spirited refluxer. They sure are a fun challenge!  :wink:  Sometimes a half swaddle works. Tummy sleeping once they roll over is at your own risk, my ds tummy slept from the start with an Angelcare monitor. A good routine for naps and nighttime helps spirited ones realize what time it is. And I'm sorry to say (as you know) that time is the best way to work out of some of the issue you're having.

Try to fit in those 5-6 feedings during the day so she isn't waking from hunger at night. With an upset tummy, nursing her at night might really be how she wants to be settled. Imagine waking up with a tummy ache and going for a glass of water/milk. The solids could be making things worse, or they could be having no effect. That is really up to your mommy instinct, and as a 2nd time mom, up to you to decide if she needs them or not.

It sounds like she may be overtired, but without knowing her myself it is hard to say. She wakes up crying. She wakes up crying several times at night and can't get back to sleep. Extending those naps is hard. Sometimes a shorter awake period helps. Sometimes a longer awake period helps. Sometimes it's out of your hands - teeth or developmental, and you just have to wait it out.

You could ask the ped. for a stronger med. Some babies do ok on Zantac and some need Prevacid or Prilosec. This is my biggest suggestion for you. If they will let you try something for a week or two, you may have a much better situation to deal with.
Stacy, Mama to
Grace Kelly 01/03, Maximilian Alexander 07/04, Faith Noelle 03/07, Henry Patrick 12/08
and my angel babies

Offline krincil

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2006, 01:56:42 am »
Thank you both so much for your advice.  My husband thinks that I think too   much about everything, but I'm just trying to make things better for all of us.      :)
Kris

Offline magicbelly

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kris - breastfeeding
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2006, 05:23:40 am »
kris i am EXACTLY where you are at (and my husband says the same thing), it sounds like i could have written the same post. my 5 1/2 month old has started waking nightly again, slept through during earlier months. i have been at t he end of my tether and exhausted, not sure if i should be feeding her at 1am or 4am etc. she is very distracted during feeding because she wants to investigate everything. a mum suggested feeding her sitting up and this helps a little sometimes as she can see whats going on. i have been on a strict elimation diet since approx 6 wks and this made a difference to her colicky behaviour. now i only cut out dairy. i havent started solids. only last night i think i may have figured it out - i dont think she is getting enough day sleep hence she is grumpy and whingy all the time. i have spent 2 days staying at home working on her sleep and today for the first time ever every nap has been 1.5 - 2hrs. she is so much happier. after some work getting her to sleep (20-40 min and 1.5hrs at 3am) pu/pd it seems to be paying off. too early to tell but instinct tells me she may have been chronically tired and needs better routine. i dont want to jump ahead too soon, see what tonight brings. i wouldnt have a clue but my guess is it may be tirednes is supporting the other symptons of reflux and the solids may take some getting use to but i am not there yet. i am lost whether to feed during the night as i dont know how much she really gets in the day but it seems she may still need that early morning feed.

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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5 months old and waking more often at night
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2006, 11:42:19 am »
A LOT of bf babies need an overnight feed during the first year.  If it seems to be a full feed at night, then I'd be inclined to keep it.  That's why dreamfeeds work for some babies too, though - that extra one late at night gets them farther into the morning.  Every baby is different!

Magicbelly - great work with the pu/pd and naps!  It's REALLY hard work and be prepared for a set back - often happens after the first couple of days, but it sounds like it might work in the long run for you.  Good luck!
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha