Will she ever sleep through the night again??

[Lilasmom]

DD is 5 months old.  She is exclusively BF.  She started sleeping through the night at 7 weeks, and did so until she was about 13 weeks.  Since then she wakes 1-2 times a night to feed (takes full feed).  She's on a 4 hour EASY, and goes to bed around 7 and wakes around 7am.  We've tried the DF, but found it didn't make a difference she still woke 1-2times a night.  She doesn't wake at the same time every night and goes back to bed easily after feeding.  She's a big girl (weighs 18-19lbs).  Any tips, or do I just need to go with it??  TIA

[teezee]

have you tried upping the intake during the day? lo is probably hungry due to the fact that she is getting some calories at night although 1 night waking at this age isn't so bad.  what happens to the daytime intake the nights she only wakes once as opposed to twice??  is it the same or less?

[Lilasmom]

I haven't been paying real close attention, but I don't think that there's any real difference during the days that she only wakes once as opposed to twice.  I usually feed her around 6:30pm, she goes to bed at 7, then she usually wakes sometime between 11-1pm, then sometime again between 4-6am.  This has been more the norm than just one feeding.  This only happens occasionally.  I'm not really sure how to up her intake during the day.  She eats about every 4 hours, but sometimes she only makes it to 3 or 31/2 hours.  Other than going back to a 3 hour EASY, how do you up their intake when BFing??

[teezee]

i had a hard time with that also (as i am still bfing..) and would always have a little pumped and try to give her a bit that way...but as we all know it is damn near impossible to try and give a lo extra milk if they don't want it! i usually only got an extra half oz of bm in her that way and it was a struggle so i stopped - didn't think the frusteration for me and dd was worth have an oz kwim? and i def didn't want her to associate a bottle with frusteration. have you tried reducing the number of minutes that feeds during the night? time the feedings and reduce by a minute or so every few nights, until you get down to only a couple and then hopefully lo just won't get up.  this way she will naturally take more during the day as she won't be getting as many calories at night. she will barely notice the difference and may only cry b/c she won't be able to 'comfort feed' which is where i found a paci worked WONDERS to get her to calm down..as well as speaking softly and shhing her. little by little it worked wonders for my nights!!