Started to wake for night feed, was sleeping through

[maisy]

Hi there,

My 3 month old was slepping through the night. She was going from 7pm to 6- 6.30 am. Last week she got a touch of a cold and woke for a feed throught the night, she is now better but is still waking for a feed , sometimes 2! I spoke to HV and she suggested putting her onto the hungry milk, she has only been up once the past 2 nights but she is still getting up.

Nothing else in our routine is different, her bedtime routine is the same and she is still asleep at 7pm. Am I just being selfish? Is she just needing extra milk? Or is it becoming a habit?

I know I am really lucky and I aplogise to all the people who have to get up loads during the night.

[andibig]

as she is quite young its quite possible she needs the milk during the night-how much is she taking at these night feeds and during the day. could possibly be a growth spurt after the cold (making up for lost time)
HTH

[maisy]

Hi there sasha's mummy, thanks for the reply. She is taking 5 six ounce bottles in a day. Somedays she takes an extra 2 ounces or so. If she wakes up once she takes 3 ounces, if she wakes up twice she takes 3 ounces twice. It's unusual for her to get up twice in a night though so most nights she takes just 3 ounces.

Just to add, I have been gradually introducing the hungry baby  milk since thursday morning and today she has been really constipated so I have put her back on the normal stuff for now.


Thanks again

x x x x

[Colin Macs Mom]

Maisy, have you tried cluster feeding in the evening? Do you dreamfeed?

[maisy]

We don't dream feed as it made her really unsettled. Without it she got up once but with a dreamfeed she would wake at least twice. I could never undersatand why this was as she never woke while having the dreamfeed. At 10 weeks she started sleeping through so I figured she was getting enough.

I am not sure how to cluster feed. How often do you feed? Also our bedtime routine starts at 6 so what time should I start cluster feeding? Also she doesn't seem still hungry, will she take the extra anyway?  She doesn't even seem hungry during the night. Last night she only took 2 ounces, do you think it could be a habit? It is always around 4 she wakes.

Sorry about all the questions and thanks for your advice

x x x x

[andibig]

Hi Maisy
Like you we never did a d/feed as she was too sound asleep to take one!!! it could possibly be  habit as its the same time every morning and she seems to be snacking on the btl as shes not taking very much. is she able to settle herself to sleep at other times. wonder if you could post her routine to see when you can fit in a cluster feed. we did this with DD and although she took very little with the last btl it was just enough to get her through the night

[Colin Macs Mom]

I could never DF either, it just made DS angry to be woken and it caused even more wakings. That happens with some los - the DF can disturb the sleep cycles and just make things worse, even if they don't wake for it. Sounds like that's what happened to you maisy. If you start bedtime at 6, then I would consider feeding at 2 and 4 and then the last feed at whatever the normal time is. It might work, might not but it's worth a try. 

[maisy]

Hi everyone, I'm back for more advice! 

 Kirsten was sleeping through again some nights but then started the 4am wake up again, for 2 ounces.  I was just about to start W2S as I don't think she can be hungry. I was sure it was habitual waking.  However,  the past 2 nights she has been up twice. Last night it was 2am and 5.20 am. She was crying like she was hungry but then only took 2 ounces bith times.

Do you think I should just try not feeding her, or could this be a growth spurt? 

TIA,  also maybe I am posting this in the wrong section, is it more of a feeding question? feel free to move me!

x x x x

[maisy]

oops I should have added, she takes 5 - 6  7oz bottles every day, plus the extra during the night. I started her on a tiny bit of solids a couple of weeks ago as she was taking 40+ oz every day and I felt it was too much. She just has one cube (i freeze the veggies in ice cube trays) of apple or carrot with her 12pm feed.  she naps pretty good during the day. Sometimes she has more short naps instead of a couple of long naps but she always seems to get enough sleep. 

Sorry I am kind of bombarding you with info!!

x x x x

[andibig]

could possibly be a growth spurt as they usually have one at 4mths. also when they start solids that can make them windy as well which could disturb her sleep.

if shes doing it consistently every night it could be habit although shes still quite young (and normal to feed at night)

just looking at your post in regards to naps.does she tend to wake at night when shes had a day of short naps?

[Colin Macs Mom]

I agree that she's well within the normal range to still need a night feed, even if she hadn't been taking one for a while. Also, it's quite early to be starting solids, did her doc recommend it?