waking for hungry, do I increase solids or liquids?

[toriaum]

My lo is 6 months old (20 pounds or so) and it's been a real struggle lately to get her to eat enough during the day to avoid night wakings for food.   LAst week she woke twice to eat during the night ( at different times).  This week she's woken up 5 of the 6 nights to eat, the times varied from 2am to 5 am.  I'm trying to increase her intake during the day, but it's soo difficult because she's just not interested in eating any more than she is.  Do I try to feed her more liquids, or solids?  Here's our schedule, any insight would be helpful!

7am bf
7:30 new veggie 1-2 tsp
9ish nap 1.5 hours
11 bottle (5-6 oz)
11:30 fruit 2 tsp
12:30 nap 1.5 hours
3 bottle (5-6 oz)
5 Cereal (2-3 Tbsp)
5:30 bf
7:00 bf
11pm Dreamfeed 4-5 ounces

[holdenlouis]

Our routine is similar to yours except we have a catnap between 5 and 6. I just weaned my DS about a week and ahalf ago. He has not been doing solids well (teething) and has'nt been taking alot from the bottle. Last night he woke at 3. Tried to get him back down and fed him at 4. So this morning he would'nt eat his bottle. I did manage to get him to eat a half jar of fruit and cereal but I'm not sure if he may be rejecting the bottle now. He was doing well sleeping thru with df at 11. He was taking 5to 6 oz. of formula and yesterday he was very sporadic not having enough. I had a feeling he would recouphis lost calories during the night but now I'm worried he may make a habit out of this.

[Colin Macs Mom]

toriaum, many LOs need at least one night feed for quite some time, even up to a year. At 6 mo. it isn't at all unusual for your DD to need to eat at night. And if she's waking at different times as you say then it's definitely hunger. Solids don't have much in terms of calories and that's what sustains them so you should try and get more liquid into her rather than solids. Have you tried cluster feeding in the evening?

[toriaum]

THank you for your reply.  My lo used to sleep through the night and hadn't needed a night feeding since 2 months of age ( with some nights of exception).  I guess I just thought if she had slept through the night, then she should still.  HOw do I get her to take more liquid?  The nipple on the bottles is fast and she so CLEARLY refuses it when she doesn't want any more but she never takes more than 6.5 oz. at a time.

SOme nights I cluster feed based on the timing of her cereal.  I don't see much of a difference.  I was wondering if I tried to wake her up for the dreamfeed, if she would drink more as she never takes more than 5 oz.  THanks for your concern.

[Colin Macs Mom]

LOs are funny things - once we get used to something they change! Unfortunately LOs who sleep through so early don't always stay that way.    Do you mix formula or BM in her cereal? People often mix as much in with food as possible if LO won't drink more. I had success with that myself, or at least improvement. My DS also would have nothing to do with it once he was done so I can relate.

Is your DD a big baby by chance? My DS is huge for his age, always has been in the 100th percentile or above in everything. When he was 3/4 months it was impossible to satisfy his hunger. He was growing so much and so quickly that we just couldn't seem to keep him full.

[debo620]

Hi toriaum,
I am so glad _im not alone. my son---6.5 months is also not sleeping through, although he used to. Same problem--can't get him to drink any more during the day. he is bf at 7pm or so, no df, and then wakes btwn 12-1am and 4hours after that. So far, I am planning to increase his liquid during the day by mixing it in cereal etc. I also am letting him drink for 1/2 min less each night at the second feeding.-----I feel this way he will probably want to drink more at the first 7am feed. I hope this works as I am really feeling like a failure.  Since it sounds like you bottle feed--maybe you could try the water down method for weening the night feeds. I think the idea is that they will then make up the calories during the day. I really wish I bottle fed----as I would love to try this method.