almost 7 month old waking for a night feed

[toriaum]

Hello! 
I'm in need of some feedback as I'm not sure what to do here.  My lo wakes for a night feed about 4 nights a week.  It's always at different times anywhere from 3am-5am.  I know that this still counts as sleeping through the night as she does sleep 6 hours in a row, but I feel that if she can do it some nights, then why can't she do it every night? She eats a ton of milk in the evening as she demandsto eat at 5pm and 7pm and thoroughtly drains me.  I'm wondering if I need to switch to having solids first? Right now I'm keeping them 30minutes after drinking to keep the milk intake up, but it doesn't seem to make it through the night.  my lo is 20 pounds so I"m not sure if this will work?

Please let me know anything you think might help, thanks!


How old is your child? almost 7 months (9/7)
What’s his/her daily routine?
6am bf
6:40am fruit (1/2 a jar)
8:15am S 1.5-2 hours
10am bottle (5-6 ounces)
10:30 veggies (.5-1 jar)
12pm S 1.5-2 hours
2pm bottle 5-6 ounces
2:45pm cereal 2 TBS plus a little fruit and an ounce of milk
4pm catnap 45min
5:30pm cluster bf
6:00pm bath
6:30pm bf
11pm dreamfeed 4 ounces

Do you bottle or breastfed?? both
How much? or how long?
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed) both usually 6 minutes on one side and 3 on the other
How many wakes per night? 1
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? fussy crying, cranking, hysterical she'll usually go back to sleep within 40 minutes
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry?
What have you tried to settle?? pacifier, shushing
What do you do for A time and how long is it? exersaucer, tummytime, erands, books, a little over 2 hours
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? she already cut two teeth.  THe top teeth are causing some pain, but they're not in yet

Do they have a prop? If so what is it? she uses a pacifier but only to fall asleep
Do they have a lovie? stuffed elephant

[Zoey]

Hey there!

Is she taking a full feeding when she wakes between 3-5am?  If so, then she probably needs it.  Some babies need a DF plus a night feeding up until they are 12m.

Have you tried increasing the ounces in her bottles?  Will she take more in the DF bottle?  Do you think she would take a bottle right after the last BFing to top her off?

It is rec to do BF/FF first with solids after b/c you want baby to fill up on the milk not the solids.  Soilds pale in comparrision in calories, fat, protein, etc as compared to BM or F.  She is apt to stay fuller longer with milk b/c fruit or veg are metabolized fast in the body.

If she is falling asleep well and waking to eat once and falling back to sleep well - that's pretty fantastic!  Great job! 

Hope this helps some!
Zoey

[toriaum]

thanks for your reply

I try to get her to take more ounces during the day, but it seems like she just won't take more than 5-6 at her second and third bottle.  Than in the evening she probably drinks between 6-8 ounces before falling asleep.  This past week, I tried giving her a bottle after bf and she did drink it twice.  ONe of those nights, she didn't need a night feed.  But, she's also so drowsy when she's drinking it that I'm afraid I'm having her fall asleep to a bottle. 

At the df, she won't take more than 4 ounces.  (Although one night this week, she ended up falling asleep earlier than normal and then took 6 ounces and slept through)  So maybe that's what I need to try?

Also, isn't she at the age where I should start fading out the dreamfeed?  IF I do that though, then won't that make the night feedings more?

Thanks, I know as far as night wakings go, this is not a problem, I just feel if she can do it some evenings, it shows that it's possible. 

[linfran]

My lo will be 7 mo on 9th September and we have had exactly the same problem, with ds taking three meals and all his bottles and still getting up a night.

Since last weekend we have given him half a rusk mixed with a little bit of his warm formula milk about half an hour before his bath.  He still takes nearly all his bedtime bottle and now sleeps from 7.15pm to about 5.30am (and if I time it right with the paci I can get another half hour out of him!! )

[Zoey]

Toriaum -

I feel topping off in the evening after BFing is helpful.  Some say falling asleep with the last bottle is fine, as it's not like she does it with every bottle.  Putting her to bed a bit early could help - especially if she drinks more early.  Could be she is a mite overtired at bedtime and that can cause night wakings too.  I say go for it.

As for weaning the DF.  Tracy's says 7-8 months or when solids are firmly established.  I think this is up to you really.  If you drop it be sure to move those ounces to the day slowly - at least offer them.  It may allow her to drink more during the day, and not wake at night.  Here is the link on how to do this:  https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=54662.msg380562#msg380562  Plently of Mums on my birth club board still have a DF too though (our babies are 7-8 months) so, it's kinda up to you.

Good Luck!
Zoey