8 month old waking through the night - HELP!

[ethan's mommy]

hi everyone,

my 8 month old son, ethan, has been waking through the night for months now and we can't seem to get him out of it. it's not habitual either...it's different times every night. we now end up picking him up b/c nothing else will settle him. one pick-up usually results in him falling asleep within a few minutes and the next pick-up usually requires a feed. here's his typical schedule (although it's been AWHILE since we've had this!):

7am - breastfeed
8am - 5-6tbsp cereal, 1-2tbsp fruit
11am - breastfeed
12pm - 1 small jar veggies, 1 small jar fruit (i think the jars are just over 4tbps each)
3pm - 4-6oz formula (just started this a few days ago)
4/4:30pm - 1 small jar veggie/protein combo, 1 small jar fruit, 3-4tbsp cereal if still hungry
7pm - breastfeed and bed

he's usually fast asleep by 7/7:30 at the VERY latest.

last night he woke at 10:30pm, then again at 4:30am. i finally fed him at 5am (5oz of formula b/c i just didn't want to breastfeed AGAIN in the middle of the night! was getting frustrated!) and he slept till 8:20am! then he napped at 11am, woke at 11:30 crying, my hubbie picked him up and within a minute he was fast asleep and in his crib for another 1.5 hours!!

as you can see, we're all over the place now. it can't be a growth spurt lasting this long and it can't be habitual b/c it's dif times every night and some nights it's only once and other nights it's 4 times. but every time it's some serious crying, not just making noises...we don't respond to the little noises.

ANY THOUGHTS AT ALL? i feel like i'm a mother to a newborn again and i NEED a full night sleep SOON!

thanks,
jenny

p.s. i have thought that maybe my milk supply is messed up but i can't do a yield b/c i don't have a breast pump anymore. i'm going to slowly start weaning so there's no point in renting one now. the only thing i can think is to wean quicker onto formula and maybe that'll stop the wakings?? i do hear him swallowing when he bf's so i know he's getting something!

[Antoinesmom]

t could be the milk intake. I personnaly stopped breastfeeding when my son was 4 months because he never latched on properly but my cousine who is still  BF indicated to me that her milk supply had diminished around the 7.5 month mark. What she's doing is BF and then supplement with a bottle after BFing. This way the baby still gets the benefit of the breast milk and gets completly filled with the formula. Also this way you could see if it's the milk at all. If he takes only an oz than it's probably not the milk intake if he takes more than it is. If you really want to do a yield and feel comfortable you can manually extract the milk.

Is he teething? Or maybe have night terrors? At 8 months I've had to put a nightlight in my son's bedroom because he would wake up crying terrified if it was dark. It took a few days and he's doing fine when he's not teething.

When you pick him up, do you put him down immediately or let him fall asleep in your arms? The way you do the Pu/pd could be the answer.

Marty

[rebecaq]

Hello and big {{{HUGS}}}

Has he hit any milestones? Has something happened in family life to upset him? Like a move, starting day care etc.?

Milk supply depends on each person. Is he finishing faster han before or not having as many wets diapers to indicate less liquid intake? Are you dieting/exercising/not getting enough sleep?

Teething could also be a culprit here. Is he drooling? Having especially icky poops?

Sorry for all the questions 

- Beca

[ethan's mommy]

Hi Beca,

He has started walking while holding our fingers but this is more recent than the night wakings. As well, we have recently moved, but again, the night wakings started before we even started to pack up the house so that can't be it either.

He seems to have the same # of wet diapers but he's definitely finishing bf'ing faster than previously, or, he just seems to be playing and not really drinking. But when I give him a bottle of formula (once/day now) he gobbles it up! Today we were at a baby sign language class and I bf right before. 45 minutes later, he saw another baby getting a bottle and wouldn't take his eyes off it and started to cry! I couldn't tell if he hadn't gotten enough from bf'ing or if he's just trying to tell me he's done with it and is just using it for comfort but not really getting enough liquid?!?! So tough to know!

He's definitely been teething for awhile but NO TEETH yet so perhaps he'll get a full set of choppers all at once?!?!

I'm also working on getting him to nap better during the day as I think this might somewhat be leading to the night wakings. But it's weird b/c he's never been a great napper and he used to sleep fine right through the night.

How come they didn't deliver a manual with my baby?!?! Perhaps they left it in and I should head back to the hospital to get it out?!?!?

Thanks,
Jenny

Hello and big {{{HUGS}}}

Has he hit any milestones? Has something happened in family life to upset him? Like a move, starting day care etc.?

Milk supply depends on each person. Is he finishing faster han before or not having as many wets diapers to indicate less liquid intake? Are you dieting/exercising/not getting enough sleep?

Teething could also be a culprit here. Is he drooling? Having especially icky poops?

Sorry for all the questions 

- Beca