My 8.5 month old DD has been waking in the night for feeds a lot in the last couple of months. She always used to sleep through till 6-6:45. We had family to stay for 6 weeks so this may have upset her a bit. They left last week. I think she had a big growth spurt 6 weeks ago so I moved her to 3 solid meals. It’s been almost every other night now that she wakes. Usually it’s been 4 or 5am but 3 of the last 4 nights it’s been 2.30am, 1.45am and 12:30 which is crazy – how can she be hungry then? (Twice she was hungry and I fed her, last night I gave her back her lovie and she went back to sleep). I’ve been moving the Dreamfeed earlier in order to eliminate it and I’m now up to 9.30pm. Is this causing her to wake more? (The night she didn’t wake I was out and had to feed her later at 9:50 instead of 9:30. That night she slept till 6:30).
I’m wondering if I should go cold-turkey on the Dreamfeed? To make it harder our clocks go back this weekend – end of Southern Hemisphere summer. (I'm doing feeds & naps etc 15 mins later each day for 4 days).
She was always a chronic 45 min napper but that’s slowly come right since she was 6 months old. With the family here and going away on holiday she’s been doing lots of short naps, but it seems to be coming right again.
Occasionally she’s been waking from overstimulation and I can sh-pat her back to sleep. A few of these wakings were from rolling over/getting stuck, but that seems to have stopped. I always try to shush-pat her, but she’s definitely hungry and won’t have it. During the day her 11am and 3pm feeds are definitely getting smaller.
I should add - In the last week or so several times she's woken sometime between 9.30 and 10pm, I guess from overtiredness from the 45 min naps. I just feed her since I'm going to DF her anyway.
I’m wondering if I should just go cold-turkey and drop the dreamfeed? Or perhaps try to reduce number of minutes feeding but I think that could be hard with breastfeeding. All feeds are breastfeeds.
Here’s the routine.
7:00 wake up (Often wakes 6.15 – 6.45)
7:00 BF
8:30 Solids - Breakfast
9:30 Nap (Usually 1 ¼ hrs, sometimes 45 mins)
11:00/11:15 BF
12:30 Solids - Lunch
1:30 Nap (Usually 1 - 1 ¼ hrs, sometimes 45 mins)
3/3:30 BF
5:30 Solids - Dinner
6:00 Bath
6:30 BF
6:45 Bedtime wind-down
7:00 In Bed. Usually asleep by 7:20
9.30 Dream Feed
DF was originally 10:30 but have worked back in 15 min intervals.
If she does 2 short naps, or wakes from the 2nd nap earlier than 3pm then I try to put her down at 6:45 instead of 7.
Should I – get rid of the DF quicker? cold turkey?
- change her routine?
- put her to bed later? She goes to sleep much quicker now that she doesn’t have a late afternoon catnap – cut that out at 7.5 months. (Used to take 45 mins to get to sleep ).
- I breastfeed so I can’t do the water-down trick. Are there alternatives?
How old is your child? 8.5 months
What’s his/her daily routine? see above
What’s nap routine? same as bedtime routine.
How long are naps? Usually 1 ¼. Sometimes 45 mins
What's bedtime routine? Time? Close curtains, play music, read book. Bed.
Do you bottle or breastfed?? Breastfeed
How much? or how long? 5-10 mins.
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed) Both sides
How many wakes per night? 1-2. 1st at 9.30 sometimes. 2nd at 2.30 or 4/5am. Nightwakings are 2 out of every 3 nights.
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? Crying. Still cries if I pick her up.
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? Usually crying.
What have you tried to settle?? Try sh-pat. Doesn’t usually work unless was just overstimulated. Try pick up, comfort and put down.
What do you do for A time and how long is it? 2.75 – 3 hrs. Play with toys, read books, music class, mothers group.
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Rolling.
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months)
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? No
Do they have a lovie? Yes a muslin cloth square (I put a few extra ones in her cot as well in case she loses it).
I would be grateful for any suggestions.