8 month night feeds again. Dreamfeed causing night wakes?

[traineeparent]

Hi there

My initial success after dropping the DF was beginner's luck - she's back to waking 2-3 times a night.  Sometimes 10pm (send my husband in, easy to resettle).  Usually 12-1.30ish.  Sometimes my husband can resettle her then - just hands her back her lovie (she loses it??), sometimes she's stuck in a corner. Other times she keeps crying and I feed her.   And often 4 or 5am.  Definitely hungry then.  She usually sleeps after that till 6.30 or 7.    (After the clocks went back she was waking at 5.30 for the day but I did WTS and it worked - now she goes back to sleep).

We've got family staying again for 6 weeks but I've given it a couple of weeks to settle down after that. Still problems.

She hardly takes much at the 6.30/7pm bedtime feed most nights. And not much at other daytime feeds. 

She settles herself to sleep each night and at naps so is it just that she's eating at the wrong times? It's very hard to offer more during the day - she won't breastfeed if not hungry.  And it's hard to offer less at night. I try to pull her off when she slows down but she grizzles and wants more.

Sometimes she seems to lose her lovie (muslin square - 3 of them in the cot).  DH just gives it back to her and she rolls over and goes to sleep. Is this normal?  I'm starting to regret giving her one!!    She's just cut a tooth.  She's only started rolling in the last few weeks, perhaps that's why she wakes.   It seems that if I go in she'll demand a feed where she never used to.  I used to be able to pat her back to sleep if she woke cos overstimulated etc.  I can tell if it's not a hunger cry, but if I go in she puts one on. So now I have to send DH in.

Should I re-introduce the DF?  Could it be any worse?   Would it help to move dinner/solids earlier to leave a bigger gap before last feed?

Any comments appreciated.

[Little Lamb]

Hi Again!

Sorry you're having troubles, but you're not alone!  I have been totally unsuccessful at eliminating the df.  And I know it's hard to increase the amount my lo is taking during the day, I'm bfing too.  My lo is a really efficient eater and would only bf for 5-10 minutes most of the time.  What I had to start doing is feed her in a quiet area, otherwise she was too distracted to focus on eating or she'd turn to see what was going on (and try to take me with her - ouch).  If it's quiet (and sometimes dim) she'll usually eat for longer.

What about increasing your dd's solids?

Rolling will definitely cause nightwakings, give her lots of time to practice during the day.  Oh don't regret the lovie, just think instead of being up crying for 30 min., your dh hands her the lovie and she's back to dream land.  Maybe he could help her learn to find it herself, guide her hand or something like that?  Or teach her where the spares are kept in the crib?

Is there such a thing as an 8 month growth spurt?  Or is it just time to increase solids?  To Df or not to DF that is the question... MYIA - We need your expertise!!!

[Colin Macs Mom]

She's just cut a tooth.  She's only started rolling in the last few weeks, perhaps that's why she wakes.  

I think these two things are your key. I don't think it's so much about feeding or the lovey as the teeth and rolling. Both those things are brutal on sleep for sure.

[traineeparent]

Hi there. Thanks for the feedback! Sorry haven't replied earlier -  I haven't got near the computer with family staying for so long!   

Since dropping the DF we've had 3 nights of sleeping right through, but mostly she wakes 1 - 3 times.

Yes sometimes DH can give her back her lovie and she rolls over and goes back to sleep (usually works if she wakes 10pm), but most other times now she wants a feed.

I think teething and rolling could be it - but would you expect it to cause her to wake several times almost every night for a month?

[Colin Macs Mom]

I think teething and rolling could be it - but would you expect it to cause her to wake several times almost every night for a month?

Unfortunately yes. Some LOs get past it sooner, but not all. I'm glad that dropping the DF has helped, that's great progress