6 month old sleeping issues

[Nochok]

Please help.... sleep deprived and getting more fed up by the day. My gorgeous son is now 6 and a half months old...and is still waking allot during the night.... here's what we do ....

8/9am -Breakfast is porridge , 12.30/1pm - dinner is homemade veg/fruit puree (just starting to introduce chicken / meat but he isn't impressed yet - ordered an annabel karmel recipe book to help) and4/4.30pm - again veg then fruit puree and yoghurt. About 6pm we have just started to give him a bit of porridge (in the hope it helped. .. nothing yet). His bottles are usually between 4oz/ 5oz (based on what he will actually take) and he gets these approx 10 am / 1pm / 3 p m / 5 PM. Then his bedtime routine is 6.30pm bath by me and my husband then quiet time dressing him/massaging him again both of us in his darkened nursery with his relaxing baby mobile music on he has between 6/7oz with a spoon of rice for his bedtime... by my husband so they have that time together. He falls asleep whilst being fed and goes down brilliantly. . He sleeps until about 9.30pm and has another 4 - 5oz (all his night feeds have one baby spoon of rice in) then again at 1.30am / 4am then usually wakes between 6.30-8am and is awake but doesn't want milk at this time.

I wondered if anyone had any suggestions or will it just take more time ?? FYI he was born at 36 was with a few initial problems but ok now , he did have bad colic up until 4 months xx

I just need to drop some of these night feeds but I don't like the sound of gina ford or feberization (they sound terrible). Help..

[mummymummy]

Have a look at the baby whisperer u have to do what u feel comfortable with either cc or pupd method. ...u can try patting him of when he wakes instead of giving him milk and see if that helps and maybe give him a bigger bottle of milk at 10pm sounds like he is well fed so could be waking out of habit ? Sounds like u have a brilliant routine with him x

[Nochok in reply to mummymummy]

Thank you I will get the book... just googled it and it looks good. Really appreciate your comment x

[Queenie89]

Hi,

He certainly sounds well fed and has a good routine by looks of things. Personally, I would make his last feed the 930pm feed. Or stretch it out til a bit later if he is happy to do so.

There is no right or wrong way and we all have our own methods. But time after time I have seen many people resort to controlled crying. No one likes the idea of it, but when it works they realise the fuss was over nothing. LO becomes in a set night/day routine and is contented.

I tried everything from co sleeping to more feeds and increased feeds but it made no difference what so ever. My LOs last feed would be 11pm then she was put into her cot and picked up again at 7am. She learned to sleep through the night and ate through the day when she was supposed to. That 11pm feed got moved to earlier times as she started sleeping longer herself (LO EBF) to the point where she started happily sleeping 12 hours a night. She would go down at 8pm and wake at 8/830am. To this day (now almost 27months) she sleeps from 730pm til anytime between 7-9am.

It sounds as though his body clock is going off every 2-3 hours for feeds as this is what his day routine is so he thinks it is supposed to be like this 24/7.

I know my post is of no help but thought I would share my experience with you. Hope someone else can help.

[Nochok in reply to Queenie89]

Queenie89 thank you , I can only dream of those sleeping times.. I know eventually he should sleep better... I wonder how I can stop him as he never quite finishes his bottles... even at night. That's what makes me 'know' 'presume' he has had enough.. We always mix more than he takes. Oh the joys.....

[Queenie89 in reply to Nochok]

Oh yeah is most definately eating plenty. Itmost definately sounds like his body clock is causing him to wake asout of habit he thinks he should be feeding. Because he is so satisifed andnot craving for more (even his age) he should be sleeping a lot longer. The only suggestion (that I have)would be to give him that last feed at 930. When he wasked through the early hours, leave him 15 mins as he may very well just fall back over himself knowing no one is coming. Hope u get some sleep soon hun. Its awful being zombiefied. X

[Nochok in reply to Queenie89]

I'm not sure I could do 15 mins I'm a right wimp... hate hearing him cry. I always try a dummy first and soothe then give milk... A habit might be right !!! Argh

[Queenie89 in reply to Nochok]

That is completely hun :). It is horrible to hear them cry. Especially when you know a quick cuddle will settle them again. I hope you find something that works and lets you get some sleep x

[littlebean]

My LO is the same age as yours and we were having problems with sleep, two hours to get him down for a nap even and the same at night & I was finding it really hard so ended up trying cc & it worked brilliantly. I know it's not for everyone but it you can stick it out you will get results within 3 days & it gets alot easier from then. My LO was. Still waking sometimes for a night feed but what I do is if I don't think he's had enough during the day I dream feed before I go up at half ten & if he wakes I try & let him settle himself first if he doesn't i feed & put straight back down even if it means cc. Now he's been sleeping 11 hours the last few nights. Is your LO in there own room? We found that helped as we weren't disturbing him aswell. I know it feels like it will never end at the min but it does get easier x

[Nochok in reply to littlebean]

Hi little bean, thank you for taking the time to respond...he is actually great at going to sleep.... pretty much as soon as he is fed he is off but he seems to want these feeds... and isn't happy until he has had it. Nightmare. .last night he was so unsettled again. I'm so pleased you have sorted your LO.... I live in hope

[haynesie]

My lo is 6 months and was a nightmare sleeper. He now has his last bottle at 10.30ish and sleeps til 7am. My health visitor said to give him water when he woke at 1am/4am if he's crying and he'll soon think 'I'm not going to bother waking for water' . Worked for us!

[Nochok in reply to haynesie]

Hi Haynesie, definitely worth a try. ..I'm only just introducing water and he isn't impressed with it. Each feed tho he has 5oz then goes back to sleep !! Thanks though I will have a go. .. at this stage you will try anything

[Littlekirsty1 in reply to haynesie]

I like this idea... Especially as my girl is big and chunky! Will give it a try

[Littlekirsty1]

If it makes you feel any better my 5 month little girl is very similar. She has very similar bedtime routine but wakes every 1.5 hrs for a breastfeed! I am exhausted but keep reminding myself that there will be others who sleep worse!

[mysticmamma]

Hes not waking due to hunger as hes getting plenty of food and drink,I think its just habit ,maybe hes teething.If your mixing rice in a baby bottle (which I have NEVER done with any of my 4 babies)he cant be hungry,I think its just for attention.My baby is ten months now so doesnt get up for that 3/4 pm feed now and hasnt for ages, his bed time is between 7 or 8 ,with a 5 oz feed. he doesnt get up but before I go to sleep he gets a small 4 oz dreamfeed,He will get up about 6 30 after that drink 4/5 oz and go back to sleep.I dont really believe in mixing rice in milk feeds think about it theres no rice in breast milk,his breakfast 9.00/ dinner 12/ tea at 5.30 and around 20 ounces in 24 hrs .Good weight and born at 38 weeks,I would give him a bottle of water at his 3 oclock wake and sush him back to sleep telling him hes a good boy.My eldest is in his 20s I have lots of experience, Good luck.Its best to mix the rice in his purees and food not his milk.