Back to needing to eat at night

My girls stopped eating at night at 6.5 months but did not stop waking up (around 4am on average). I posted about their night waking a little while ago and started trying a dream feed after getting some good suggestions. This worked for a night or two and then they went right back to waking at 4am (they would only take about 2oz at the dream feed).

Out of desperation the other night I tried feeding them when they woke at 4am...they both ate about 6oz. They are still restless after they eat but each night one of the two has usually fallen back to sleep until at least 6am. I don't know what to do and feel like I'm going backwards...if they are hungry I don't want to not feed them but do I really have to do this again???? I just keep hoping they will sleep. I know I am not alone in my desperate need for more sleep but I'm sooo tired...arrgghhh :headbang:

 

Can you cluster feed during the day? Like feed a bit more often? Or maybe give them a little more in each bottle so they get more during the day? (like 1/2 oz or an ounce).

 

With my boys - over the past few months - they weren't hungry - but were just waking, either in the middle of the night or early in the morning. For some reason I knew they weren't hungry. We did CIO at 8 months for the middle of the night wakings so that they would rely on themselves to go back to sleep. This has worked for us - and we get up now only if we know they are teething or sick.

I'm not sure i read your previous post - but do they know how to put themselves back to sleep when they wake up? What do they do if they wake up and you do not go to them? Do they just need help getting their pacifier? Do you have mobile that they can look at? We've done that for early morning waking - we'll turn their mobiles on and they will go back to sleep watching it. Just some thoughts...

 

I have no suggestions except to say that I know EXACTLY (well almost, I only have one) what you're going through! We only just went to one feeding from two! and if that one feeding isn't past 2 am, she's up again at 5:30....

 

It seems to be only one who is waking that early on a regular basis (DD#2)...DD#1 seems to sleep if we get to her crying sister before she wakes up. DD#2 is not taking in as much formula during the day as her sister no matter what I try. DD#2 takes 12-16oz while DD#1 takes 20oz (which our doctor said was the min amount until 12 months). So maybe DD#2 IS hungry when she's waking at 4am. I have tried to feed her more often during the day but she refuses the bottle. I've tried a sippy cup and she just chews on it or pushes it away when I try to feed it to her.

They do know how to fall asleep on their own...they go to bed awake both at night time and for naps. Whenever we have tried CIO they end up waking up more often and crying for longer and longer time periods instead of the opposite. I guess I'll just keep feeding her and hope she starts drinking more during the day eventually!