looking forward to trying something new at night

My babies will be 4 months old next week. I've devoured several of the sleep books commonly discussed here out of desperation. My babies were eating twice a night (between 8 and 6) from about 10 weeks to 14 weeks, then they (or one of them) went to three times a night. Charlotte wants to eat every 3-4 hours. It's taking a toll on me and now I'm getting sick, I think from being so run down all the time. I've read you can do some sleep training around 4 months of age, but then the HSHHC book also say to feed them up to twice a night if they're hungry. How do I know? They will generally eat anytime they are offered if it's been 3 hours. I haven't talked to my pediatrician about it yet but is there an age at which they shouldn't have to eat during the night?

 

I don't know if this will help, but my girls did not sleep through the night until 5 months. They had a midnight feeding and then a 2 am feeding and then I was waking to go to work at 5 am. Sleep is a treasure during this age. If yours are getting up more than normal and they're hungary, then it is possible they are going through a growth spurt. Have you started infant cereal yet? They may be at the point were they need something more substantial than formula or breastmilk if you haven't. However, cereal will not make them sleep through the night, but it may keep them full for a longer period of time so you can get some sleep. Babies are all different and just because some are already sleeping through the night at 4 months does not mean yours will or can. There are many parents on here whose babies didn't sleep through the night until they were much older (sorry if that's discouraging). They will eventually get to the point where they are, but you may have to wait a little longer. If they are sucking down a bottle when they wake, then they definitely need it. Hang in there because it will happen!!

 

I agree could be a growth spurt. You can try with shushing and rocking and see how they do. If they don't go right back to sleep and want that bottle you will know they are hungry. They also change from week to week so even if you bypass for a while they may revert back to wanting to eat. At least that is what happened with us.

 

I believe its around 9 months of age when they really dont require any nutrition at night. However, many babies seem to STTN from early on and not require feedings. My babies wake through the night and fuss a little (whimper, light cry), but if they get to the full out cry or sobbing then I know I need to get my butt in their 'cause they're hungry or need a nappy change.

HSHHC was dead on with my two when they said they wake up w/in 4-6 hours after going down for food, and usually around 4am. Mine have pretty much dropped all feedings now in the last month. I still have to on occasion, just depends on how our day was like!

 

I can't figure out how to edit my post, but I didn't really mean "sleep training," I meant more "letting them fuss" versus soothing them to sleep (and back to sleep) so they can learn how to put themselves to sleep. Thanks for your input. I did wonder if it was a growth spurt but we're going on about 3+ weeks now...? I did read that by this age most babies have a 4-6 hour stretch. We get the 4 hours usually once a night, so I guess it's not that unusual, it just feels unusual when so many of my friends babies are down to 1 or 0 feedings per night.

 

At the 4 month appointment, out ped. said not ready yet. We just had the 6 month yesterday and he said at this age they don't need the calories at night. That's what he said when I asked him how I would know if the baby was truly hungry or not.

Oh, I just read your other post . Humm. Maybe start with letting them fuss 5- 10 minutes. How do they do for naps?

 

Thanks, that's helpful to know what your pediatrician said. Napping is hit or miss. If I time it right they nap easily with little fussing. Other times it's much more difficult. They usually have a good solid morning nap, and if I'm lucky they'll both take another 90 minute nap and a 45 minute one. Tonight I let them fuss themselves to sleep (no heavy crying), well, I tried to, but felt so badly for DS I went in and gave him his paci-he LOVES that thing and can't control it yet-and they were asleep within 20 minutes. Not sure how the middle of the night wakings will go, but I'll let them fuss a little longer to see if that helps me know if they are hungry or not.

 

QUOTE(jenanne @ Jun 7 2008, 11:17 PM) [snapback]815883[/snapback]
Thanks, that's helpful to know what your pediatrician said. Napping is hit or miss. If I time it right they nap easily with little fussing. Other times it's much more difficult. They usually have a good solid morning nap, and if I'm lucky they'll both take another 90 minute nap and a 45 minute one. Tonight I let them fuss themselves to sleep (no heavy crying), well, I tried to, but felt so badly for DS I went in and gave him his paci-he LOVES that thing and can't control it yet-and they were asleep within 20 minutes. Not sure how the middle of the night wakings will go, but I'll let them fuss a little longer to see if that helps me know if they are hungry or not.


Jen - I don't know if I mentioned this to you before or not. My Ped told us at 4 months to keep feeding them if they demanded it. So we tried letting them fuss a bit and go back to sleep. It would work occasionally, but usually not for Gray. Clara has been the easy one when it comes to dropping the night feeds. At six months Ped told us they did not need to eat at night and that the feedings were soothing him back to sleep. I wonder if that is the case with Charlotte? Since James takes a paci and it soothes him back to sleep. Gray wouldn't take a paci and we fed him back to sleep at night until he started sucking on and rubbing his taggie at around 5 months or so. Clara never has to eat past 12 now and Gray only occasionally. We do still DF before we go to bed and I believe it makes a huge difference. I didn't think it did way back when we started it at 3 mo. I don't know when we'll be willing to drop that. I do know that getting more calories in during the day makes a huge difference for us with both of them.

Also... I don't know if they are still in your room (I think so), but Charlotte may be a light sleeper and everything wakes her (DH snoring, you tossing/turning, etc). I think that's one of the drawbacks to the cosleeping even though I know it is better for you with nursing. Now that ours are in their own beds we can't even hardly sneak in without one stirring if they are in any other phase than deep sleep.

 

QUOTE(jenanne @ Jun 8 2008, 01:13 AM) [snapback]815697[/snapback]
My babies will be 4 months old next week.
How do I know? They will generally eat anytime they are offered if it's been 3 hours.


At 4 months old mine were still waking 3 times a night to eat. They would devour a bottle and then be content enough to go back to sleep. So I think if they are eating when they wake they are probably still hungry and need to eat. You can let them fuss for a few minutes and see if they will put themselves back to sleep, but they probably just need to fill up. :hug99: Sorry you are getting sick.

 

QUOTE(jenanne @ Jun 7 2008, 09:13 PM) [snapback]815697[/snapback]
My babies will be 4 months old next week. I've devoured several of the sleep books commonly discussed here out of desperation. My babies were eating twice a night (between 8 and 6) from about 10 weeks to 14 weeks, then they (or one of them) went to three times a night. Charlotte wants to eat every 3-4 hours. It's taking a toll on me and now I'm getting sick, I think from being so run down all the time. I've read you can do some sleep training around 4 months of age, but then the HSHHC book also say to feed them up to twice a night if they're hungry. How do I know? They will generally eat anytime they are offered if it's been 3 hours. I haven't talked to my pediatrician about it yet but is there an age at which they shouldn't have to eat during the night?


Mine have been down to 0-1 times per night for about 6 weeks. I started trying to put them in their swings when they first woke up for the midnight feeding, and they would go back to sleep. Within a week, they were just waking up for the 4:00 feeding, then slowly Anna started STTN most nights. Jack ends up in his swing in the middle of the night always, but he doesn't need to eat (really he just needs his pacifier reinserted a lot, and I get tired of doing it and put him in the swing where I know he will finish the night - I'm just trying to get him to stay in his crib on his own longer and longer). Anna still wants to eat in the middle of the night about 1-2 times per week, but one feeding is fine with me.

 

Mine also went thro a phase that lasted about 3wks where they were up 3-4 times at night to eat, but the good news is that they have now gone back to only 2x/night (bed at 6pm, up at 2am and 5am to eat, then up at 6am for the day). Hang in there, it will get better. But yes, not all of us have babies that STTN from 6wks on!