Six Months and CIO

I am looking for insight or maybe reassurance on what to do. My boys are six months old and have been going to bed at 6;30 pm (asleep by 7pm) for months. We have gotten them down to one feeding at around 4:00am and then up for daycare at 6:30. They get fed at daycare around 7:30 or so. Right now I am not forcing the issue at the 4:00am feeding but I am starting to consider it. For me STTN means no feedings at all, I know for some it is six hours and no feedings. When you did CIO what was your strategy? Should I try and see if they can go until 7 for a fedding or am I pushing too hard? ANy advice is appreciated.

 

What do they do at 4am? Are they screaming for food or are they just fussing? If they are fussing you could let them carry on for a bit and see if they will settle themselves down. Or if they are screaming for food and downing a bottle or nursing alot then I might be inclined to feed them and get them back to bed. FWIW mine did not STTN until they were 9 months old.

 

They cry for at least 10 minutes and then I go in, although depending how tired I am I may 5 minutes. They eat okay..or rather one latches on with all his might while the other eats casually. The cry is somewhere between hungry and ticked off. Thanks for the advice.

 

From what I've read in multiple sleep books, they may legitimately need a night feeding up until 9-12 months. If they are eating and going right back to sleep, I would just keep feeding them. Maybe not the answer you want to hear, but I wouldn't push CIO just yet. I wish mine only woke once a night!

 

well, one of ours was doing this and I was SO dead tired from getting up that I just decided to let him CIO. It was tough for a few days but then after that he was fine and went from 6pm-6am(ish). One thing that I might reconsider though is feeding them earlier than 7:30am. I know mine would be screaming bloody murder if they had to go from 6pm until 7:30am to eat. Just a thought though. We feed them at 5:45pm and then around 6:30am.

 

If they are waking up at 4am, they may just be wet or poopy and uncomfortable. I would change them and put them back down, hopefully that is the case.

 

Thanks for the advice...I think it is still a legit food issue. I am going to keep at it for awhile longer and see if we can slowly push them out of it. It is tough because on one hand I know if I go in, I can feed and go back to bed in 20 minutes tops or I let them cry for 10 minutes then do it anyway or let them cry it out....it is just never simple, eh? The diaper was an issue at one point but using a slightly larger size a night seems to be doing okay.

 

Lots of babies, especially BF ones, need at least one night feed until 9-12 months. All of mine have needed a night feed until 10-11 months. I would hesitate to let them CIO for only one night waking until at least past 9 months. I know how tiring - but unless you are *sure* they don't need the milk (and how can one be sure?) I think it is cruel to CIO when they are only waking and eating once.