STTN

So my girls are about a week and a half away from being 11 months old [almost a YEAR] and they STILL wake 1-2 times each every night. I figured I won't do CIO until they wake and don't finish a bottle.. [sometimes they even cry 'wanting more' after their second night time bottle]. If I woke up with them every time they cried, I'd be up at Least 5-7 times every night. So I guess you can say I do a 'form' of CIO, but when they sound serious that's when I go in.

In the begining they finished 4 oz bottles every 1.5 hrs and woke during the night about 3 times each. It was this way until about 4.5 months. At that time they went on a 5-6 oz every 2 hrs and woke once during the night. This was 'okay' for me cause this way I'd only have to wake 1-2 times during the night. They are still on a 2 hr schedule today [though feeding solids gives us about 30 min extra between bottles]. We do solids about 2-3 times a day with 2 snacks and 2 [approx] one hr naps. We're also on the 2/3/4 hrs schedule and it's been working great for us.

Someone please give me hope that these girls will be STTN before I send them off to college?! I feel like 'one of the FEW' who's kids don't STTN before 3 months old.

Also:
They're in the 90th percentile for height and weight
They finish about 35 oz of formula a day [with 2-3 servings of solids and 2 snacks]

 

I was one of those "still not STTN" people and about once a week, still am. I did CIO at 7 months b/c they were decreasing the amount of formula they were drinking and increasing the amount during the day. I had to do it again at 10 months after teeth came in. For a really long time I would still get up 1-2 times with Jake to give him his paci. Now he's good at keeping it close to him and I make sure I add a few to his crib before I go to bed. Every milestone, tooth or illness shook it all back up again. It is nice though when it's just one and they aren't up for an entire feeding, just a quick paci pop in.

 

Your girls and my boys need to get together and have a midnight party. My guys are finally starting to STTN.

One thing you should probably do unrelated to STTN is to try to get their formula intake down and their solids intake up. One way to do that is to drop the night time bottle. I know that's harder said than done. Mine were drinking that much too, and we've gotten them down to 2-3 bottles a day, but I know when they wake at night they always go back to sleep with a bottle, but at this age it's habit more than hunger. On the nights they don't want to go back to sleep I sometimes give them a small bottle--like 3 ounces.

 

QUOTE(sullivanre @ May 28 2009, 01:56 PM) [snapback]1331570[/snapback]
..when they wake at night they always go back to sleep with a bottle, but at this age it's habit more than hunger. On the nights they don't want to go back to sleep I sometimes give them a small bottle--like 3 ounces.


It's possible that it's more habit than hunger.. sometimes I offer a 'nap' bottle for the night time feeding and they just CRY afterwards. Usually it's a 7 oz [for the long strech of time.. usually about 3-6 hrs], then if they wake AGAIN it's a 4 oz bottle.

I'll have to try feeding more for solids [though I thought I was giving them large portions already :lol:]. Something has got to work. Mama needs to rest! :lol:

 

QUOTE(Suzy! @ May 28 2009, 02:07 PM) [snapback]1331497[/snapback]
I figured I won't do CIO until they wake and don't finish a bottle.. [sometimes they even cry 'wanting more' after their second night time bottle]


It sounds to me like it's becoming a habit... I did this with my first dd and she didn't stop with the night time bottles until she was almost 2- and only because we stopped giving them to her. They shouldn't be needing to eat during the night, in my opinion, especially if they're in the 90% for weight- they should be good to go through the night- I think they're ready to CIO, if that's what your approach is going to be. I know it's hard but you'll be glad you did it! Good luck!

 

Hmm.. how long does it take to successfully do CIO? Or does it depend on the kid [like almost everything else]. Maybe we'll TRY it on Fri-Sun and hopefully it starts to get better from there.. I feel bad though, if they're waking and finishing a bottle - does that mean they're hungry? or they're just doing it for comfort? :blink:

 

Mine took forever too! They sleep through the night most nights now and I must confess that I am still in shock. They sort of did it on their own about when I had reached the end of my rope (a couple weeks ago). I did a few things to nudge them along though. With my bottlefed baby, she was taking 2 botttles during the night so I just reduced the ounces until she was only taking 3 ounces per bottle, then I put water in the bottle and gave it to her in her crib laying down. With my nursing baby, I reduced the amount he was taking to by not nursing him for as long. I also started feeding them solids five times per day. I tried to offer foods that were higher in calories as much as possible. They were still waking up so I decided that I would only go in and soothe them if they sounded desperate or if they fussed for more than 5 minutes. Amazingly enough, they slept through the night the first night I decided to try that. I was probably going in and getting them when they didn't need it before then. I don't know if that helps at all. I hope they cooperate soon for you, I know how frustrating it is to have late STTNers. :hug: