Help! 6 month old waking during the night

Anne2014

Hi all,

I don't normally post here but am at my wits end and don't know who to ask.

My son is 6 and a half months old and I started him on solids recently.
Before I started him on solids he was sleeping through the night from 3 months (9pm- 7/8am).

He has porridge for breakfast, vegetables for dinner and a fruit purée for tea. He also has 4 x7oz bottles a day.

Since starting him on solids (4 weeks ago) he wakes at least 3 times during the night usually 11pm, 2am, 4am and then he's up for the day at 5.30/6am. I said it to my mother and she said it was normal and I've been lucky up until now. But it's not normal for him and I'm really worried (as well as exhausted). Does anyone have any advice? Before solids I gave him 5 7oz bottles a day, I gave him an extra bottle today just to see. I also stopped various foods briefly incase they didn't agree with him

Thanks so much.

kandr10

Anne2014 wrote: »

Hi all,

I don't normally post here but am at my wits end and don't know who to ask.

My son is 6 and a half months old and I started him on solids recently.
Before I started him on solids he was sleeping through the night from 3 months (9pm- 7/8am).

He has porridge for breakfast, vegetables for dinner and a fruit purée for tea. He also has 4 x7oz bottles a day.

Since starting him on solids (4 weeks ago) he wakes at least 3 times during the night usually 11pm, 2am, 4am and then he's up for the day at 5.30/6am. I said it to my mother and she said it was normal and I've been lucky up until now. But it's not normal for him and I'm really worried (as well as exhausted). Does anyone have any advice? Before solids I gave him 5 7oz bottles a day, I gave him an extra bottle today just to see. I also stopped various foods briefly incase they didn't agree with him

Thanks so much.

I've not got much advice but just to say - your mothers right! (Sorry!) the routine you once had will continue changing from time to time as the little guy develops and goes through different stages.

What's he like when he wakes? Is he hungry? Does he take long to settle? Could there be anything else going on like teething/crawling etc?
Maybe you could try giving a bit of protein with the fruit to make it more filling if u think he might be hungry waking? Yogurt mixed with the fruit or something like that.
It's horrible when you're so exhausted. Hopefully he'll settle down soon for you

LegacyUser

Yup, sorry...your mother is right. You've been lucky, mine did that at 4 months! He's up and about more now I bet, and they like trying out all their new skills all of the time....

I have a few random bits of advice I've read/heard/tried, you could pick and chose and see what works.

I've definitely read that at 7 months or so, they need 2 "dinners" a day (see "Feed your Child Well") and things like fruit puree or custards for tea is probably not enough. Having said that I know they get most of what they need from the milk too. I think when my little one was that age I was giving her pureed veg for dinner and tea. I also upped her last bottle of the day - she's on 210ml bottles during the day, so we went for a 240ml at night. (sorry, I'm not sure what that is in oz). Even better when/if he starts on meat, try giving him a bit of meat for protein in the evening. Alternatively, beans, cheese etc will work, but I know he's only starting out on solids so you mightn't quite be at the stage of giving those to him yet.

As for the waking, does he cry? Is he awake for long?I know (tried and tested by myself and friends!), 10 minutes seems to be the key. You could try that approach. So you go in, settle them, leave for 10 minutes, and do not go back in. At the 10 minute mark, go in, settle them, leave again for 10 minutes etc. This has worked quite well for our little one, but you need to be consistent in doing it. Do not take him out of the cot, unless he's hysterical. I know a friend found herself in your situation, and tried absolutely everything to figure it out - and then realised that by going in and out to settle him, they were disturbing him more. She took the 10 min approach, and after 3 nights or so, the wakings started to reduce, and then vanished. If he's going absolutely nuts, you could do every 5 mins for the first bit, then stretch it a bit when he calms down, to 10 minutes. Just wait though to see what he does, without going in. I've learned that over time - I used to run in at the first squeak, but now I give her a couple of minutes to see what she does (my little one is 1, btw). Sometime she's just figeting in her sleep, and by going in, I used to wake her up.

They just go through phases, but they develop habits like that really quickly. So one or two nights of waking at a particular time, and suddenly it becomes a habit for them. You have to spend a few nights getting them out of the habit though, so if it doesn't work night 1, keep at it for a few nights. Hopefully he'll settle and go back to sleep for you. Also as their skills develop, they like to practice There's nothing worse than facing the day at 5:30am, exhausted.

theLuggage

Whatever you do, don't give him anything when he wakes. Otherwise it will become the new routine! There was a stage when I gave mine porridge as a supper to fill their tummies at night and it worked great

When does he get his last bottle or feed?

tinkerbell

It's normal - there are various points when babies start waking again at night, it is just a coincidence it is happening at the same time as solids.

January

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theLuggage wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't give him anything when he wakes. Otherwise it will become the new routine! There was a stage when I gave mine porridge as a supper to fill their tummies at night and it worked great

When does he get his last bottle or feed?

Worst advice to give. The baby is obviously waking for SOMETHING! Be it food (formula or solid), because he's sore, because he's too cold/too warm. The possibilities are endless. If the child is hungry, then it will have a bottle and usually go back to sleep. If he is sore, medicine will sort it out. If he's too cold, try an extra blanket.

Your child is waking because there's something wrong. It's not a habit and it's not a bad thing. Yes, you're tired and yes, you've been lucky up until now but unfortunately your luck has changed, maybe soon it will go back to the way it was.

ThisRegard

theLuggage wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't give him anything when he wakes. Otherwise it will become the new routine! There was a stage when I gave mine porridge as a supper to fill their tummies at night and it worked great

When does he get his last bottle or feed?

Not really, he could well be starving and could take a night bottle without fully awakening so going straight back to sleep again.

We used to keep the bedtime bottle full size. Sure if they don't want it they won't take it, but those extra few ounces might the difference.

Heroditas

Sorry, I have to disagree with people saying this the OP has been lucky to date.
Our 3yr old started sleeping from 7 to 7 from 4 months and keep up that routine when she moved to solids.

Anne2014 - when you say that your child started on solids recently, how long ago was this? Was it a few weeks ago?

EDIT: sorry - I see it's 4 weeks ago.

January

Heroditas wrote: »

Sorry, I have to disagree with people saying this the OP has been lucky to date.
Our 3yr old started sleeping from 7 to 7 from 4 months and keep up that routine when she moved to solids.

Anne2014 - when you say that your child started on solids recently, how long ago was this? Was it a few weeks ago?

You're still lucky. That's all a young baby sleeping through the night is, it's pure luck. If your baby is not sleeping through it does not mean you as a parent are doing something wrong. It's just luck.

theLuggage

January wrote: »

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Worst advice to give. The baby is obviously waking for SOMETHING! Be it food (formula or solid), because he's sore, because he's too cold/too warm. The possibilities are endless. If the child is hungry, then it will have a bottle and usually go back to sleep. If he is sore, medicine will sort it out. If he's too cold, try an extra blanket.

Your child is waking because there's something wrong. It's not a habit and it's not a bad thing. Yes, you're tired and yes, you've been lucky up until now but unfortunately your luck has changed, maybe soon it will go back to the way it was.

Obviously the child is waking for a reason - in my opinion shoving a feed into a baby that has been going without it and clearly hasn't needed it on the off chance that it works isn't the first thing to do. As you say the possibilities are endless - advising someone not to end up overfeeding their baby is hardly the worst advice ever :rolleyes:

Children wake for all kinds of reasons - it doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong either. I certainly don't sleep soundly through every night, I wouldn't expect a child to, every single night either.

January

theLuggage wrote: »

Obviously the child is waking for a reason - in my opinion shoving a feed into a baby that has been going without it and clearly hasn't needed it on the off chance that it works isn't the first thing to do. As you say the possibilities are endless - advising someone not to end up overfeeding their baby is hardly the worst advice ever :rolleyes:

Children wake for all kinds of reasons - it doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong either. I certainly don't sleep soundly through every night, I wouldn't expect a child to, every single night either.

My baby wakes for a feed at night, I physically cannot get that extra feed into him in the day time, he won't take it. He drinks his bottle and goes back to sleep. Does that mean I am over feeding my child? He only started it when he started solids too, slept through most nights before then.

Heroditas

January wrote: »

You're still lucky. That's all a young baby sleeping through the night is, it's pure luck. If your baby is not sleeping through it does not mean you as a parent are doing something wrong. It's just luck.

Her child was sleeping and has now started waking.
That indicates that something is disagreeing with the child, such as problems digesting the solids or maybe wind.
Her child is already in a solid sleeping pattern and while that in itself may be down to luck, I would consider her mother's comment flippant insofar as there is probably a good reason why the child's pattern has changed.

theLuggage

January wrote: »

My baby wakes for a feed at night, I physically cannot get that extra feed into him in the day time, he won't take it. He drinks his bottle and goes back to sleep. Does that mean I am over feeding my child? He only started it when he started solids too, slept through most nights before then.

Not at all - you know your own child as the OP knows their own baby. It's advice from my experience and my opinion, just as yours is. I certainly wouldn't class your advice as the worst advice to give, that's all. It may not be. My two would eat all around them and take everything offered and then bring it back up. In my case that is overfeeding.

Heroditas

Anne2014, how has your child progressed with teething so far? It could be that.

Anne2014

Thanks so much for the replies. I know I was lucky with his sleep pattern up until now and it's not my lack of sleep that I'm worried about, it's the fact that something is obviously causing him to wake up and I'm trying to figure out what.

Not sure if this makes a difference but he is still sleeping in our room, we're doing up a room for him at the moment. He doesn't have any teeth yet but I don't think it's his teeth as he makes certain expressions when his teeth are annoying him. Last night he had his last bottle at 8 and went to bed at 9. He woke at 10.30, 2, 4 and 6.

When he wakes up he screams, we tried leaving him cry for 5 mins then we picked him up and cuddled him for 10-15 mins and put him back down. I don't think he's hungry as last week we gave him a bottle when he woke at around 2 but he still woke at 4.

Moonbeam

The 1st thing that comes to mind for me is that maybe one of the foods does not agree with him.
What kind of crying is it?
Are his nappies ok?

John Mason

the exact same thing happened to us.

he is 13 months and still only sleeping sporadically. best advice i can go you is to go with it. stop thinking about it and more importantly stop talking about it.

i refuse poin blank to speak to anyone about his sleeping. i just say he is sleeping grand if anyone asks.


he will start sleeping when he is ready

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Does he have a soother? If so maybe try to get rid if it so that he learns to self soothe.

kandr10

Would you be in a position to try him in another room? Thinking of it out little one started waking a lot more at that stage and we put it down to us disturbing her in the night. Could you try a travel cot in another room just to test the theory?
It's distressing not knowing the reason why. Lots of good suggestions here though at least 😄 I find boards great for at least the reassurance that it's normal (to some extent).

BeardySi

+1 for another room!

Our we lassie who was always a great wee sleeper went through a few weeks of very disturbed sleep about the 7 week mark. She was also teething like mad but showing no sign of teeth.

Two teeth eventually came up and a few days later she went into her own room - she went straight back to sleeping soundly right through. Probably a combination of both factors but it's great to get a full night's sleep again! It did occur to use that it was the noise of us sleeping that was disturbing her, but who knows?

j@utis

http://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/its-evolution-baby

Carrie6OD

Just wondering if you've had any improvement ? I'm in exactly the same boat and i'm destroyed with all the waking up. I've moved him to his own room but it made no difference at all. Still up 4/5 times a night and awake fully at 6. Naps are same 2 hrs in morning, 1.5 in the afternoon, bed at 7.30. Goes to sleep no bother but wakes up so often! Any suggestions appreciated!

dori_dormer

What age is your baby Carrie? Is he going through a developmental leap? Our fella is 16 mths and still wakes up numerous times a night.

I check his temp, offer teetha gel if necessary, and water. He's a bit better since in his own room, but I honestly think he's afraid of the dark now. I tried a night light for a while but he found it too hard to go back asleep by himself with it on, but at the same time didn't scream bloody murder when he woke.

It's more unusual for your child to NOT wake at night as its a survival instinct. Unless you've used cry it out or some other unnatural method!

FYI - my sister has a brilliant 3 month old sleeper and I'm incredibly jealous!

Carrie6OD

dori_dormer wrote: »

What age is your baby Carrie? Is he going through a developmental leap? Our fella is 16 mths and still wakes up numerous times a night.

I check his temp, offer teetha gel if necessary, and water. He's a bit better since in his own room, but I honestly think he's afraid of the dark now. I tried a night light for a while but he found it too hard to go back asleep by himself with it on, but at the same time didn't scream bloody murder when he woke.

It's more unusual for your child to NOT wake at night as its a survival instinct. Unless you've used cry it out or some other unnatural method!

FYI - my sister has a brilliant 3 month old sleeper and I'm incredibly jealous!

I'm incredibly jealous too!

Baby is 6 months now. He has never been a good sleeper but he's getting worse instead of better and won't take a soother. His older brother is 2 and the soother worked great for him and now he's a fantastic sleeper. He has gone into his own room but he wakes up so often. He's not hungry but I offer the bottle as it soothes him back to sleep. He'll take an ounce or two and nod off but then back up again an hour or so later. Can't bear to let him cry it out. Could never do that to a baby but am at wits end. Might be teeth but he's not at all grumpy during the day. He's a little dote and has very deep sleep for his naps. Just do not know why he wakes so often at night!

Anne2014

Hi,

Things have improved so much since I posted 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure exactly what it was but I took a step back with the solids and it seems to have worked .

I think I rushed into it when I started solids and dropped a bottle too quick because I was so busy trying to follow a plan. So I went back to 5 bottles (35 ozs) and slowed down with the solids. I'm taking it slower and baby seems is adapting well, he's back to sleeping from 9pm -7/8am. I don't know how long he will stay like that but he is so much more content.

Jerrica

I really feel for parents who have a first child who sleeps well and then have a non-sleeping baby - you're lulled into a false sense of security with no. 1

Frequent waking @ 6 months is so SO normal, even for babies who slept well before then. There is a huge huge amount going on in their little brains, and it gets processed day and night. My little girl (now 11 mo) was a horrific sleeper at 4/ 5/ 6 months, all the way up to 8 months. I stopped fighting it and do whatever works at any point in time. She's slept through the night a total of three times :eek: but we just make it work. she's coming up on another big developmental leap now and has two top teeth coming through, so daytime naps have gone to hell and nights are hit and miss. Last night was good, down at 7, brought her to bed with me at 9, she woke briefly at 12.30, fed at 3.30 and woke for the day at 6.

I could run myself ragged trying to change her, but it would be the very definition of futility. Found whatever works for you - in our case I sleep with her most nights and my husband will take over after any particularly bad nights to let me get a decent rest. It's not ideal, but it's better than us all getting distressed.

Babies will wake, it's what they do, it's normal and healthy. Do whatever it takes to accommodate that, not change it.

Cartman78

Would strongly recommend engaging the services of a sleep consultant to anyone struggling with childrens sleep patterns.

By far the best money I've spent on anything ever.

Our little guy had a very difficult first couple of months...he was 6 weeks premature, low weight, poor feeder etc. His sleep was disastrous too and by 3 months we were all exhausted and half demented.

My wife had heard about a sleep consultant in Cork so we decided to give it a go out of sheer desperation. It wasn't cheap (around 250-300 Euro I think) but would happily have spent 10 times that for the result we got.

It basically involves establishing a structured feeding and napping pattern throughout the day and training your child to send itself to sleep without any crutches eg. Rocking to sleep, co-sleeping in parents bed etc.

It was hard work to implement but worth it all in the end. Our son is now almost three and has been sleeping a solid 12 hours a night for over 2 years.

Happy to Pm contact details to anyone that wants them.

Flippyfloppy

I'm not sure what other advice has been given in the thread but when you do start back solids give protein and carbs for the evening meal, as they will keep baby fuller for longer. You're very lucky baby sleeps like that on mainly milk

I held off on solids with my first as well as I felt it was best for her however she became a very fussy eater when I did start with them. I started my second much earlier and she really likes all her different meals now because she was too young to be fussy when we started!