Iv stopped BF nearly 6 month old and he is waking every hour screaming thro the night

[Sjwh75]

Please mummy help desperately needed!! I'm at my wits end.. My nearly 6 month old youngest boy over the past 5 nights has started waking every hour screaming and will not settle back in cot ?

I have also stopped BF him this week as i started him on solids and he wad not feeding from me as much so thought it wad good timing buthe is not taking much fluid during the day a few sips on milk b4 food but at night he is wakes every hour from 8.30 -4 I'm unsure what to do

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

Are you offering any milk at night?

[LittleBearPad]

If you've stopped BF, is he happy on formula? How many bottles is he having?

If possible could you start bf him again and slowly replace feeds with bottles.

[Meringue33]

Are you giving him formula in place of bm? Babies under 1 year need either bm or a breast milk substitute. Quantities for his age group will be on the packet.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Could the solids be upsetting his tummy? There really would be no harm in leaving off for another week or two. What milk does he drink now? If he's on formula perhaps true a different brand or a comfort one.

[UnderwaterBasketWeaving]

On the one hand, I remember DS waking hourly at that stage, I'd just gone back to work and it was traumatic for everyone.

But on the other, stopping bf entirely at 6 months seems very sudden. He will have become much more efficient at feeding, so wouldn't be feeding for as long. Your breasts might no longer feel full, but will be more efficient at producing milk, so he may be getting everything he needs without that uncomfortable feeling you get in the early weeks.

They say food is for fun until one. Therefore milk should still make up the bulk of his diet. Formula will be harder to digest than the breast milk he's used to, which might be causing him some discomfort.

He is also used to the reassuring closeness of breast feeding. I would imagine this is a difficult transition in itself.

If I were you (and I'm not, but you've asked for ideas) I would resume bf. it's been a few days but your supply will re-establish (I had a stop and restart at 23 months with no probs).

Feeds will gradually diminish as solids and water increase their significance, but this shouldn't be till around a year. I would imagine he'll continue to wake in the night for a while, but bf should make these swift to deal with at least.

Good luck.

[comelywenchlywoo]

Could he have a dairy intolerance? It's worth considering that too. DS was ok on BM, but couldn't manage on formula so we had to put him on Infasoy.

[TanteRose]

He'll be hungry and thirsty

When you first start solids, the amounts are too small to get the nutrition a growing baby needs - and their digestive system is still too immature to digest everything well

He needs formula as his MAIN source of nutrition until he is one year old

[wonderingagain]

He may be dairy intollerant. Try goats milk.

[TanteRose]

Or yes, start Breastfeeding again

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

You shouldn't use goats milk as an alternative to bm or formula under a year. There are plenty of dairy free formulas IF recommended by a healthcare professional. Don't limit their diet without medical advice please!

(Says the parent of a dairy allergic toddler, because it's really not good for them if you are taking out a main part of their diet without upping calcium intake, vitamin intake and mineral intake from other sources, usually in conjunction with a dietician.)

[noblegiraffe]

If he's only having a few sips of milk in the day he is probably starving and hoping to make up the lack of milk in the day by feeding all night.

When they start solids, it's nowhere near enough to keep them going. And first foods tend to be what we'd eat if we were on a diet! At the start he should be having about the same amount of milk as he was, gradually decreasing over the months until he's one and food becomes the main source of nutrition.

[Sjwh75]

Hey, he was hardly bF from me when I weaned him but I mix all food with milk so he is getting prob 10oz with food a day, he also has a few sips b4 food and a little water, if like yo stir away from bf again as so sore for 1st few days he drank 15 oz thro the night last night but 1/2 evey hour

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Tbh that's not enough milk. To get alot of milk down him through food then that's too much food too. It's just supposed to be tasters at first. Please find him a formula he likes and he needs at least three or four bottles a day 6/7 oz each. He is probably starving but bunged up and in alot of stomach pain .

[LittleBearPad]

Are you using cows milk or formula? Babies can't digest cows milk well and it lacks lots of nuitrition they need.

He needs proper bottles of formula as well as food in order to get the right nutrients. I think DD was on about four 8oz bottles when she was six months old and this was in addition to food at least three times a day.

Formula has lots more calories than purées so he may well be hungry.

[LittleBearPad]

Also what food are you giving him?

[CreatureRetorts]

When you say hardly bf, what do you mean? They feed very quickly at this age - 5 mins can be a feed for them.

I'd be feeding him again and at night too.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

If you have concerns about dairy intolerance please see a dr as prescription milks are available and are bloody fantastic. They transform babies!!! Once you know what your dealing with its not that hard and the change is amazing :)

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Sorry me again. I'd seriously consider stopping solids and concentrating on upping milk intake. Get him feeding properly.

[TanteRose]

Sj how many bottles of formula are you giving him per day?

[UnderwaterBasketWeaving]

I second the return to milk feeding. Ideally with a more gradual switch from bm to formula, but that's entirely your choice.

[StitchAteMySleep]

Start breastfeeding again, if you want to introduce formula start one feed at a time. He needs milk at night too so if you don't want to breastfeed you need to offer a bottle of formula.

Introducing food needs to be done gradually, start with lunch time meal just in case he reacts to the food as it can give them griping pain and affect their sleep. Then add breakfast and lastly dinner. This should be done over a period of weeks.

Start with baby rice and breastmilk or formula, boiled/steam veg sticks (he can self feed if sitting up fully and grasping) or puree, pureed fruits. He may only take a few spoonfuls at first, offer milk after food. Offer water with the food.

Is he having wet nappies? Is his tongue pink and wet? If he is exhibiting any signs of dehydration you need to phone the out of hours doctor.

[Geckoandthemonkey]

Start breastfeeding fgs or make sure baby is having plenty of bottles of formula! Under 1 years old milk is a baby's main source of nutrition, whether it be formula or breast milk.

Ebf is recommended for 6 months (no water, solids or formula) and ideally you can continue breastfeeding until you or and baby would like to stop until at least a year when normal, non-formulated cow's milk can be introduced. The World Health Organisation recommends all infants should be breastfed for at least two years. Formula milk is essentially reconstituted cow's milk mixed with tap water and only has 40 ingredients in it. Delicious! Breast milk is fresh, free and on tap and has thousands of fresh, organic nutrients in it.

If you want cut off breastfeeding you need to do it gradually and make sure he is getting enough formula. Milk is more nutritious for a baby than solids are. Your poor baby must be shell shocked, starving and yearning for the closeness that bfing gives/was giving him. There is clearly a reason your baby wasn't feeding much -ie. illness? teething? nursing strike?

Here's a trusted, informative website for you to ponder on: kellymom.com/

[Geckoandthemonkey]

P.S. If you are truly ready to give up breastfeeding, do it gradually, one bottle at a time.

[Geckoandthemonkey]

Sorry, have repeated myself in my second post, just tired. But please be gentle with your little one, it sounds like he's desperate for some boob! Poor chap!

[PoppyAmex]

OP that's not enough milk for a 6 month old, you need to restart breastfeeding or give him more bottles.

I would also call you HV for some in depth advice on weaning.

Good luck.