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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Help! 6 MO who was sleeping through now waking every two hours - could he be hungry??

18 replies

sazzybee · 25/09/2007 09:56

Not sure if this should be in here or sleep but it's like it says on the tin really - my 6month DS who has always been a pretty good sleeper has started waking up every 2 hours of late. He could be teething but doesn't seem to be distressed (ie at least once of his wakings he's playing, rather than upset) and is very cheery during the day.

The only thing that has changed in his life is that I've started introducing formula whereas previously he was entirely bf as he's going to have to have bottles when I go back to work in a few weeks and I want to get him used to it and ensure he doesn't have any reaction to the formula before I start.

I'm still bfing mornings and evenings, giving him the odd feed during the day and usually 2 200ml (7oz) bottles which he downs very enthusiastically. I figured this was enough as it says on the back of the box that they need 600ml a day in total and I thought that the bfing would cover those extra 200ml. Weaning wise, I'm doing largely BLW with the odd weetabix thrown in so he's not getting a lot of calories that way. Is that not enough? I give him his last feed about 7pm as waking him for a dream feed just meant he woke up more in the night so I dropped it really early on.

It's going to kill me if I don't get some more sleep when I go back to work so I need to get this sorted asap. Your ideas needed please!

TIA

OP posts:

Report

janjas · 25/09/2007 11:41

Have you tried starting him on solids? Maybe some baby rice or mashed potato at tea time? My dd is 1 now but at around 6 months I can remember that we did start to have trouble with her sleeping. I found that giving her some tea and then bottle around 7pm did work, not immediately but after a few days.

sazzybee · 27/09/2007 09:14

Thanks janjas - he is eating bits and pieces throughout the day and last night I gave him some rice pudding at 6 before his bedtime feed but still no difference.

Anyone else got any ideas? I'm totally clueless about formula I have to say. I've worked out that he's getting about 20oz of formula a day plus two breastfeeds. I suspect this may be a bit on the low side but how do you get them to down 7oz at one feed?

This is a shameless BUMP

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 09:22

sazzybee, I cant really remember too much about formula, would he accept more if you tried to give him it?
Maybe try giving him his solid meal a bit earlier so that he will take a larger bottle feed before sleep?
Sorry can't be of much help, I bet someone will be along soon with the perfect solution though

Jojay · 27/09/2007 09:25

Are you planning on bf-ing morning and night once you're back at work? If not, and you are planning to phase bf-ing out completely in the next few weeks, then I would perhaps give another bottle of formula.

It's possible that giving the formula has affected your supply. If you're planning to carry on bfing, I'd take action to increase it, by feeding more often, expresing etc, to stimulate the supply. If not, you may have to accept that your supply has dwindled quicker than you'd planned. If this is the case, and his last feed in the evening is from the breast, this could explain the night wakings.

Exactly the same thing happened to me - I introduced formula during the day at 5 months in preperation for returning to work, and wanted to carry on feeding my ds morning and night, but it just didn't happen. I know some people seem to manage it, but I didn't. Twice a day just wasn't enough stimulation for my supply, and I ended up replacing everything with formula a few weeks sooner than planned.

Lastly, I'd ignore what it says on the tin and be guided by what your son wants. My ds was on 40 oz a day just before weaning, way more than the tin said, but his weight gain was spot on, and it was obviously what he needed.

HTH

Anna8888 · 27/09/2007 09:29

I'm sure he's hungry. Give him more food in the evening - stoke him up for the night.

Seona1973 · 27/09/2007 09:45

the minimum recommended when on 3 meals a day is 20oz so your lo could well be hungry. At 6 months by formula fed ds still had 4 day bottles and a night bottle which he didnt stop till 8 months. Will your lo take more than 7oz at a time e.g. 8 or 9oz, or could you fit in another bottle somewhere?

sazzybee · 27/09/2007 10:07

Thanks for all the responses

Jojay - I think that's exactly what's happened only I don't really want to admit it. My supply is dwindling so I guess I'm either going to have to take steps to increase it or possibly stop altogether. I'd really hoped that at 28 weeks it would have been established enough for that not to happen but I guess not. I'm not going to be able to feed more often than morning and night once I go back to work so even if I do try and increase my supply now, I could be facing exactly the same situation again in a couple of weeks.

He rarely even takes 7oz at a feed seona, usually 4-5. I obviously just need to try and persuade him to drink a bit more. And squeeze in an extra bottle somewhere.

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 10:10

What milk is he on sazzy??

evenhope · 27/09/2007 10:29

sazzy my DD is now waking every 2 hours as well, and is still having bf throughout the day. Someone I met at M&T has a DD the same age and hers is doing the same, having been sleeping through. It seems to be a developmental stage.Apparently teething is connected with hormonal changes so these could also be responsible for the sudden waking?

sazzybee · 27/09/2007 10:45

That's good to know evenhope. It's very reassuring as we've had those before obviously - means there's an end in sight

Lorayn - he's on Aptimil

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Tangas · 27/09/2007 11:03

Hi, ive just singed up so i'm new to Mumsnet.
Sazzy have you tryed weaning??
my son was doing the same, he'd been sleeping through the night like a little angel, then started waking every couple of hours. I was told that is one of the signs for ready to be weaned, along with sucking hands/toys and showing intrest in the food we eat.
Sure enough, after a little baby rice he's back to his old sleeping pattens.

Lorayn · 27/09/2007 11:07

Have you tried maybe changing his milk??
There is an aptamil 'extra hungry' which might help, I know when I ff DD she would often fall asleep during a ff, then wake up hungry because she wouldnt take much, but she got better with the next stage milk.
It is suitable from birth to one year, so wouldnt see it being a problem, other than that I'd still say try to get more food in him.

sazzybee · 27/09/2007 21:14

Hi Tangas - welcome to MN (ooh that's the first time I've done that ). Yes I am weaning him - he has a weetabix in the morning and lunch and tea most days too.

That's a good idea re the hungrier baby stuff lorayn - I thought that was up to 6 months only so good to know I can use it after.

Well today I force fed the poor love till milk was virtually coming out of his ears. I will see what happens tonight ...

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2tiredmum · 27/09/2007 21:29

If you use teh extra stuff - which is really good - make sure he gets enough iron through his food (the follow on has it in whereas the 0-6 month stuff doesn't). baby will need it from 6 months as the supplies he is born with run out at this time.

Lorayn · 27/09/2007 22:22

tons of broccoli, great fun for them to play with and eat 'trees'

PeachesMcLean · 27/09/2007 22:25

Hi Sazzy, how long has this been going on? As a complete alternative, could he be a bit cold? Been freezing of late... Just a thought. Would certainly disturb his sleep without necessarily making him upset. As I say, just a thought

sazzybee · 28/09/2007 09:31

That's a good idea peaches but this has been going on for 10 days or so sadly.

He did have a better night last night - only woke up twice so that was much better. We're back to co-sleeping now. I don't mind that though as it's cold and he's snuggly

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evenhope · 28/09/2007 11:50

sazzy any consolation I saw 1am, 3am, 5am, 6am, and 7am last night/this morning. [eyes crossed and drooping emoticon]

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