Nearly 7 month old waking 3 X in night

[PegsPigs]

DD2 slept 8-6 between 2 months and 4.5 months. Then I guess the 4.5 month sleep regression occurred and since then it's just unbearable. There's no typical night but it's most common for 3 wakings. One late evening (today was 10, last night was 10.30), one during the night (today 3.30, last night 12.30) and one early morning (last 2 nights about 5.45)

I always feed her first waking - breast fed - but for about a month we've not been feeding her during the middle of the night one and last 10 days DH has done it without me. Last couple of nights we've left her to cry at 5.45 and last night she was quiet after 6 minutes and slept till 7.10, the previous night she slept till 8.30am

We began weaning at 26 weeks and she's a week off 7 months. She enjoys food although will only feed herself as she won't open her mouth for a spoon. Nappies suggest she is getting solids. She refuses to open her mouth for water during the day although I do push the spout in for all meal times and she reluctantly has some but it's a battle. With DD1 I tried water instead of feeding but she was much more pliant. I don't think a middle of the night battle for water instead of feeding would be very calming with DD2. I had been only giving her 1 breast to cut down the amount she was getting but that made no difference. I then double fed her at the first waking to try and fill her up but that's made no difference. She feeds well each time but annoyingly it takes at least 30 mins but more likely 45 mins just for 1 breast then about an hour for both. So I'm up for about an hour each time. DD1 would be back to sleep within 20 mins at this age and night weaned at 8 months from a single 10pm dream feed (which she began waking for so not really a dream feed in the end).

DD2 has always taken a long time to feed in the night and until 5 months every day feed was 45 mins to 1 hour. Now it's more like 20 mins. She's getting 6/7 milk feeds a day plus 3 meals. I'm so sleep deprived and bless DH he's back at work today so the middle of the night shift he's been doing is going to be increasingly difficult. DD1 now sleeps 7-7.45 so I'm struggling so much with DD2's sleep. I'm feeding her this middle of the night one and have been since 3.50 because she was screaming her head off in DH's arms for 15 mins. Her weight is trailing off its growth line and has been since about 4 months hence I've been resigned to night feeding to stop it dropping further. She was born 75th and is now 50th centile. She's happy and healthy at the moment. She has 2 teeth but is hardly dribbling at the moment and doesn't seem to be in discomfort during the day. She has 2 or 3 naps in the day usually 1 hour, 2 hours (both in bed) then 1 hour or a shorter car nap. She's been having loads of colds but has been cold free the last few weeks.

Any help gratefully received!

[PegsPigs]

Well here I am at what will no doubt be the first of 2 or 3 wakings tonight

[gallicgirl]

It's totally normal regardless of whether your baby is breastfed or formula fed. I'd be more surprised by a baby sleeping through than waking.
My 10 month old goes to bed around 7.30, will wake around 10.30 for a feed and then at once in the night before waking for a feed around 6am. And thats a good night. We co-sleep when we need to and I get a lot more sleep that way.
Your baby could be waking for many reasons other than hunger; comfort for one. She's learning how to do so many things and it all affects sleep.
I think there's a growth spurt around 6 months too. Would co-sleeping help you? I know it's tiring but it will pass.

[PegsPigs]

Thanks gallic. I think it's so hard because I know she can do it because she did it for over 2 months as a tiny baby. Now she's so much bigger it's hard to understand why she can't go longer. I get no sleep co sleeping unfortunately as I get the 'I'm going to suffocate my baby' middle of the night panic

[chloechloe]

I think 3 wakings is normal at this age - DD was exactly the same and most of my friends who BF were still feeding 2-4 times at this age as well.

The length of the night feeds seems pretty long though - is she definitely feeding and not suckling? Does she take a dummy? If so when the feedng slows down or when she starts suckling how about seeing if she'll settle with the dummy in your arms before putting her back in bed? I do this with DD and usually then goes back to sleep in the cot.

I think the early waking is also par for the course and you just have to cope with it somehow. DD is 9 months and still feeding twice a night and has started waking at 5-5.30 (goes to bed at 7-7.30).

[Pipistrella]

I agree it is totally normal. Babies often sleep for randomly long stretches when they are tiny. Then they get a bit bigger and start devoping differently, getting teeth, that sort of thing - their brains are changing all the time and of course their sleep patterns take a hit too.

It can be all over the place for many months.

This is what is supposed to happen - it doesn't mean you did anything wrong or that your baby is failing somehow. It's just what they do.

What's important here is how you respond, and in a word, responding is good. Roll with it - Baby led sleeping. They let you know what they need.

[PegsPigs]

Thank you for the reassurance. She won't take a dummy despite several attempts at different ages. Her normal day time feed used to be an hour so it's not unusual for her. She sucks at least once every 10 seconds but more often it's at least every 5 seconds. If I unlatch her she fully wakes and cries her eyes out so I do believe she's feeding but was rather hoping the night feeds would decrease in length as the day ones have. So basically I'm up for 3 hours in the night which I think is harder than the actual waking 3 times. I'm so fully awake after an hour of MN!

[PegsPigs]

Still terrible. Waking in the evening then twice a night. Had a huge tea this evening and still woke 2.5 hours after being put down! It feels like she's not hungry. Just can't stay asleep all night anymore.