7 month old waking up from 4am onwards - hungry or habit?

[2point4kids]

My 7 month old (he's almost 8 months) starting sleeping all night at 6 months old when I weaned him.
The last few weeks he has been ill with a cold and has been waking loads in the night. Each time he settles easily and quickly with his dummy.

Now he is better he is sleeping all night till 4am and then waking up every 20 to 30 mins until I get him up at 6.30 and feed him.

Not sure why he does this!!
Is he hungry and I should feed him at 4am and then put him back in bed? I know this would settle him, but I feel unsure about starting night feeds again at his age especially as he will settle with a dummy, so cant be starving!

Maybe it is a habit now? If so, how can I break the habit?

Or is it the dummy? Is he coming into light sleep then and needs the dummy to stay asleep? In which case do I need to ditch the dummy so he will sleep all night again?

Help!!

[pudding25]

If he is getting proper food and milk during the day, he should not need feeding during the night. i reckon he is waking for the dummy and you need to ditch it.

We had the same prob with dd (waking lots during the night -I was feeding her just the once though) and we ditched it when she was 16wks. She started sleeping through the night a few days after we ditched it.

[TheGabster]

Its a toughie - food or dummy - but have to agree with Pudding - I found with my DS dummy would satisfy for about half an hour, then if genuine hunger it wouldn't cut it anymore - he needed milk and was very vocal about letting us know that IYKWIM!!! He never would have gone from 4am until 6.00 with just the dummy if he was hungry. Does he really draink the bottle/boob at 6.30 or is he easily distracted?

HOWEVER, if he has been ill, it could be that he has got used to the comfort/attention in the night - especially as I think this age is a bit of a pain on the seperation anxiety front? (my DS is the same age).

Not sure how to tell which it is but maybe some clever bod in the know will come along in a sec ....?

[fourlittlefeet]

you could try feeding him at 4 and then every night moving the feed forward by 20 mins...

[ches]

Babies still have growth spurts after 6 months so he could well be hungry. Full nappy could also be uncomfortable.