ready to wean??? Help!

[Broucek]

My 17 week old son has started to wake up several times a night now even though was happily sleeping thru at 10 weeks old! He seems to demand the breast each time he wakes up (i.e. every 3 hours or so) and I am not sure if this is due to hunger (and readiness to wean) or just to send himself back to sleep. He used to be a brilliant sleeper able to soothe himself but the last 3 weeks have been a nightmare and getting worse each night! I am aware I should wait with solids until he's 6 months old (especially as there are food allergies in the family) but another 8 weeks of this? What does everyone think? Can a 4 month old really wake up several times a night purely due to hunger?

[thisisyesterday]

classic BIG growth spurt age. he doesn't need to wean, just needs mre milk.
if he has been sleeping through since 10 weeks I think he[ll probably go back to that once the growth spurt is over

[cmotdibbler]

Lots of babies seem to have a couple of weeks of waking and feeding more around this point. Go with the flow, and don't feel pressured to give him baby rice cos others say it'll make him sleep

[pudding25]

Increase the number of bfs you give during the day. So, if you normally feed every 3 hrs, feed every 2/2.5hrs. Do you give a dream feed? If not, start giving a dream feed around 10.30/11pm. Hopefully, that will help fill him up a bit more.
It sounds from your post that you are just bf. If you are giving any bottles, increase the amount you give him. If you are just BF, are you able to express and give him (or get someone else to and get some rest) an extra feed of expressed milk.

[nappyaddict]

Ah I remember this stage. DS fed every hour or so!!

[Broucek]

I am now starting to think that the problem is me rushing in to feed him too soon. For some reason when his sleep cycle finishes instead of sending himself back to sleep like he used to he now expects the breast. Last night he was crying every 2 hrs but on couple of occasions he actually had his eyes closed and I left him to moan a bit and he fell asleep again! When i did get up to him he only fed for 5 minutes and fell asleep! I am starting to think that he's using the breast to fall asleep (my fault as for the past 2 weeks I thougfht he was going thru a growth spur and kept feeding him when maybe all he wanted was to be sent back to sleep!). Hard habit to break now though!!!! Any advice? BTW he is purely BF and won't take the bottl!

[littlemisss]

My dd (20wks) is doing exactly the same and I'm knackered. Will be reading the responses with interest. I just want her to sleep for 10 hours again.

[pudding25]

Yesterday, DD (18.5 wks) fed much more than normal. Last night, she woke around 2.45pm crying on and off and I could not get her to settle. Tried bonjela (she was teething last wk), no good. Thought I would feed her, even though we have had 2 wks of sleeping through. She fed for about 15 mins but still would not go back to sleep. Then gave her calpol and she went back to sleep.

No idea if she is teething/growth spurt/something else. I am tired and frustrated.

Broucek Do you have a DH/DP who could try and settle him instead of you? That might work as you won't be tempted to feed and he won't expect it?

[nappyaddict]

if the calpol settled her i'd say she is probably teething.

[pudding25]

Thanks nappyaddict Poor baby. She probably won't get any teeth for ages either.

[Broucek]

pudding 25 - good idea about DH settling him though I am sceptical about DS falling asleep without a feed. I try to feed him but then burp him so he doesn't fall asleep on me. still - seems to need the breast stop crying in the first place! Having said that, last night he fell asleep after a dream feed at 10 and slept until after 4 at which point he fed (not much though, went down really well and woke up again 6. Normally I'd get up with him at that point but he still looked sleepy and I was exhausted so tucked him in again and he slept until 7.30!!! How important does everyone feel it is that babies are woken up and given their 1st feed at the same time each day? My DS seems to be taking shorter naps than usual today and I am not sure if it's because I let him sleep longer?

[pudding25]

I wouldnt worry about it today. Hope you enjoyed your lie in! I imagine it is probably best for the babies to feed them around the same time in the morning (but I definitely think that if they do sleep a bit late on the odd wonderful occasion, then make the most of it!).
Sounds like you had a good night last night. I suppose you will only know if he will fall asleep without a feed if you give it a go!

DD fed lots more today as well-lots more for her that is as she has always been a rubbish feeder.

It is bloody exhausting this baby business!

Hope you have a good night.

[nappyaddict]

I don't think it is important at all. I have never in my life woken a sleeping baby. I mean why would you? (this is my baffled face)

[Polaris]

Hi there, my DS (19 weeks) has been waking every 1 - 3 hours for the last three weeks, after sleeping through for nine hours. It's driving my crazy and, like you, I'm about to get the baby rice in. I've resorted to give him a formula feed last thing at night but even this only satisfies him for a max of four hours. I thought it may be a growth spurt but it's been going on too long for that surely.

[pudding25]

Hi nappyaddict I would wake a sleeping baby if I felt they had too much daytime sleep and it was going to affect their night sleep.

[nappyaddict]

sorry i meant to say in the morning.

[pudding25]

If only DD would have a lie in!

[Broucek]

I had another good night last night! if what had been going on was a growth spur, it seems to be over! So Polaris and Littlemiss hang in there, it does pass! Also, it really does make a difference to let them fall asleep on their own. My DS sometimes falls asleep while feeding (Trying to break that habit at the moment) and sometimes on his own. He definitely sleeps longer after he's fallen asleep on his own. Anyway, I am sticking with BF and staying off solids for now! Thanks everyone and good luck to those of you still going through it!