Parenting advice please.

[biddeford]

My son has slept straight through the night since he was 11 weeks old. He goes to bed for 7pm every night and is awake for around 8am. He’s 6 months old now and for the last 2 weeks he’s been waking anywhere between 4am-6am for a bottle. I’ve tried the shushing back to sleep but he is hungry and gets more and more frustrated as I try and re-settle him. He’s always been a straight through the night sleeper, and now he’s waking again. Anyone have any experience? Is this just a faze?

Offer food first then milk for one of his feeds - milk will definitely curb his appetite. I don't believe food before one is just for fun - a baby s natural iron stores are low by six months. You need to start introducing the main food groups over the next couple of months. That's just my opinion but I have read up - so that might be an idea. Different opinions on this front just so you know!

Yes basically do the same, I've made spag Bol or macaroni cheese, spinach and chicken pasta and just whizz it. I found at 6 months dd was too young for baby led, she wasn't string in hand to mouth, so did about a month or so of feeding then gradually moved on to giving her some to feed herself whilst I feed some and gradually transition. She doesn't have teeth so she finds chewing very tiring. The more you transition to him to eat the more you make it thicker foods/chopped rather than blended. Also, eat with him so he learns from watching what you do with your hands :)

@StealthMama Thank you very much. And we always sit down as a family to eat. I think it's super important for him as like you say he can see us eating etc.

@dementedpixie I won't be cutting his milk, I offer him the same as usual.

I'm pretty sure there is a sleep regression at 6 months old.

BLW is does all go on the floor for quite a long time, it’s more about exploring food rather than eating. Gradually he will eat it. I did purée with my first and BLW with my second and my second is definitely the better eater. Be careful not to give too much sweet food as he’ll want it more than the savoury. You can give him pasta and spag bol and cottage pie, all sorts of things.

Sleep regression, growth spurt, teething...

Don't worry about the food, at 6 months solids are for investigating and learning, not to replace milk.

Our DD was (still is) an excellent sleeper but there were times she just couldn't get to sleep or stay asleep. It passes. You do what works and you get on with it. At around 3yo she had a few weeks of sneaking into bed with us, we'd wake up and there she was cos she was climbing in at the bottom of the bed so she didn't disturb us.

She is now 7yo and is usually asleep by 9pm through to 8am.