7 month old sleep issues

[Gemjar]

Can anyone offer any advice on getting DS2 to sleep better at night?

He is 7 months old and EBF, he sometimes goes the whole night without a feed, or at least until around 5am anyway, but wakes up frequently during the night for no apparent reason. I bring him into bed with me and he quickly settles back down, so I then take him back to his cot and he will sleep for maybe another hour and then we start again.

I remember with DS1 that he was a nightmare to get settled, but once he was down, he would sleep really well. DS2 seems to be the opposite, he can just about settle himself to sleep and will be put down relatively easily, but just doesn't stay asleep for very long. He doesn't seem to be too hot or too cold so i'm not sure what it is that keeps waking him.

For his sake as well as mine we would all like to get a better night's sleep, especially as he is starting to feed at night less often.

If you know he's eaten well during the day and won't need a feed, I would just leave him. He'll soon realise that night is for sleeping. Do you put him down awake? I think that helps a lot.

He's asleep when he goes down for the night, but he often stirs as he is being put down and settles happily from that.

I don't really want to leave him crying as although I don't think he will suffer at all from being left, his 3 year old brother is on one side of him and our next door neighbours are on the other side and I don't want everyone to be woken up from him crying for ages.

If he sleeps well i bed with you then why not leave him there?

I am horrified at the "just leave him" advice. He's 7 months old!!!!!

I agree with DON'T 'just leave him'!

When he wakes up during the night are you sure he isn't hungry? My 7mo DS is still feeding at least three times a night and sometimes five (depending on how I measure the 'night'!). He will settle if I take him into bed for a cuddle but then wakes up again forty minutes later because he's still hungry.

Octaviapink I don't think he is hungry all the time, when he wakes and wants food he is impossible to settle until he has fed, but for the most part when he wakes he settles again easily so there is a big difference between him waking for food and waking at other times iyswim.

Comfort is jsut as important as food at this age. If in doubet feed him. Particularly if it gets him back to sleep.

Whatever gets the most people the most sleep is ALWAYS the right answer!

Hi Gemjar,
I empathise. I have an 8 month old who still wakes 2+ times in the night.
I also don't agree with just leaving him.
How is his head control? Have you tried him on his front or side to sleep?
I'm aware of the recommendations so this really has to be personal choice, but my DS definitely sleeps for longer this way,he has very good head control though AND can roll over if need be.
Also,have you a DP that can get involved? Maybe if your LO doesn't think your going to come in each time he'll sleep for longer?!?!
Worth a try if possible....
Good luck