How do you know if your baby is waking for food or for some other reason?

[Ceebee74]

I know this sounds really dim but neither of my DS's have ever woken in the night screaming for food - when they were newborn, they both just used to get restless so we fed them then.

DS1 stopped that and slept through at 4 weeks and DS2 stopped and slept through at 10 weeks.

DS2 has just started stirring again at 4am-ish - but not really waking and definitely not screaming - just getting a little restless and moaning a bit but he still seems to be asleep (eyes closed). Anyway, I find I put his dummy back in and he goes back to sleep.

He is nearly 16 weeks old so I know they can start to wake again around now due to a growth spurt but I really don't think he is waking cos he is hungry.

Should I feed him when he stirs or just carry on with what I am doing and putting his dummy in. Surely if he was really hungry the dummy just wouldn't cut it??

I would say if he was hungry then he would spit dummy out again after a few minutes crying but if he's only waking once a night I don't think he's hungry but I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be here to tell you soon.

I agree with what LS just said.

Lucky you having them sleep through so soon!

That is what I thought He doesn't actually go to sleep with his dummy at night as he is quite happy to fall asleep without it so he is not waking because it has fallen out - but it seems to calm his restlessness at this time of the morning

Nicky - don't think I don't realise just how lucky I have been - that is why we are stopping at 2

I have just heard so much about this 16-week growth spurt (DS1 never had it though) that I am paranoid!!

I'd just go with it, you could try giving him more feeds during the day to keep him satisfied overnight?

Hi, both mine slept through quite early too (from about 8 weeks and once they did so I NEVER fed them in the night again, even if they woke). If he settles with the dummy then presumably he doesn't need feeding (or the dummy wouldn't satisfy).

I don't know how many feeds you give during the day, but I found that around 4 months with both girls I had to try and fit in an extra feed during the day to stop their waking creeping earlier and earlier in the morning, so from around this age I bf approx 7am, 10.30am, 2.30pm, 5pm, 7pm - i.e. it kind of ramped up in the afternoon / early evening, whereas at around 3 months the feeds were more like 7.30am, 11am, 3pm, 6.30pm

Nelly - I am already giving him 5 bottles a day (7, 10, 1, 4 and 7) so not sure how I can fit another one in tbh.

He sleeps happily until 7am-ish when DS1 shouts loudly at him I usually wake him up so no sign of early waking.

I will just go with not feeding him at the moment and, if he does seem to need more, then maybe add a bottle as a 'dreamfeed' again.

How many ounces in the bottle?

DD used to have 5 8oz bottles

8oz bottles at the moment but he only ever completely finishes maybe one a day - the others he usually leaves at least 1oz in (and there tends to be one bottle a day where he will only take 4oz )

He is very settled in between the feeds so he is clearly getting enough milk.

Maybe you'll just have to put up with it then.

The only other thing I can suggest is to try not giving him his dummy straight away.
If he's only moaning and not waking properly it may be worth giving him a couple of mins to see if he'll settle himself.

I used to rush to DD and after a while realised I was doing more harm as I was waking her properly. We left her to winge one night (never crying very much like you describe actually) she winged for about 5 mins one night then the next night it was maybe a minute then never again (unless she's ill)