Hungry baby milk just at night to ensure a full nights sleep

[mumsrthebest]

Hi all, my son is 11 weeks old and is still waking in the night. I know he is still young but would like to try and get him to sleep through the night. He usually has his last bottle at around 10pm - 10:30pm and wakes at 2am and then 5am. On his 2am feed he generally only has an ounce and falls asleep. This tells me he doesn't really need it so I have been trying to put him off by putting his dummy back in and this works for about an hour and then to be honest I give in and give him a bottle (too tired).

My friend suggested I give him hungry baby milk for his last feed before bed. Has anyone else tried this? She tried it with her son and he slept through as he felt fuller I presume.

My son has had awful colic too that seems to have gone this past week or so but we are still putting colief in the milk (going to reduce dose next week as he will be 12 was) Do I need to do it ŵith the hungry baby milk too?

Hungry baby milk is just an older formula that is harder to digest - of he is already colicky then the hungry baby might make him worse.

OP, my daughter is two years old and still wakes at night. It's perfectly normal behaviour for small children. I know how tiring it is, truly I do, but honestly waking just twice a night at 11 weeks old is pretty impressive already. I think you need to adjust your expectations for what your baby is capable of sleep-wise at this age.

I wouldn't give hungry baby formula, it's really hard to digest for some babies and is likely to worsen his colic.

You 'give in' at 11 weeks by giving him a bottle

Feed the poor lad fgs.

I agree with pp. I have always felt a bit uneasy about hungry baby milk and kind of thought, just feed your baby more often rather than give something hard to digest. I was still BF at that age (did up to 5/6mo) so it's a bit different but even when I moved to formula DS still had 2 bottles a night up until he really got the hang of weaning at about 8/9mo. He still wakes now a couple of times per night for cuddles/dummy/drink/come into our bed and he will be 2 in June. It's completely normal. I wake in the night a few times but I'm an adult and can get myself a drink or 'self-soothe' if you like that turn of phrase back to sleep. Babies/toddlers/young children are unable to do this.

Another point worth noting is that things will change with Feeding and sleep about a thousand times between now and regularly sleeping through so just because you achieve sleeping through now, it may not last.

Thanks for the unhelpful comment monkeyfacegrace

Hungry baby milk is harder for them to digest so could really backfire with tummy ache just feed the poor mite as they need

I asked this exact same question to my HV when DD was the same age. She said to just pick one type and stick to it as switching between the two can (not will) cause problems. I started giving her hungry baby all the time and she was fine. Hope that help.

Babies aren't supposed to sleep through the night. I understand you're exhausted, but try to sleep when your baby sleeps during the day to make sure you're well rested enough.

My comment wasn't unhelpful. It was answering the question.

Hungry baby milk is unnecessary and full of shit your baby doesn't need.

Stick to first milk, they all sleep through the night eventually.

I tried and it didn't work unfortunately. When is bedtime?

When ds was going down to bed at 7 then dream feed at 11 he'd wake at 3 then for the day at 7. The one waking was so much better than 2. Ds was also better on 4 hourly bottles as he'd take more milk in one and be used to going a bit longer.

Some posters are forgetting what it is like to have a newborn. Colic, sleepless nights and recovering from pregnancy and birth is knackering.

In a rude way

At 11 weeks I am afraid it isn't 'still' waking. It is normal. What were your expectations?

It's not full of shit. It's got the same components as normal milk but different proportions of whey and caesin, making it slower to digest.

OP, I tried what you are considering with all 3 of mine. Didn't work and seemed to cause tummy ache.

Completely unhelpful I am afraid but I am feeding 3/4 times a night and baby is 25 weeks! It is normal I know but no daytime rest if it's your second and it's hard. Sounds like you're doing pretty well! I would say feed him when he wakes rather than trying to hold him off for him and for you too as it's more of a disturbance getting up and down. My fella is in with me now and it helps sometimes

Babies are meant to wake in the night for feeds. Remember that his tummy is still only tiny. Giving him hungry baby milk is more difficult to digest and will only cause tummy troubles.

isn't a "full night's sleep" for babies only defined as 8 hours anyway? So two night wakings at 11 weeks is fantastic imo.
Imagine being forced to eat a massive dinner before bed to stuff you up so you sleep longer! Their tummies are tiny, if he wakes he needs feeding or cuddles. It's hard but the time really, really does go so quick. I hated getting up but now I miss the sleepy cuddles. Don't try to make him grow up too quickly just for the sake of a few months of night feeds.

If you sleep 10.30 -5 with just one brief waking that's amazing! That's so much more sleep than most. Just make sure you're all ready for bed and can sleep as soon as baby does at 10.30.

In time you could express so your partner could feed at 10.30 or 5 so you can get a bit more sleep.

Please don't stop feeding your baby or move to milk not suitable.

At 11 weeks it's normal for babies to still be waking a few times. Their stomachs are still small so they need food little and often. It does get better but you're better off going with it.

It really is so hard OP I do feel for you. But it's not going to last forever honestly. Is there anyway you could alternate feeds with your DP at all so at least one of you gets a full night every other night or so. Hang in there but I don't think hungry baby milk is the answer especially is baby has colic. I used to try and make night feeds easier by making myself a flask of tea (!) heating on so I'm not cold and having a TV series to watch / read interesting threads on here and thinking how lucky I was to have my gorgeous healthy baby feeing as he should

My 12 week old sleeps throughly 8-8. How much are you feeding during the day what's the routine?

If he's waking for 1oz then at least you know he will drop that soon.

What happens when you put the dummy in instead?

It's three AM, they're all asleep,
and no-one's here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

His little hand is feather light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine,
and stroke his baby skin.

The house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles closer to me still,
And makes his baby sounds.

I love these quiet hours so much,
And cherish every one.
Store memories up inside my heart
For lonely nights to come.

All too soon he'll be grown up,
His need for mummy gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.
Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arms,
Where I wish he'd always stay
Protected, safe and warm.

And yet I know the day will come
When his tiny little hand,
will be bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.

But until then he's mine to love
With no one here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.

A bit cheesy maybe but I used to read this poem over and over and now I feel a bit wistful for those long nights!!

I am only a few months out of those hideous, draining nights ... can't believe I'll ever feel wistful for them!

Aww - that's nice

Erm - I meant the poem - not the draining nights