I need sleep :(

[ConfusedNewMam]

My 6.5m old hasn't really been a good sleeper.

He was ok to begin with, woke about two times a night until he was 4m then it all went to s**t. He was getting up 3-4 times and relying on milk and/or being held til he nodded back off.

Anyway, instead of giving him milk throughout the night, I was giving him cooked boiled water whenever he woke (unless it was a good way through the night and he was genuinely hungry).

It only took a few days and he seemed to change his routine and go back to waking Just twice a night (I loved this routine!). But after a week or so, we are back to waking 3-4 times and the need for an oz of milk to go back to sleep?!!!
HELP!

He's SO small OP. It's completely normal for them to do this....even up to around 2.

Most parents find it goes on for about 18 months.

There's no magic answer or method...you just keep moving the ball as they move the goalposts.

This happens with my nine month old. Sometimes he wakes twice a night for feeds, other times, three or four times a night. Cheap is right, no magic answer or method, you just roll with it. They will get there when they are ready.

Are you giving him solids?
He may well be hungry.
He still only has a little stomach.

You know what. It's SO refreshing to hear other people say they are going through it to.

Every mother I speak to has the perfect child who sleeps 12 hours every night without waking since they are like a week old...

Yes he is... he has porridge for breakfast and a food jar in the afternoon (we haven't reduced his bottle intake either)

Same OP, I too have a rubbish sleeper! My friend knocked night feeds on the head by offering baby porridge before bed. Said it seems to fill her baby up for longer so doesn't need another feed until 4/5am. I tried it but typically my son decided he hates porridge and spat it out everywhere but it may help you!

That's interesting about the solids. I started weaning my DS at 6 months, but he never really showed any interest in food. Despite persevering, he's only just (at nine months), really taken an interest and is starting to really eat his evening meal. He had salmon, peas and mash last night and for the first time ever, dropped a milk feed. So I have some hope on the horizon!

Oh really?! Mine is the opposite.. he gets SO excited when he goes in the high chair and sees his food coming. He's getting less and less interested in his bottles.

Porridge before bed may be worth a try? Although tbh, I'm not sure he's hungry. I think it's more a comfort thing for him :(

Sorry, dropped a night milk feed. He normally does 00.30, 02. 30 and 04.30. He slept through from 19.30 to 02.30.

Radio... do we have the same child? That's our wake up times too 😂

Sounds like it! The 04. 30 is a definate comfort feed. He goes down easily after the 00.30 and 02.30 feed, but the 04.30 feed, he's a bugger. He feeds to sleep, but try to put him down and he's wide awake! Manged to put him down at 05.50 and was quietly celebrating this success. He woke up at 06.15, bright and breezy. This is normal.

No real advice as my one is still waking up lots however just wanted to say your not alone with a baby that wakes up lots. There's lots of us on the non sleeping thread that are up in the night/day chatting if you need any support in the early hours

Yes.. exactly the same. I struggle to get him back down at 4:30. His dad goes to work at 4 so there's space in our bed. I know I shouldn't but to get some sleep I bring him in with me ..

Thanks Meepmoop. I will have a look. I appreciate it

At six months I think this is normal.
I got through it by going to bed really early, and getting my DH to do half of the waking. I couldn't cope on no sleep, and my DH is as responsible as me.

This sounds normal for that age. Both mine were like that. If he eats well during the day, I would stop offering milk or water during the night. If he is only taking an oz of milk at a time, it's not hunger.
I would pull his cot right up to my bed, put my hand through the bars and shush-pat him to sleep. He will get the hang of going to sleep on his own, but some babies take longer than others, so don't expect a magic cure.
Get your partner to help, maybe using a shift system.
It's tough, but he'll get there!

Wow. Did nobody tell you about the massive development leaps, especially at 4 months? Brain developing so fast, more calories needed, not fewer. Giving water at night was pretty cruel.

There’s another leap at 8 months - you’d best get reading OP!

I know I shouldn't but to get some sleep I bring him in with me ..

Nothing wrong in a baby sharing a bed with a parent.

Yeah, I bring him in bed with me as well. We also nap co sleeping - he seems to get a longer nap that way.

I feel like I can't do any right. I get told to not make him rely on milk. Then I get told I'm "cruel" for giving him water.

If you read, I didn't give him water at 4 months. I gave it to him for a week after he was six months because I KNEW it wasn't hunger until later stages of the night, when I gave him milk. I know my child. But thanks for the input. I'll consider my child cruelty in future.

I just gave my son milk as it got him back to sleep quicker! He finally slept through just before he turned two. Sleep deprivation is truly awful but it's just part of the deal with the majority of kids. How I survived working when I went back when he was 9 months old I'll never know!

Not cruel at all, just exhausted and trying to do the right thing

Personally at that age I would just do whatever is necessary to get a bit more sleep, whether that's milk or co-sleeping or anything else - none of it will do him any harm, and your own health and wellbeing is very important. Sleep deprivation isn't a minor inconvenience, it's bloody torture. Take care of yourself.

Water worked. I thought I'd cracked it. But apparently not haha

It is bloody frustrating. You think you've sorted it and then the little ratbag moves the goalposts

Try milk again? If it works, great, if not you're back to the drawing board, but I would do anything for a good night's sleep as long as it's not harming the baby (which giving milk or co-sleeping definitely isn't)

My 8 month old has never been a good sleeper. She has slept through twice since birth but generally wakes up 2-3 times a night still. I have not fed her in the night since she was 5 months old though, and usually a dummy will settle her bank down quickly. I think it's habitual waking, so I do try to resist intervening. But sometimes it's teething, a dirty nappy or she is a bit chilly in her bedroom. Also sometimes I think she might have a tummy ache, trapped wind or constipation. Broccoli seems to be the problem! Anyway some babies are sleepers, others are not is my theory. She did respond pretty well to sleep training... meaning we stopped the hourly wake ups which hit at 4 months. But despite having a very good day time nap routine, nights continue to be problematic. You're not alone!!