9 month old still waking for night feeds

[hallowder]

I had two babies who both slept through the night from 7 and 9 weeks so I’m finding it a bit of a struggle that I’m still getting up 2-3 times in the night for our 3rd.

Is there a way of encouraging him to sleep through?

He has a bedtime feed at 7 and then wakes around 10pm again around 2am and then 4am before getting up at 7.
I’m formula feeding as I did with the others but he refuses water during the day despite my persistence and will only take an ounce or two of milk as though he’s saving it up for nighttime.
He has porridge or fruit and baby rice for breakfast.
Lunch is usually finger food.
Dinner is whatever we have blended so he eats well.

It's much more normal for a baby to wake in the night at that age than it is for tiny babies to sleep through. It's best to feed on demand and let them regulate what they need and when, and it is what you sign up for when you have babies - it's actually not natural for anyone to sleep through the night (look up the second sleep https://share.google/vPs4JrER0SKZWm5nt ) and babies are just doing what's natural biologically.

I would just keep doing the night feeds, they do grow out of them when they are developmentally ready.

Thank you @TrovindiaI’ll have a read

He doesn’t need to feed during the night at that age, it’s habit. It’s up to you whether you put up with it, or decide to break the habit.

The way to stop it is to offer water instead of milk. He will cry hysterically and won’t settle but it’s very short term. I would even consider using a cup, as you will want him off bottles by the time he’s 12 months.

Babies of that age very quickly adjust. It will bother you far more than him. A word of warning, if you do decide to put a stop to night time feeding, you have to stick to it.

Thank you for this advice. I haven’t been brave enough to let him cry in case he wakes everyone up.
Youre right, it’s probably habit and he takes really long daytime naps because he’s been up all night and is (like me) very tired in the morning.

It’s not good for either you or your baby. Long term poor sleep affects your physical and mental health. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I'm just popping back to add it really isn't habit, it's completely normal and natural for babies to wake in the night. Yes you can train them out of it, or at least you can train them out of calling for you when they need you in the night, but they are still tiny at that age and giving them the comfort that their mum will come when they need them is important for their mental health and psychological safety.

Plus, stopping feeds doesn't mean they will stop waking.

You just get yourself to bed earlier and let your partner do bedtime with your older ones. Or if ff, swap around and your partner can do some of the night feeds.

Unfortunately, sounds like you just got enormously lucky twice and now you have a normal baby. Babies and children wake during the night. Heck, I’m 44 and I wake once or twice a night. But because they are little, they will need you for support during the night still.

Mine woke for feeds until 10 and 16 months, respectively. But the still woke probably 1-2 times a night until 3.