Help me get 6mo DS to sleep thru the night

[beanlet]

DS is nearly 6 months, EBF but beginning to introduce a few purees. Currently he has two night feeds, at 11 pm and 3 am, which don't bother me sleepwise, but I'm about to go back to work full-time, and I'll be away from him overnight once a week. I also need to maintain my supply because for complex reasons I need to BF if I can until he's 1. I could set my alarm and express at 3 am, but the whole rigmarole is going to be hard enough as it is.

Please help me to get my dear little chap to sleep through his 11 pm and 3 am feeds. He's a healthy 8 kilos if that counts for anything.

I'm sorry to say this but there is no magical solutions. His weight and age will have no bearing on it, if he's hungry he's hungry. And actually those night feeds will be good for your supply. Missing them once a week won't have any affect on your supply though I wouldn't have thought - I'd just express before you go to bed and first thing in the morning. And pad your bra well to catch any leakage!

Hopefully once he's well established on solids he'll sleep through for you but otherwise I have no suggestions I'm sorry.

Thanks MrsGravy. Anyone else?

I have another problem now. We've been trying to get DS used to his daddy putting him to bed so that it doesn't stress him quite so much on the nights that I'm away from home. So far it's been impossible, because he wails and wails and will not settle unless I put him to bed. Then he's fine.

DH is now very distressed that he won't be able to look after DS properly overnight when I'm away. Am I right in thinking that if we both put him to bed in exactly the same way, and DH perseveres, that it will get better eventually?

I so wish I didn't have to do this dumb commute.

Totally disagree with Mrs Gravy - a six month old should definitely be able to sleep though, weight and age have everything to do with it.

The 3am feed is habit.

If a baby wakes sporadically in the night it is hunger. If there is a pattern, its a habit.

Which means you can break it. It won't be much fun but it shouldn't take long.

You need to stop feeding him when he wakes and encourage him back to sleep by stroking, shushing, patting, lullaby...ideally not by picking up and cuddling though, as you don't want him to start expecting that instead when he cries.

You could try giving him water instead, first for a few days, that might stop him waking for the milk and you'll know it isn't actually hunger.

I reckon you'll be able to break the habit in a week. But be strong and committed, no doubt you will feel guilty at not feeding him, but just keep in mind it is a habit, he isn't actually hungry...

good luck.

Just read your second post..

Can you put him to bed together for a few nights, so he knows you are there? Or let your DH do it while you are in the room, where he can see you, then gradually make your presence more minimal at bedtime?

Otherwise, I think you have to just be firm and let him cry it out, but make sure your DH is soothing him after he puts him down with shushes, pats, strokes etc. He's crying because he knows it will make you come. He'll get used to his Daddy doing bedtime in no time.