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Sleep

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Original poster

6 month old - sleeping/feeding help required please

18 replies

robin3 · 08/01/2007 10:01

My 6 month old DS2 was in a pretty good pattern of going to sleep at 6.30ish, waking at 10.30ish for milk then again at around 2ish and waking at 8amish.

Of course I was starting to look forward to him sleeping through from the 10.30 feed to say 7amish at 6 months but seems that is a pipe dream.

Started weaning him a few weeks ago, but we're still in early stages, so baby rice and puree fruit and vegetables. It's not causing him any discomfort during the day.

Also since he was born we've had to resort to putting socks on his hands during the night because he claws at his head and however short his finger nails are , he wakes with scratches all over him.

For the last few days he's refused to wear the socks on his hands and keeps pulling then off so we are having to cuddle him to sleep because he can't settle for clawing at his head. We use olive oil on his head so I don't think it's itchy. He also has a dummy to help him get to sleep but he doesn't need it at all to resettle in the night.

He's then really tired but takes a full bottle (8oz) at 11pm but then wakes at 1.30ish and 4.30ish and both times he wants lots of milk or seems genuinely hungry. He then sleeps through to 8amish but hardly has any milk when he wakes or all morning.

Sorry for all this detail. Anyone got any advice/suggestions? I know it sounds daft but I really can't remember what happened when DS1 was this age.

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Original poster

robin3 · 08/01/2007 10:21

Bump

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jeangenie · 08/01/2007 10:24

we had a spate of night wakings about that age with DD2. I was in despair but a lot of people told me it was just a phase, and it was. Went on about 3 weeks iirc.

good luck. is terrifying when a good sleep routine goes awry

NAB3 · 08/01/2007 10:26

I am wondering whether he has too much milk at night and doesn't want it in the morning. Having purees won't make him sleep through the night. Mine didn't sleep through until 7-8months.

DizzyBint · 08/01/2007 10:28

how much is he eating in the day? milk and solids.

if you feel he is having plenty in the day, or have tried adding in extra milk feeds in the day it may be that the milk at night is a habit, so you could try offering water instead. but of course if he is actually hungry this is no good.

just to add, it really is quite normal that he still wakes in the night, plenty babies do. it's just an inconvenience for us!

Original poster

robin3 · 08/01/2007 10:37

At the moment I'd say he's taking 3oz when he wakes up (proving that he doesn't really need the milk in the night), then 5-6oz at 11ish and food, 7oz at 2ish, 4oz at 4pm then food and a whole bottle before bedtime and a 8-9oz bottle at 11pm...so I think it's enough but of course it would be better to be having more first thing in the morning. Difficult to reverse this though when he really glugs down the night time bottles with joy!

I'd say he's having about 10-15 baby spoons of food twice a day.

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jeangenie · 08/01/2007 10:59

could look at dr ferber's book - we used this to regularise the night feeds when they were getting "out of hand" - we changed things round in one night which was fab as we weren't really up for a long battle (too soft!)

Original poster

robin3 · 08/01/2007 11:18

Thanks Jeangenie....sounds like a miracle cure!

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Nip · 08/01/2007 11:26

My DS clawed at himself too... and pulled the socks off his hands... The only thing we found was to put new born socks on and put them under his sleep suit (they are tighter and if you pull them up far he may give up).

Just before 6 months my DS slept through (a mix of things mainly with a dummy issue-which we threw out in the end) perhaps you can try to change the times you feed him so to get as much milk in him during the day.

Original poster

robin3 · 08/01/2007 12:15

Thanks Nip...will try that but have to say he's using his two new teeth with incredible ease to slide the long gap socks off that are over his elbow. Reckon it's a form of entertainment.

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san2 · 08/01/2007 19:42

MY DS was eating huge bottle at 4am and then didn't want anything when got up.
I know it is different time of night but I reduced what he was having. It only took 3 nights to get him down to 3oz. There were small protests so I'd give him a tiny amount more if he started crying then he seemed ok and would go to sleep. (even at 4am which always seemed harder to get him to go to sleep).

Another thought would be to diulte his bottle so it gets full of volume but not milk and see if his appetite increases.

Hope this helps

cruisemum1 · 09/01/2007 10:02

robin- what does it mean when someone bumps a thread???

jadefox · 09/01/2007 10:28

HI there,

we are having similar problems, DD is breastfed and will not take to a bottle at all - she is still wanting fed through the night although i'm sure it must just be for comfort as she is eating 3 meals a day. I am due back at work in 5 weeks and am like the walking dead most days due to lack of sleep - she goes to bed about 8 PM then wakes as soon as we go to bed for a drink - would put he in with ehr rotyher but dont want him to get woken up either - please help

who is this Dr ferber?

Original poster

robin3 · 09/01/2007 15:15

DS2 woke at 3.30 last night and I stopped his bottle after 4oz. He then woke at 7am which was fine. Still wasn't interested in having much milk then but I will try to reduce his milk intake that way so thanks.

Also going to purchase the Dr if I ever make it to the shops!

Jadefox...if yr still breastfeeding it must be even more exhausting so I really feel for you but well done for keeping going.

Cruisemum....means I'm too impatient and trying to get a response by keeping the thread on the summary page of all the threads on all subjects. Annoying I'm sure for other people.

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cruisemum1 · 09/01/2007 19:03

jadefox - re: teh bottle situation. I had terrible trouble getting ds to take a bottle but I was recommended the Playtex system by NCT breastfeeding advice line. It is really soft and flexible and can be ordered on line at www.baby-supplies.com (or something like that!) It has a disposable inner bag which, apparently, simulates the emptying of a boob! It took ds a few goes but he eventually got the hang of it. Als a great one is tommy tippee. The bottle top is really dome shaped like a boob and the teat is flexible. ACtually ds prefers that one but I only ever give him a very occasional bottle just so he doesn't forget how to use one! Goood luck
Dr Ferber is the advocate of crying it out -stay away unless you have nerves of steel or earplugs!

jeangenie · 09/01/2007 19:23

Dr Ferber isn't all about crying it out though iirc. I think he has different strategies involving waiting for different amounts of time (not long) and offering water instead of milk just to break the milk in the middle of night cycle. We certainly didn't operate a "cry it out" regime (we're far too soft!) but after one night on the water instead of the cowjuice (with some tears of course) our DD2 just gave it up as not worth the effort (we were luckly, don't think I'd have had the energy for night after night of it tbh)

as I recall Dr F diagnoses different sleep problems and offers varying solutions depending on what the issue is. It is certainly harsher than some would like, but is not full blown CC

I just borrowed the book from a mate, otherwise I'd offer it to you robin

kbaby · 09/01/2007 22:23

as your lo is over 6 months you could lay him on the tummy/side just to settle to sleep and then turn him back when hes asleep it means that he cant scratch his head as much. We do it with ds who cant settle to sleep because he does too much arm waving.

LittleMan · 09/01/2007 22:35

Robin3
My DS rakes at his head too when trying to get to sleep - it seems fairly common! Fortunately he doesn't cause any damage any more! I was wondering if you could find pyjama tops with turn over sleeves so his hands are covered but he can't pull anything off as all attached to the arm and body? I have previously purchased a top like this from mothercare. HTH!

Original poster

robin3 · 15/01/2007 09:56

Thanks everyone.

Still no change. Haven't purchased Dr Ferber yet as no book shops seem to stock it...will have to purchase on amazon.

He currently sleeps on his side. Woke 3 times last night...only had milk once and even then he didn't seem that interested. I think the issue was severe bottom wind! All this veg puree no doubt. May abandon the healthy broccoli and carrot puree in favour of Turkey Twizzlers soon!

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