Help! 7.5 month old feeding every 2 hours.

[lubellabee]

Hello, I wondered if there might be any advice or reassurance for us out there to help with our DS who is still feeding through the night. He is actually a terrific sleeper and has always gone down between 6-9, waking at 5:30-6:30 ish. However he feeds a lot through the night and it is becoming exhausting. He did get down to 3 hourly feeds but has recently in the last month or two picked up his night feeds. In the day he will feed 7 am, 10-11 am, 2-3 pm, 6-7pm with breakfast lunch and dinner in between and on just 3 occasions he’s had 5 hour gaps between feeds literally in his life. Night feeds are around 6-7 pm, 8-9 pm, 12 midnight, 2am, 4am, 5am 6-7am. He wakes I feed him and he goes straight back down.

He’s eating solids well, not so keen on breakfast but otherwise eating very well!

Any help or reassurance that this is normal would be so appreciated - all my friends babies seem to sleep much longer hours or through the night now!

Thank you x

Just worth saying I don’t mind carrying on if normal but I’m feeling that he’s exhausted when he wakes and it would be much better for him if he could get a better nights sleep. He also tosses and turns quite a lot in the night and sometimes sounds upset in his sleep - I always wonder if it’s tummy ache - or a bad dream x

Is he formula or breastfed? Are you sure he's waking due to hunger and not habit?

I’m having the same problem !!! My baby is almost 8 months and used to sleep through from four months I’d say he was just having one feed at 5am. Now since 6 months it’s feeding every hour after 2-3am and I’m on the verge of giving up breastfeeding as I believe it’s just habit or maybe comfort ? But we can’t carry on being this exhausted . I’ve managed to get him to nap in the day without feeding and just get to sleep on his own with a comforter in the cot which I’m chuffed about but the nights are still awful. I’ve tried offering water after he’s had a full feed in the night he and rocking which sometimes works at getting him back to sleep so I know he’s not hungry as he’s been fed , he just wants to comfort suck, but most of the time he goes mad and tries to grab my top. I know some people are happy to do this but I can’t ! If you find the answer let me know ..:I’ve tried a bottle of forumla aswell before bed but didn’t make a difference. X

Meant to add he eats LOADS aswell🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes this sounds identical - we are EBF.. I thought it must be hunger as he has a full feed and surely he wouldn’t wake just for a cuddle? Perhaps habit though, why knows!?

Having the same problem with my 7 month old. He won't be put down either so it's just feeding to sleep and then as soon as he moves he wants feeding to bed. We are co sleeping for ease but I've no idea how to help him sleep better as I can't bear for him to scream

Sorry no advice but going through the same here! I had read something about during night time (if you’re sure they have eaten enough during the day) that if u go cold turkey on the feeding during the night for a few nights they will realise there’s no point waking up. Not sure I could do it as I’m sure it would involve a lot of screaming but if someone else could help settle it could be worth a try if you’re struggling.

No advice but 7.5-month-old (who has never been a good sleeper) has suddenly got much worse. Won’t settle back in his cot after feeds and will only sleep on my chest or laying across my lap after a feed, so I’m bolt upright. He refuses to sleep after feeding laying down. Even when held he wakes every hour or so. I’m so very tired, sore and have had enough, quite frankly, but CC goes against all of my instincts so I suppose no choice but to ride it out.

I go back to work in a month and have no idea how I’m going to manage.

Oh gosh how awful, perhaps it’s a developmental thing if we’re all in it together. I was recommended these instagram accounts last nights and they have given me a lot of reassurance: themilkmeg/ raisedgood. We brought him into our bed last night for the first time in months and he slept a lot better (although us worse!!) x

I also couldn’t do controlled crying, would break my heart! It’s their only way of communicating x

Milk meg is amazing.

If you want more reassurance, The Beyond Sleep Training Project on facebook can be very good, or 'The Gentle Sleep Book' by Sarah Ockwell-Smith

It can and will get better. Give it time. I never sleep trained. DS went to sleep (just me sat beside him) by 8 last night and not a peep from him til 7 am but he is 2y7mo now. Didn't night wean til 21 mo and did that very gently. Still bedshare as needed.

Yes, I was and still can be very very tired and yes it's been hard but he is a lovely, kind boy and gets there in his own time

Oh that’s very sweet and lovely to hear Harry’s mummy, thank you for the reassurance - how lovely sleeping through and it’s good to know that the gentle approach has fantastic long term results! Thank you x