5 month old - 3am feed or co sleep to get back to sleep?

[merrynelly]

My 5 month old has generally slept through the night but now will wake between 3am and 5am and won't go back to sleep in his crib without being fed to sleep although he's not actually hungry, it's just a way to get him back to sleep. Another way he will sleep is to get into my bed which I am conscious isn't the safest thing? (No judgement to anyone who co sleeps). Just not sure which route I should take, and is co sleeping really that bad?

Following with interest... my 4 month old has just started doing the same but won’t go back into her cot. We’ve been co-sleeping as it’s the only way we all get more sleep. Have tried feeding in the chair and then putting her back into the cot but she wakes straight up.

Co sleep safely if it’s the only way baby will go back to sleep.

Co slept with both of mine, I’d have lost my mind from sleep deprivation with the 2nd if I hadn’t have.

How do you know he’s not hungry?

Just feed him? I always feed my DS to sleep (10 weeks) and he goes back in his crib no problem. He could well be hungry or thirsty

Once a baby starts sleeping through the night; it's safe to assume it won't always be like that. There will be some nights they need to eat due to growth spurts or not feeling well, etc. And some nights they won't. I'd do what some of the PP have suggested and feed the baby if they go back to sleep fine after. Babies grow at the fastest rate in their first year, that requires a lot of eating!

@SaveWaterDrinkGin

How do you know he’s not hungry?

I'm assuming he's not because if I pick him up and put him in my arms he will go to sleep and happily stay asleep until I put him back in his crib and then he will cry. If he was hungry I would imagine he wouldn't go to sleep in my arms?

Are you BF? It could just comfort that he craves but as you can’t overfeed a BF baby it doesn’t hurt to feed him at all - it’s probably what he wants

I'm having the same issue with my now 6 month old. She slept through from 8 weeks until 4.5 months. She too will go back to sleep in our arms but wake when we put her back down.

I think she is hungry but is tired so if she's being comforted she will doze off again despite the hunger?

I've just figured that it's normal for babies to still need feeding during the night at this age so I'm just feeding her - back to sleep quicker this way too which is surely better for everyone

@Gembie

Are you BF? It could just comfort that he craves but as you can’t overfeed a BF baby it doesn’t hurt to feed him at all - it’s probably what he wants

Unfortunately I'm not BF

Have him in bed with you - it beats not getting any sleep.

If he will go back to his cot after his bottle then I would do that personally.

which I am conscious isn't the safest thing?

It's perfectly safe if done correctly.

How do you know they aren't hungry - it's a time of massive leap and growth spurt.

Mine is 5.5 months and still waking three hourly (so 10pm 1am 5am) and taking a full feed most times. It's normal.

My 7 month old is doing this, I co sleep so she will go back to sleep. If she has a night feed to get back to sleep then she isn't as hungry in the day and the cycle continues! I'm a bit worried we're making a rod for our own backs further down the line but honestly I'm so tired I don't care if she sleeps in bed with me til she's 5 as long as she sleeps.

Although I am bf which I realise makes a difference on over feeding risk

Mine is 5 months exactly and still waking to take a full feed once overnight. I think it is very normal! I know he is hungry as he still takes his full morning feed when he wakes for the day. Is yours still feeding well first thing?

5 month old is almost certainly hungry in the night. Remember they're growing but not quite ready for solids. They often drink a hell of a lot of milk at 5-7 months before the solids start to help

If I feed him in the night, it's not a full feed as he falls asleep and then he isn't as hungry in the morning.

What I don't understand is if it is due to hunger (baring in mind he dropped his night feeds at around 3 months), then why would he continue to sleep through the night if next to me? Surely if he was hungry he wouldn't settle to sleep regardless?

Whatever you do, do not co sleep. He will become dependant on bed sharing and still won’t sleep much better because moving around in the bed will wake him up all the time. Just stick with the feed if it’s quick and easy for you, in a months time you’ll start weaning so you might find he drops feeds.

@MinnieMous3

Whatever you do, do not co sleep. He will become dependant on bed sharing and still won’t sleep much better because moving around in the bed will wake him up all the time. Just stick with the feed if it’s quick and easy for you, in a months time you’ll start weaning so you might find he drops feeds.

What a bizarre response.

@Conditionconditioncondition

Why? It’s not like I suggested OP rehome her son or something is it?

Babies wake for all sorts of reasons at night, and the need to nurse at night comes and goes for many different reasons over time. Most mothers take the route that gets the most people the most sleep at night. Safe co-sleeping simply doesn't pose any risks. When I looked into it as a FTM I couldn't find a single report of a case where a baby had died whilst safe sleep co-sleeping guidelines were being followed. It's only when the guidelines are not followed that it becomes dangerous. Look up "LLL safe sleep 7" for details on how to set up your sleep space correctly.

I always fed my baby back to sleep until he slept through the night.

He also went through a stage of waking a 5am and we would take him into our bed. I had to cut it out because it wasn't good for any of us. We just decided no more and had to push through sleeplessness for a bit. It took a few nights and then he got used to it.

We also have a dummy and white noise machine which really helps us get him back to sleep.

The info I found on co-sleeping seemed to say that co-sleeping with a breastfeeding mother was safe if done correctly. As I didn't breastfeed I didn't want to co-sleep.

I'd give him a small bottle if it gets him back to sleep and wait it out. It could well be a growth spurt or a new stage in his development that has him waking and he'll hopefully grow out of it.

Yes @Mylittlesandwich the La Leche League safe co-sleeping seven as mentioned above says breastfeeding mother, OP bottle feeds.

Babies wake for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes it’s pointless trying to figure out why. I’d generally go with whatever works for as long as it works. Usually once you’ve figured it out their sleep patterns change again anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️