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6 month old still waking every 2 hours

6 replies

Nillynally · 19/10/2022 11:56

So my nearly 6 month old's (not started weaning yet) sleep has not changed since the day we brought him home. He wakes every 2 hours for a feed during the night and I've had enough. He is exclusively breastfed and has always gained weight well. Hes an efficient feeder and Im confident I produce more than enough milk.
He's above 90 centile and was 8lbs 10 at birth and didn't lose any. HV have always been really pleased with his strength and weight gain.

He feeds less during the day sometimes managing 4-5 hour stretches. He sleeps in a next to me but will quite often end up in bed between us as he just settles better.
Mostly he will shuffle about and whimper and I feed him for 4 mins and he drifts back off but for the last 4 weeks he's been harder to settle, will full on cry ( he never cries in the day).

I thought it may be us waking him, husband has slept in spare room a few times, no difference. Experimented with layers to make sure he wasn't too cold or hot, no difference. Tried to settle him rather than automatically feeding him but gets distressed and I don't want to wake other child.

Last night I cracked and gave him a bottle of formula on the hope that formula fills them up for longer, not an ounce of difference. If anything he's grumpy today.

I'm at my wits end, shouty and irritable with my toddler and dreading nighttime's. It may all change with weaning but it didn't make any difference with the last baby who still fed through the night, albeit not as frequently.

Have considered own room but the longest he's managed in there is 40 mins and then he'll just scream for us.

Any help?!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
sunshinerainstorm · 19/10/2022 12:27

4-5 hour stretches seems a long time for a breastfeed baby in the day. I'm guessing he's just catching up in the night. I would try offer more milk every 3 hours at least until he's started food.

GinnyBee · 19/10/2022 14:11

Yeah I was going to suggest the same, he might be eating the bulk of his calories at night if he goes that long between feedings in the day. I'm struggling with something similar with distracted feeding. Last night he had a big portion of oat porridge for dinner and I made my husband settle him a couple of times at the start of the night so the first night feed was 3 hours after bedtime feed and he only fed 3 times at night. Today he seems to be more interested in feeding in the day too, perhaps a bit hungrier now that he wasn't snacking every 1-2 hours overnight!

Pinkbananas01 · 19/10/2022 14:29

4-5 hours is a long time between feeds as not weaning yet either. I'd try feeding more often during the day, offer every 2-3 hours for a few days & see if it makes a difference. At 6 months I'd also start weaning - it didn't make any difference to sleep patterns for 2 of mine but for 1 it make a huge difference to overnight sleeps.

Pinkbananas01 · 19/10/2022 14:34

For own room try settl8ng him in here for daytime naps to get used to change in routine perhaps. Good trick is putting a bit of your clothing in for with them e.g. jumper you wore that day, they get your scent which is comforting (trick used by childminders/nurseries & it does work!)

Nillynally · 19/10/2022 18:53

Thanks all. He doesn't regularly do 4-5 hours but I know he's able to. If I try to. He will regularly cluster feed in the evenings too so I think he's getting enough in the day. I can only hope he's filled up by food when we start to wean in a couple of weeks x

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Nillynally · 19/10/2022 22:01

No idea where the 'if I try to' came from

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