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Original poster

6.5 month old waking twice nightly - advice needed pleeeeeease!

31 replies

justme27 · 01/03/2008 21:02

Hi all,

Been looking at the other threads and there are threads dealing with similar things ut didnt want to hijack another thread and also hoped you guys could give me some pointers...

Quick routine summary...

8am - wakes up
9am - brekkie
mid-morning - nap for about 30-40 mins
1pm - lunch
3pm ish - nap for about 1 hour
5pm - dinner
7pm - bottle
8pm - bedtime

I have mix fed since dd was born. She slept through from 9pm until 6am from 6 weeks old until about 6 weeks ago (possible coinciding with weaning?)

At night - she has started waking at 2am and 5am for feed and sometimes every 1-1.5 hours in between. I usually breast feed her to sleep and then end up keeping her in bed with me even though she is put to bed in her cot in a different room.

Thought it may be a comfort thing and that she was getting up for boob for comfort so tried getting DH to go in with a bottle but she was having 4oz at both 2am feed and 5am feed.

Put her to sleep by massage in darkened room, bottle then putting her in cot while she's practically dozed off.

Sorry for the long post but thought I'd give all the details. Anyone in same position? Is this usual and nothing to worry about or is it possible to get rid of two night feeds again?

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fingerwoman · 01/03/2008 21:06

if she is taking a bottle/breast feed then I would assume she really is hungry.
how much milk does she have in the day?

seeker · 01/03/2008 21:11

It's because she's a baby - it's what they do!

IdrisTheDragon · 01/03/2008 21:13

Was just about to post what seeker did. Having had DS who slept, DD was a slight surpise, but she does sleep through now...

Habbibu · 01/03/2008 21:13

Don't they have a growth spurt around 6mo?

Original poster
justme27 · 01/03/2008 21:24

She breast feeds to sleep for her naps and usually has maybe 2 or three bottles of 4-5oz each.

I'm happy (well maybe not happy but willing) to wake up and feed her at night if its hunger - just wanted some reassurance that it's not something I'm doing wrong to create a bad habit or something!

OP posts:
Habbibu · 01/03/2008 21:27

Habits schmabits. All in good time. Give yourself a break - she's still very little!

Original poster
justme27 · 01/03/2008 21:47

Thanks Habs - you are being my fountain of advice tonight :-)

Guess I'm being a little selfish after being totally shattered from constant waking up - take my hat off to those who have been doing it every night since LOs born and am counting my blessings for being lucky so far!

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fingerwoman · 01/03/2008 21:57

well, you could always try adding in extra milk feeds in the day and see if it helps.
i'm guessing it's prob a growth spurt though and that she genuinely is hungry

bambi06 · 01/03/2008 22:04

my ds who has always been a terrible sleeper was finally starting to wake just once in the night but then hes juts hit 6 months and i cant fill him up and is waking every two hours again..hes downing an 8 oz bottle and then wanting more off me and will feed another 20-30 mins..during the day he s having an enormous amount of food so im hoping its a growth spurt...

Habbibu · 01/03/2008 22:10

No problem, justme. DD did this at about 7 months but unfortunately wouldn't bf back to sleep - she'd feed for 2 mins tops and then act as if she'd just mainlined espresso... It is very hard to get used to broken sleep again, so I do sympathise. If she's feeding back to sleep I'd stick with it for a while, and just see how she gets on. When she's older there are gentle ways you can help her back to sleep without feeding, but right now I reckon she probably needs it.

rita2007 · 02/03/2008 20:39

my 6 mth old is also waking up at about 2 and 5 am for feeds....but he usually just has 2 ozs each time. i am thinking of going back to work as there is a great opportunity that has been presented BUT could i really do it on broken sleep?? If there is anyone out there who went back to work before their baby was sleeping through the night....do contact me at [email protected]

snotbuster · 02/03/2008 20:45

That sounds completely normal for a 6 month old baby!

Think all the 'expert' advice about them sleeping through at this age is very misleading and offers false hope. I know it's awful but she will do it of her own accord eventually. Could you get DH to take over some nights so that you get a break?

Sounds like you've got an excellent routine going on btw!

snotbuster · 02/03/2008 20:48

You could try a 'dream feed' i.e feeding her (without waking her) just before you go to bed - might help to fill her up a bit.

Washersaurus · 02/03/2008 20:49

Nearly 7mo DS2 has never slept through or even got through the night with less than 2 feeds, sometimes he just wakes up and cries (for what appears to be no reason). He has a good daytime routine with feeds and naps but just doesn't seem to want to sleep all night.

I have been so tired that recently I have relented on my self imposed 'not feeding back to sleep in my bed' rule, despite DH's complaints of creating bad sleep habits. But even co-sleeping with him doesn't stop him waking up as he is still very restless and wakes up crying.

I have no advice, sorry, just thought I'd share so you know you are not alone!

rita2007 · 02/03/2008 21:17

wow, washersaurus..... i feel for you. my 6 mths old has never slept through the night either. wonder why all the books and websites say most babies start sleeping through the night between 4 - 6 mths...if most of them really do, are we just the unlucky ones?!!

angiebaby78 · 02/03/2008 21:32

hello to all the women on this thread who know what lack of sleep is.My youngest d (2) still wakes up now !!twice a night . so much for mothers day. I got a toddler jumping on my head at 6 telling me "get up mum " how did this ever happen??. The hv told me to give water at night cause shes not hungry ( she is the size of a house in 5+ nappies) But still she wakes. It gets harder though when she wants to go downstairs and watch iggle piggle at 2 in the morning!!

Washersaurus · 02/03/2008 21:32

Babies are all so different though, I would never go by what some of those books say (full stop) .

DS1 slept through from about 3mths old I think (although those first 3 months were hell), and we have tried to use the same sleep routine with DS2 with no luck. I just don't think he will ever sleep through. I am slowly resigning myself to that fact

The situation is made worse by the fact that DS1 is woken up by DS2 several times a night and then is very grumpy and tired the following day (just what I need).

Washersaurus · 02/03/2008 21:36

angiebaby - I can recommend is putting a stairgate on her bedroom door to stop her coming in to your room. We have also given DS1 a little LED battery push light next to his bed so if he does wake he can read some books to get back to sleep - it does work.

angiebaby78 · 02/03/2008 21:39

thanks for that washersaurus already have gate on but will try the night light. See its all my fault for getting her out of bed, but the desire to sleep easily ( by bringing them in bed with you ) never leaves you.

Washersaurus · 02/03/2008 21:50

Oh gawd, I'm sort of hoping I'm not going to get to that point with DS2.....

angiebaby78 · 02/03/2008 21:55

Well it depends how desperate you are to sleep . We all have nights where we dont even open our eyes to go to the kds. We just sleepwalk. Thats what i should have asked for for mums day A week in bed. !!

seeker · 03/03/2008 05:20

It's not our fault. If bringing her into bed with you means you all get more sleep then do it. Babies wake in the night - that's what most of them do. All the books are wrong - adn I think people have the most amazing selective memory about ther first year or so. Either people tell you that it was utter hell and they got three hours sleep a fortnight, or their babies slept 7-7 from week 1. I don't think you can form bad habits in these tiny babies - if they wake and feed then they are hungry. Sooner or later they eill be taking enough food during the day to keep them going through the night.

Try to relax, go with it and remember that in a blink of an eye they will be teenagers and you'll be worrying about getting them out of bed by midday, or whose bed they are asleep in! Enjoy the baby-months - they'll be past in no time and you'll miss them!

seeker · 03/03/2008 05:57

That was vey Ferudian - I meant to say "It's not YOUR fault!"

rita2007 · 03/03/2008 12:16

i can't imagine missing this time. i just want to be normal again and sleep atleast 5 hrs straight each night. and i agree these books are bs....atleast in the case of my little man

Original poster
justme27 · 03/03/2008 20:34

HI EVERYONE

Just checked in now and reassuring to know I am not alone!

DD has for the past few nights been absolutely exhausted by 7pm so I've been putting her to bed y 7 instead of 8. I have never really inflicted a bed time but she has kind of fallen into a routine herself so I'm guessing it will be the same with sleep.

You are right - it was the books saying she should be sleeping through that made me think!

THATS WHY I LOVE MUMSNET - it actually the truth :-)

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