Urgent sleep/feeding advice needed for 6 month old

[Saltydog]

My little one is really testing me at the moment. She's now six months old and for the last three or so weeks we've gone back to newborn sleep patterns - ie, she's waking every 2 1/2 to 3 hours looking for a feed - and I just don't know what to do. She's totally breastfed and has suffered from reflux, so hasn't been the easiest of babies to feed, but I just can't get her to sleep through and I'm totally exhausted. I'm fairly sure it's not habit as she seems genuinely hungry, and weaning hasn't really helped as I can't seem to get any food down her - she just blocks the spoon with her tongue. The depressing thing is that my two-year-old was in hindsight a dream baby - sleeping through at this age and eating whatever was put in front of him, so I don't know what I'm doing wrong with this one. Any thoughts gratefully received.

Hi salty

I have a refluxy baby and have had a similar thing for the last 7 months.

Re weaning - it sounds like your DD might not quite be ready or might prefer to self feed? I started my DS with finger foods and loaded spoons which he prefers. Is she sitting up and showing an interest in food?

We had some success cutting out night feeds by getting DH to resettle DS when he woke (we decided not to feed more frequently than three hours). After a few nights, DS started to go for longer stretches (7pm - 3am) although teething has made it worse again [tired]

Is your DD on medication for reflux? She could be comfort feeding as I know it peaks around 4-6 months. I noticed DS suddenly got worse again a week ago (he's 7 months) so had to make sure I was giving his medication as he'd spit some of it out. I also increased it a bit.

There is also a 6 month growth spurt so it could be that your DD needed the extra feeds and is now used to it?

One of the mums on my postnatal thread had success in getting her DD to sleep through the night - (R if you're reading perhaps you can share your secret ?!) From what I remember she reduced the night feeds by 1 minute at a time every night, after feeding at 7pm and 10pm. It took a couple of weeks.

Hi
No magical words of wisdom here but I came on MN this morning to find the answer too!
I have a6month old who also isn't sleeping through, needs a feed to send him back off - he is eating solids which I thought would be the answer....
Its good to know my DS isn't the only one awake...I too am exhausted
I keep saying...one day he'll sleep, one day he'll sleep, one day....

No words of wisdom here either. My son is 9 months (6 months corrected because he was prem) and a couple of weeks ago was sleeping for 11 hours at night. Then he got a cold and started to wake because his nose was blocked. I thought it would stop once he recovered but it's actually got worse, and he's waking up shouting for feeds so I have to feed straightaway to let DH sleep. Used to be able to get him to go off again sometimes. He's one three solid meals a day plus BFs. I don't think he's really hungry in the night but nothing pacifies him except BF.

Any bright ideas gratefully received! Starting to feel like a zombie.