f weaning and started waking in the night every other day.

[cleoteacher]

My baby is 5 months, 2 weeks old and we have just started weaning. He was sleeping 7-7 (until started waking in night so started weaning) on ff. since starting he wakes up every other night and wondering if I am doing something wrong. When waking on previous nights he has downed a 7oz bottle and back to sleep so obviously hungry. But last night only took 4oz so thought did wrong thing feeding ds.

Anyway, not sure if I should be giving solids then bottle or the other way around? So far when I have done ff then solids that is when he has woken. He gets this feed at 2-2.30 and the times when he has woken is when he hasn't had solids at this feed or when he has had a gap, so ff at 2 then solids at 3.30 as we have been travelling. I have also noticed after his feed when he has solids he only drinks 5oz out of 7oz for his final two feeds before bed. In total he has 31oz out of 35oz meant to have. But sometimes this seems enough to get him to sleep through so thinking must be amount of and timings of solids.

I am assuming it is better to try and get him to have more at the solid feed to get him back to his normal sleep pattern, is this right? Or is it better to get him to have more milk? Should I then give him his solids first on the assumption he will eat more this way round? I worry then he won't want want ff if do this?

He lapped up baby rice and carrots the first few days but now he takes solids nicely but doesn't seem that bothered. Tried to give him much as I can but started not opening mouth so can't exactly force feed. Would he take more if it was warm? So far just been given at room temperature.

Also, problem for not being hungry for ff after solid feeds could be because they are close together - 2.30ish, 5-5.30, 6.45 ish, but the reason for this is because he naps until 11.30 in the morning and then 1.30/2-2/2.30 in afternoon plus it has always worked cluster feeding him before bed to get maximum amount of sleep. He needs 5 feeds but maybe I should bring the solid feed forwards so he's hungry for ff later but if I do this could the solids not last long enough in his tummy to help sleep later? Also, don't know how to re-jig feeds to fit around naps and bed at 7

Sorry this is long and confusing, probably because I am confused. What shall I do?

At the risk of confusing you further, there is not necessarily a connection between introducing solids and the changing sleep patterns. It's entirely possible that his sleep would have changed even if you hadn't started weaning.

The current advice is to give milk about an hour before solids. That way they should take their usual milk, but still be interested in solid food. Wanting more milk at night might be related to a growth spurt, and may not last long. I would just go with it for now.

If he isn't that interested in being spoon fed, have you tried finger food? He might prefer to explore food and play with it, and be in control of putting it in his mouth.

Hi cleo, I'm still trying to navigate the minefield myself. Thought that DS' disturbed sleeping could be a number of things (hungry, bad timing of food, not enough food, too much food, overtired, undertired, hot, cold, too light, teething, constipation, developmental leap, etc, etc, etc). Plus I have the added unknown of BFing (how much is he taking exactly??)

It's very difficult and everyone just says "oh, my DC doesn't have any problem at all". Argh!

The last fortnight (or longer now - can't remember through the haze) it has escalated and I've now come to highly suspect that his sleep disturbances are being caused by trapped wind. Could this be something affecting your DS? I've found that infacol helps but obviously don't want to give it to him long term. I did a bit of research on the internet about gas producing foods... guess what... it's only just about every single food item in the first stage weaning list (!?!?!?!?!)