9 month old wants to eat(breastfeed) every 3 hours around the clock?

Michelle - posted on 11/01/2011 ( 4 moms have responded )

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He was sleeping through the night at 4 months. That lasted until 5 1/2 months. Since then he has been up every 3-4 hours around the clock to eat. He rarely takes naps longer than an hour during the day. I am at my wits end with breastfeeding right now because more often than not he bites as well (just got first tooth a month ago and now has 4 more coming in with 2 broken through).

He eats solid food as well as breastfeeding. To take a nap during the day he refuses unless he is at the breast then to go to bed sometimes I can get him to go to sleep on his own but most of the time he screams, I mean screams, until he gets his boobies to fall asleep with.

He has never been able to take bottles or pacifiers due to his tongue though we have tried. So that is out of the question. I am not able to pump so I can't give him milk in a sippy cup. I am just lost in all this because all my family and husbands family have formula fed and none have had to deal with a tongue tied baby either. Sorry this was so long I just don't know what to do. I am exhausted and I know my son is too because he sleeps maybe 12 hours in a 24 hours period.

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Michelle - posted on 11/01/2011

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I have tried all of that. When he bites I take him off and tell him "that hurts mommy" and he just laughs at me, crawls away and does his thing then screams 2 minutes later because he wants to eat. The we repeat the process. Tylenol does nothing really for the teething pain so I don't bother with it anymore. This has been going on since he was 5 months and only getting worse now that he actually has teeth. Also hubby and I are trying for our 2nd but neg tests so far. One of the moms on the kelly page said her kid started biting when she got pregnant so maybe that is my case. Since my very first pregnancy it two months to get a positive...

Celeste - posted on 11/01/2011

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Teething definitely could be the culprit. Check out the kellymom link, hopefully, you can find some ideas on how to deal with him using you as a teether.

It's pretty typical for babies his age to not STTN.. My boys didn't until about close to 2 years. I don't have any advice for that, but I hope you find something that works!

Michelle - posted on 11/01/2011

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He uses me like a teething toy, I guess is the best way to put it. He doesn't like or use his teething rings so he uses me instead when he eats. He has been walking holding onto furniture for almost a month now and has 6 teeth total with 2 in already and the others breaking through. We cosleep after the first time he wakes up usually because I am too tired to get up and put him back in his crib but he sleeps even worse when we do. When he first started sleeping all night it was when I put him down alone instead of with me. And now no matter what we do he won't sleep all night.

Celeste - posted on 11/01/2011

2,567

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Sorry you're having a tough time! A few thoughts:

-His breastfeeding frequency is normal. Right now, breastmilk is supposed to be the main source of nutrition.

-Biting. When does he bite? I noticed when one of my boys would bite, it was at the end of a feeding. So, once he was done, I unlatched him before he could bite me. Here's some more info about biting and what to do about it
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/bi...

-Could he be working on a milestone? Also, 9 months is a prime time for growth spurt so that could account for him waking up during the night.

Do you co sleep? I'm not a big fan of sleep training or CIO, so I'd just bring my boys (I have twins) to bed with me, let them nurse and go back to sleep