waking up at night?

Nikki - posted on 11/12/2008

I did the same Amber, just started giving water at night which my son was a bit miffed about then he gave up after a couple of days. Still woke at night though, but for different reasons sigh

Christina - posted on 11/11/2008

Try to hold her off a little longer between bottles (during the day and night) and/or at NIGHT TIME give her a little less in each bottle throughout the night. A combination of both works best. Eventually she will adjust to less fluids at night. This will allow her to adjust to it over a short period of time rather than all of a sudden. You could offer a solid snack before bed to help hold her off through out the night but don’t forget to brush her teeth! I don’t think this is a hunger thing but a need for soothing or separation anxiety. I have heard that a light spraying of moms perfume on the baby’s blanket can help with that or try using the parents detergent/fabric softener on her blanket as well.



Also try the waiting 5-10 minutes before going into her room even if she cries. I know this is really hard on you as a parent but they say it is harder on you than her. It feels much longer to you than it really is. I use to time it with a clock and I’d turn off the baby monitor so it didn’t wake my husband and so I wouldn’t have to be tortured by my son’s cry while I waited the 5-10 minutes. When you do go in don't pick her up. Soothe her by rubbing her back, playing with her hair and singing/humming. Keep repeating this process and waiting longer each time before re-entering her room. This teachers her to self soothe her self and she will put herself to sleep again.



She may just have a dry throat and just needs to wet her whistle....try giving her a sippy cup of water rather than milk (better for her teeth) You can leave it in the crib with her and she will drink it herself and fall back to sleep. A humidifier will also help with the dryness.



Try playing some sleepy time music through out the night. The sound of rain without thunder really helps my 5 month old and my 21 month old likes the radio on all night. A closed door and a night light also works well with both of them.



I hope all of this helps you. Keep trying, don’t give up, consistency really does help.

Tara - posted on 11/11/2008

I was told (when my kids kept waking up at night for bottles) that you shouldn't pick them up. Don't give them bottles. I know it sucks, but you should let them cry it out. My son took 3 nights of CRYing and then he slept through the night, because he figured out we weren't going to come in there at his beckoning call?! He had a few hiccups here and there, but now (he's 2 1/2) we lay him down, awake with the buzz from his humidifier in the room, and he sleeps through the night with no problems.. You kinda have to teach them who is boss, my 2nd child wakes up here and there when he can't find his pacifier or is sick :( but other than that, he sleeps through the night really well also... Crying it out I tell ya!! Now I just have to teach them to sleep in!! 7am is still too early.... LOL!

Erin - posted on 11/11/2008

Ok....you need to stop feeding her. She is big enough to go all night without eating. It's going to be tough for a few nights but she will get over it and start to sleep. She isn't stupid and has figured out that you will give in and feed her. It's become a habit for her...she thinks she needs that to go back to sleep. She has to learn to soothe herself. Maybe try giving her a blankie or something for her to use to feel secure. I would go in and reassure her that you are there, but don't get her up and don't feed her. Before you know it she will be sleeping all night.

Carolyn - posted on 11/11/2008

What I did to stop my son from night feeding was each night I gave him half an ounce less per night......so if he was used to getting 6 oz......the first night I did 5 1/2 oz and then 5 oz the next night....etc. He was just waking up out of habit and not because he actually needed the feeding. So I slowly weaned him off and that worked for us.

Annette - posted on 11/10/2008

If she is above average in size she will eat more and probably wake up still to eat. When my son was still waking up every 2 hours when he turned 1 the nurse said to give him water when he wakes up then he is not expecting milk then will eventually stop waking up for it. I did let my son cry it out too while i listened carefully to make sure he didnt choke or something on his saliva from crying and that lasted 2 nights and he started sleeping through the night.

Edwina - posted on 11/10/2008

I feel very sorry for you. I have a 8 month old that is 22lbs soo he eats alot i have to make sure that he get enough to eat at super time. Also i put baby cereal in he's bottle . It keeps him full throgh the night soo he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night.



Also my sister in law has to play music for her baby through the night soo her baby doesn't wake up, because she has a child that can't sleep if it's too quite. I know it's werid but it works.

Adrianne - posted on 11/10/2008

My son is 19 months and doens't sleep through the night. Hope you figure something out and please share what works. He doesn't get a bottle. Only sleeps when he's in bed with me.

Amber - posted on 11/10/2008

Another mom told me what worked for her. She just slowly watered down the milk each nightime feeding until there was only water in the bottle. Baby didn't want water and didn't wake up anymore.

Candi - posted on 11/10/2008

Oh man is this right down my alley. My daughter was 8 months old and still waking up for a bottle at night too when I went to visit my sister in law and she asked me "Brook still needs night feedings"? I felt so embarassed. I was never told that kids could stop feeding at night around 6 months. My sister told me about the book called sleeping through the night. That helped her. What it boiled down to was I had to buy myself some ear plugs and go through one week of torture for the baby and myself. Nothing worked for us except letting the baby cry untl she could settle herself down. I'm happy to say that it worked. Brooklyn is now almost 5 years old and after 3 days of letting her cry worked. she never needed a bottle at night again. Hope this helps.