Not sleeping through the night.

Jess - posted on 07/17/2009

No cereal. It's not proven to help them sleep anyway, but more importantly, it's UNHEALTHY to try to manipulate an infant into sleeping through a normal feeding by filling their stomach with something that does not benefit them nutritionally.

At this age, if the baby is waking to eat, it's because the baby is hungry, probably growing, and needs to nourishment. There is no good reason to try to make them sleep any longer than their body is telling them to at this stage.

Some babies will stop night-nursing earlier than others. You'll know it's comfort nursing if he falls asleep before he even gets started LOL. As long as he's still EATING though, the healthiest thing to do is let him, and know that it doesn't last forever.

Emma - posted on 07/17/2009

My advice is simple,take the advice you like and ignore the rest. We can become too concerned with what is right and what is expected-when often its our instincts that should guide us. My boy slept 'through' at 11 months and my girl at 6 months. They were both mixed fed (breast +bottle) until around 6 months then weaned. Whilst sleep deprivation is torture, apparently night time breastfeeding is kinder to the body in its sleep like state and people apparently get a better nights sleep than if you were waking to give bottles. As a health care worker and a breast feeding peer supporter, I'd say chat to you health visitor or join a post natal or breast-feeding group for support. You baby may take longer or more substantial feeds and feel fuller longer if you check your positioning and attachment. Make sure you yourself are hydrated and try and rest whenever you can in the daytime. Its amazing how lack of sleepa nd dress can affect milk quailty (I know from experience).

I empathise its hard at first, but it does get better. Well done for persevering with breastfeeding to 4 months up to now... and don't feel pressured to wean your baby before you or baby is ready. The recommended age is 6 months for a reason. Remember instinct is key, you know best x Good luck

Manda - posted on 07/17/2009

Totally agree Annelize - it goes against the grain!

Annelize - posted on 07/16/2009

5 hours sleep stretches for a 3 weeks old baby is NOT RIGHT & extremely dangerous!! Your baby is at risk of dehydrating - a 3 week old baby should be fed 3 hourly! I realy hope that people do not take this advice and read that book! Try Baby Sense in stead. It is a baby bible!!!

Amy - posted on 07/16/2009

Cynthia, It is VERY normal for a breastfed baby to not sleep through the night up until he/she is a year old or more. My boy is now 18 months old. He just started sleeping through the night mid-May only because I STOPPED nursing him through the night. He would have me up 3-4 times a night! I am finally getting 7 - 8 hours of needed sleep.

I am NOT recommending that you do this with your 4 month old by any means. Many of my friends told me that the cereal feeding did not work with any of their children. It did not keep mine sleeping any longer. You will get through this. If you would like some more support my sister is a leader in Le Leche League and could help you with this or any other concerns you have with breast feeding. Just let me know and I will have her contact you through facebook.

Sara - posted on 07/16/2009

My 1st son didn't start sleeping through the night until he was about 10 months old b/c he just got so used to using me as a sleep aid or his bottle. finally the only thing I could get to work was to have him cry it out for a while. After 2 nights he was sleeping through the night. Now my 2nd son is now 3 months old and he isn't sleeping through the night quite yet but he'll wake up once to nurse in the middle of the night. What is his routine during hte day? I feed, keep him awake and then lay him down for a nap so he's used to falling asleep on his own w/o me having to nurse him to sleep. I made that mistake with my 1st and I didn't want to have to deal with the crying out method when he got older b/c it's much harder the older they get. I nurse him every 2/3 hrs during the day. Keep him up an hr and sleeps an hr. This routine somehow helps them stretch their sleep time at night. Not sure how but it does work and it has worked for many of my friends. Hope this helps!

Trisha-Lynne - posted on 07/16/2009

We started our little one on cereal and rice formula at 3 months. She took 4oz of soy formula every 2 hrs for a while until we fed her more. The formula/breastfeeding is the most important of course but after they eat wait about a hr then try other food. Just my suggestion :) Good luck!

Alice - posted on 07/16/2009

Are you swaddling?? I went back to swaddling when my son was about 8 weeks and it's the best thing I ever did... (I breastfed too) He went straight away to 4 hours between feeds, and within a month could do 8 hours.. I do a 'dreamfeed' at around 10pm (bottle as he used to just conk out on the breast) and he's now 8 months and does 12 hours a night. Please look at www.thesleepstore.co.nz as ALL they do is how to get your baby sleeping. Whether or not you're breastfeeding he can manage if he's settled and has the ability to settle himself. It's also really important that he gets good sleep during the day. At four months he could be needing up to 6 hours of day sleeps too!!! Good luck

Keri - posted on 07/16/2009

Well, unfortunately I have no real suggestions, I can only sympathize, I breastfeed my son as well and he did not sleep throught the night until he was close to 4. On a very rare chance that he would only wake up once a night, or sleep through the night, when he was younger I would check to see if he was still breathing. lol. You might ask your mother when you started sleeping though the night, that might give you a good indication when he will.

Irene - posted on 07/16/2009

I hate to break the news but some kids just don't sleep through the night. My 4 year old slept through the night once. He gets up every night to use the toilet (which is better than the alternative of wetting the bed) and my 9 month old wakes up at least once during the night to nurse. I hope yours sleeps through the night soon but don't be too worried if they don't.

Carlen - posted on 07/16/2009

My son is almost 25 years old and he still does not sleep through the night :)

Tamara - posted on 07/16/2009

Quoting Angela:

I recently was recommended "On Becoming Babywise" for my second child. I am also breastfeeding and unless your Pediatrician thinks he needs the extra feedings, he could be able to sleep at least 8 hours at night by now. This book is easy to read and has helped many moms to give their little one (and themselves) the gift of nighttime sleep. With this program my 3 week old is already sleeping 5 hours between feedings at night. Good luck!

Babywise is a dangerous book and has been linked to dehydration, failure to thrive,  poor milk supply, and involuntary early weaning.  The AAP has recommnded that this book NOT be used as a result.http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/c...

http://www.ezzo.info/Aney/aneyaap.htm

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:GHHn...

Angela - posted on 07/16/2009

I recently was recommended "On Becoming Babywise" for my second child. I am also breastfeeding and unless your Pediatrician thinks he needs the extra feedings, he could be able to sleep at least 8 hours at night by now. This book is easy to read and has helped many moms to give their little one (and themselves) the gift of nighttime sleep. With this program my 3 week old is already sleeping 5 hours between feedings at night. Good luck!

Cynthia - posted on 07/15/2009

Thanks for all the advice :)

Ashley - posted on 07/15/2009

I had the same problem with my now almost 3 year old. His doctor told me to get him on a pacificer, but he wouldn't take it and he wouldn't take bottles. His doctor also told me to let him cry himself to sleep, but my husband and I didn't feel right about that. We just decided to let him sleep in our bed, and this turned out to be the best way for all of us to get the most sleep possible. It was much easier on me, because I could lay on my side and nurse him, rather than getting up. This routine lasted 2 years, and there were many times I wondered if it was the right thing to do and if he would ever sleep through the night. Then one day he stopped nursing all together and sleeping through the night. Looking back, we're glad we did it that way and although it seemed long at the time, it really doesn't last that long. Now it seems like a long time ago that I was nursing, which I loved and I loved sleeping with him. Anyway, every family/situation is so different you need to find what works the best for you and don't worry about what other people tell you. I think most of us just want easy answers to solve the problem right now, but sometimes we just need to be patient and wait until the child is ready, and every child is ready at a different time.

Jenifer - posted on 07/15/2009

This is normal at 4 months. You don't need to change your routine (and definitely don't put cereal in a bottle - that's a choking hazard). My son was also exclusively breastfed, and was waking like yours at 4 months. By 6 months, he was sleeping at least one 6 hour stretch every night. Now, at 10 months, he's in bed from 8pm to 8am, waking once to eat when I go to bed (we co-sleep). Sleeping through the night will come with time, but there isn't a certain time by which he should be doing it. Getting a good bedtime routine in place will help some.

Michelle Carpenter - posted on 07/15/2009

My daughter is 27 months and still doesn't sleep throught the night...they are all so different!! We are hoping for better luck with our second baby due in 4 weeks! Hang in there!!

Manda - posted on 07/15/2009

As stated every child is very different. Four months is still so little and perhaps he just needs feeding still during the night. It also may mean he needs to increase his activity time between naps during the day. Please DON"T put your baby onto solids until he has doubled his birth weight or reached six months. His stomach may not cope with it until this time and give you more problems. Putting cereal in his bottle has been proven not to work. I have only just got my 8 month old daughter to wake just the once after spending the last 6 months waking 10 times a night! Try babywhisperers.com to see if they can help you with a routine and the night wakings. Good luck and remember it doesn't go on forever! :)

Rachel - posted on 07/15/2009

my son is 22months old and only now is sleeping regularly straight through 12 hour nights. It will happen when they are ready. Just have to stick it out until then, but if it is really bothering you talk to your child health nurse or doctor.

Jen - posted on 07/14/2009

You might not like this answer, but my guy is 9 1/2 months and has only in the last month/six weeks not wanted to eat every 3 hours. I think, however, that I was part of the problem--since I kept going in and feeding him... They (doctors) say that babies need to eat at night for sure through six months, and some will still eat at least once a night until 9 months...

Charlene - posted on 07/14/2009

Yes, totally normal. However you can work toward getting your child to sleep through the night, even with breastfeeding. He may be wanting to start solids at this age (my son started at 3 1/2 mon. & my youngest daughter not until around 5 mon.) As long as he's healthy (good weight, hitting milestones around the appropriate time, etc.) there shouldn't be a problem with it. The thing is that it's hard to do emotionally for the parent. I know I'll be seen as cold-hearted (or worse) by many mothers for saying so but sometimes the thing to do is just to let them cry themselves back to sleep. All 4 of my children went through this but after a few months of getting up to nurse every 2-3 hours, my sanity was being shredded by a severe lack of sleep. They weren't too happy with not getting enough rest either. It took about 2-3 nights of crying but after that... sweet sleep and days with better attitudes. For all of us. The method I used with my kids was called Parent Directed Feeding - PDF for short. It's really to be used as a guide since every child is different and there are times you have to be flexible with it too - teething, illness, routine off... Good luck!

Tamara - posted on 07/14/2009

This is totally normal. At 4 months, he's hitting a growth spurt. He NEEDS to nurse often. Are you cosleeping? I found that often helped both of us sleep more. Please resist the temptation to use a bottle w/cereal mixed in with expressed milk. This is not only a choking hazard but also can lead to obesity.

Bev - posted on 07/14/2009

Hi Cynthia - yes, he will eventually sleep through the night. My granddaughter just turned 7 months and she sleeps through the night (most of the time). When they are ready to do it, they will. And don't worry if your friend's child is already doing it, and your little guy is not. Talk to your pediatrician - and good luck.

Joy - posted on 07/14/2009

When does he take his last nap? Is it too close to bedtime? I usually had mine up for about three hours before I laid them down for bed. At 4 months old, I would definitely start feeding him cereal and applesauce before I put him down. I started feeding my kids about 5 1/2 weeks old and they slept for 9 hours straight. Hope this helps

Kate - posted on 07/14/2009

You could try "cluster feeding" before bed. That is, the last 2 - 3 hours before he goes to sleep, start feeding him every 30 - 60 minutes, as often as he will allow. Then, wake him at your bedtime to feed. This may help him sleep longer. However, breastmilk is digested quickly and completely so it may just be that he needs to eat that long. My DD was waking up still at that age a couple times a night (not every night). Don't be in a hurry to start him on solids...he'll get there when he's ready. Anything that could make him sleep longer at night (cereal, formula, etc.) will only do so because it is hard for him to digest and therefore takes longer. Babies don't have the enzymes to digest grains until 18 - 24 months, so giving cereal WILL make him sleep longer (maybe) but could also give him a stomachache, constipation, etc. You don't need that!

September - posted on 07/14/2009

Quoting Samantha:

Hi Cynthia. I know that each child is different as to when they sleep through the night (and FYI my two boys never completly started to sleep through the night until they were almost 3!) Have you started to feed him solids such as cereal? I used to give my boys cereal and their last feeding (I also breast feed) and this helped to stretch out the time to maybe 4-6 hours between feedings.

Studies have have proven that feeding your baby cereal with their last feeding does not help them sleep longer.

Abby - posted on 07/14/2009

he'll sleep thru when he's ready! unfortunately every child is different. my son started to at 14 weeks, but i didnt for 3years!

personally i wouldnt put cereal in the bottle, but feed it to him off a spoon an hour or so before bed!

Sarah - posted on 07/14/2009

I would suggest, if you use a bottle sometimes with breastfeeding, to add cereal to your last feeding. It will stick to the tummy more, so he will fuller longer at night.

Samantha - posted on 07/14/2009

Hi Cynthia. I know that each child is different as to when they sleep through the night (and FYI my two boys never completly started to sleep through the night until they were almost 3!) Have you started to feed him solids such as cereal? I used to give my boys cereal and their last feeding (I also breast feed) and this helped to stretch out the time to maybe 4-6 hours between feedings.