my 15 week old son keeps waking up in the night again?

Heather - posted on 09/05/2012

My Son is 10 weeks and I just took him for his 2 month check up a week ago. I told the doctor that I fill his bottle with Gerber Rice up to the 3oz mark and then fill it to the 8oz mark with formula... sometime more cerial! I have a few bottle with a small cut in the nipple so the cerial can flow through and I do this every night for his last feeding. my son sleeps from 10:30pm until 7am in the morning and Ive been doing this for 3 weeks now. If I dont add enough cerial to his milk he will wake up around 3-4am. My Doctor said he is growing great and to continue doing this. He was almost 9lbs at birth and is already 13.6lbs. Try giving your son some cerial at night. Not just a couple of table spoons. He may need more substance. The windges sound like a little gas... I switch my son to the gentle formula or Gerber Soothe... A lot of babies are doing GREAT with the Gerber soothe if they have problems with gas and fussiness.

Jennifer - posted on 08/30/2012

oh sorry I started using the joice at 3mths but mostly water and jsut nought juice to change the color of the water.

Jennifer - posted on 08/30/2012

My daughter was like this.. she slept threw the night and then slowely started waking up more and more, when se was 2 mths I started her on rice cereal and I mixed it with her similac for the first week of tehe cereal I gave it to her at lunch time for the first week to get her stomach use to it incase it upset her stomch it was during the day and she wasnt up all night with an upset stomach. after I startedgiving it to her around 730 she would go to bed around 8 830 and sleep all night until about 7.

and usually i gave it to her at lunch also that way she wasnt drinking as many bottles throughout the day.. It worked really well my daughter.

I woudl try her on the rice cereal and make sure you mix it well so its not thick.

Hope everytihng works out and your little man starts sleeping threw the night again for you.

Tascha - posted on 08/27/2012

Don't put cereal into a bottle. Cereal is only meant to be eaten with a spoon. Also, most pediatricians will advise against cereal till 6 months (although mine said to start at 4... I held out till 5 to cut the difference) Their digestive systems can't handle the rice and you'll have a gassy colicy misserable kid.



"Hungry milk"? If it's a heavier formula, that might be your problem. If you're not breastfeeding, find a formula that's closest to breastmilk. A formula that's packed full of larger proteins will not make a baby fuller (especially a 3 month old), it'll make a baby misserable.



Babys' sleep paterns change as they age. My 6 month old has gone through many. He's now waking at 4 for a feeding and will go back to sleep after a half hour. For a while he was sleeping till 6.



As to the baby juice, my doctor didn't suggest it till 6 months. Again, if he's not ready to digest it, he (and in turn you) will be misserable.



Good luck.

Kirsty - posted on 08/26/2012

my son is the same age, hes on 5oz feeds with 1 teaspoon rice every 3 hours...11pm feed half a rusk in his milk...5pm feed half a jar of baby food with his milk...he still wakes up every 3 hours in the night!! i started using heinz baby juice at 3 months same time he started baby food and rice!! hope ive helped!!xx



p.s to anybody that says "hes too young to be on that" his under the dietician at the hospital due to slow weight gain since birth and she has recommended it!

Romina - posted on 08/24/2012

I think you should do what you feel is right, both my 3 year-old and my 6 month-old started eating solids at 3 months, and they are both completely healthy with no allergies or sensitivities. Don't let people intimidate you with their warnings to stay away from food, it is recommended by the WHO, but my doctor told me to start at 3 months. So it's at your discretion. I found that when I put my son on solids he started sleeping well, but still had his growth spurts where he is more hungry.

Marzie - posted on 08/18/2012

hi dear, please don't follow whatever your mama says! I respect her experience but you should not feed your baby by anything but milk.
It is natural that he wakes up through the night, I think this is too soon for him to sleep the whole night! Anyway you should avoid playing or talking to him when he wakes up, because he needs to understand the difference between day and night. just feed him and sing his favorite song to make him relax, then he would falls asleep.
my daughter is 2 months and a half and she has the same problem. we should be patient. that is all we can do.
good luck

Bri's - posted on 08/17/2012

I have lots of advice http://violet-sleepbabysleep.blogspot.co... too much to write about here. Hope it helps

Brittany - posted on 08/14/2012

yes it is good to put baby rice in whit the milk
it help..s them not to want to be eating all the time
you should ask your baby dr but i did it with my 2 girls

Stephanie - posted on 08/12/2012

hi melody i have a 4 month old and she used ta be the same.. but since she is three months i have been giving her baby rice with stewed fruit mixed in with it three times a day but you NEVER putanything other than formula in a babys bottle as its babd for the kidneys thats what my babys nurse said and also my lil girl is gettin heinz baby juice since she is 3months aswell but dont give to much a baby wont drink their bottle if thy drink to much just give him 3ounces or so hope this will help xxxxxx

Lauren - posted on 08/05/2012

My daughter is 7 months. I had the same problem. My mother inlaw also suggested putting cereal/pablum into the bottle befor bed and cutting the nipples of her bottle. But when i asked my doctor about it they told me not to do this. With more education and studies the doctors have on the matter they say that doing this really doesnt do anything. but if we feel our little ones are hungry and need to eat then to start them with brekfast being rice cereal. mix it with their brestmilk/formula at the ago of your son use a table spoon it doesnt seem like much but their tummys arent very big yet. the docs also told me to make sure she drinks atleast 4 oz of milk befor she eats her cereal

Stephanie - posted on 08/03/2012

For the most part my 22 month old wakes up once most nights/early morning.

User - posted on 08/02/2012

Go to this site and on the right side there is a place where you can put your email to recieve '5 ways to help your baby sleep through the night'. it is very helpful :)

http://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddle...

Jessica - posted on 07/25/2012

Most babies do not consistently sleep through the night (and even then it's until between 4 and 6 am most of the time) until at least 6 months of age and sometimes not even then. your child is right around the 3-4 month age, which is when children hit their second growth spurt, the first one being around 3-4 weeks, which we mostly don't notice because you are getting up all the time anyway. Babies are NOT ready for cereal until at LEAST 4 months, and most of the time not even until 6 months, as their stomachs and digestive systems cannot handle it, in addition to the risk of inducing allergies. It sounds like he is getting plenty to eat, and you just need to hang in there. The growth spurt will pass and he will go back to being more likely to sleep through the night. I have two... it's hard but you will survive!

Michelle - posted on 07/25/2012

rice cereal or cereal of any kind is NOT necessary...ever. the LLL states that the only thing the baby needs in his first year is mothers milk. Most will start solids sooner, but should be gradual and only when baby is able to sit up on his own and feed himself. Cereal is void of true nutrients and although it may fill him up, it wont' last and he will be missing out on important nutrients. Juice is the same way..completely unnecessary. The only time i give juice if we haven't been eating enough fruits and veggies and become constipated. But even then, there are healthier alternatives

Randi - posted on 07/25/2012

Oh and water is good to. My daughter didnt like water by itself, so I mixed it with just a little drop of kyro Syrup.and thats what got her to start drinking, as she got older, I omitted the kyro Syrup.

Randi - posted on 07/25/2012

Yes i would definately use the rice. I started using the rice when my daughter(who is now 5) was 8 weeks once my doc. said it was alright. As far as the apple juice, please dilute it with water. If you're giving your baby 6oz. i would say(i mind you, 'm NOT a doctor) 2oz of apple juice, with 4 oz. of water, and taste it before you give it to your child. Too much will make them go.

Kelsey - posted on 07/25/2012

Try feeding him rice Cearal before bed... And I started my boys on juice at about 3 1/2 months
Water is good too... Good luck and remember it doesn't last forever

Casey - posted on 07/25/2012

My son is almost 4 months & hasn't been sleeping very well for the past wk. I think he may be teething.. he's drooling ALOT more, fussy (he's usually not), trying to shove both hands in his mouth, he has always been a good eater but lately he doesn't finish his bottles & his bowel movements have been runny and a yellowish.

Dove - posted on 07/25/2012

I had a kid that was waking once every 12 hours by 3 months before starting solids... solids didn't have any effect on her sleep at all.



I also had a kid that wasn't sleeping through the night (10-11 hours) until he was 2 and started solids LONG before that.



If the baby won't take another bottle... hunger is not the problem because at that age... milk as food is all they know (or all they SHOULD know).



Bottom line though... this baby having a bottle every 3 hours (or even more frequently) is NORMAL. Why would anyone want to change a normal baby? What is most convenient for us is often times (if not always) NOT what is best for baby. Parenting is about what's best for baby... not mom.

Melissa - posted on 07/25/2012

Also, why do you want to give your baby juice? Kids don't need juice at all until minimum one year, even then it's just sugar they do my need.

Melissa - posted on 07/25/2012

I would say growth spurt. Just milk/formula is enough until at least 4-5 months. Rice in a bottle is never a good idea! Feed your baby when he's hungry. He's only 3.5 months. it's totally normal for them to start to sleep an then wake again. It's just a cycle/phase babies going through. He will go back to sleeping soon enough. Good luck!

Danni - posted on 07/25/2012

Start him on solids one teaspoon mixed really runny with his milk of choice or cooled boiled water at dinner time. by putting it in his bottle it confuses the mind on when to have food or drink they should be separated as apparently it encourages eating disorders or some wierd thing. my daughter was same situation. growing and milk just isn't enough. every baby is nieveness different learn from my nieveness and go with your instincts. juice is not recommended at this age. hope this helps

DeserRai - posted on 07/25/2012

Also, in my opinion he is too young to have solids. Studies show the earlier you give them solids before 6 months, the more prone they are to food allergies.

DeserRai - posted on 07/25/2012

It could be a growth sprut. Babies also always change their routine. My son is 15 months and has just now started to have a routine and sleep through the night. It's a learning experience, no need to rush/force it. He could also be teething which is why he would be waking up more.

Kimberly - posted on 07/24/2012

Welcome to motherhood! He is perhaps having a growth spurt. Before giving him baby rice, check with your pediatrician. He may be too young for that yet. Every child is different. My daughter had a 3 a.m. feeding that I thought would never end. But that was a blessing because prior to that she was up every 2 hours. She didn't sleep through the night until she was almost a year old, and that's probably because she was mainly breast fed until then. I never gave my child juice. The sugar is not good for them. Only milk til she was able to have water. It was good because til this day (she's 6) she mainly drinks milk and water. Some juice, but not a lot, and no soda ever.

Do not worry, this will pass and you will get through it. Maybe you need to let him nap more in the day. My daughter slept a lot as a baby. She was on 3 naps until she was over a year or so.

Stephanie - posted on 07/24/2012

He is probably going through a growth spurt...I started my son on baby food at three months he is doing great...Every mother knows their babies you will know when he is ready for solid foods but if you're unsure just speak to your doctor. I would suggest not putting cereal in the bottle, but try spoon feeding it to him.

Mindy - posted on 07/24/2012

Sounds like he's hungry! I never put rice in my daughters cereal, instead I squeezed some milk into the cap of her bottle, mixed a TINY bit of rice into it and spoon fed it to her. Just dip the spoon in it and stick it in his mouth. He'll probably spit most of it out but then again he may not be far from mastering the spoon. Just keep in mind: He's almost 4 months old which is when they recommend starting to spoon feed cereal, AND you're his mommy so you will have a sixth sense about when he is hungry. I starting my daughter on cereal at 3 months and she was like a totally different baby! So much happier, more content and slept way better. Good luck and remember a full baby is a happy one!!!!!

Tearra - posted on 07/24/2012

Each baby is different i used milk in a bottle snd added baby rice cereal to my kids bottle when they were little it was liquid enough not to clog up the nipple. It adds a little thickness to their brllys to help them feel satisfied. My 13 year old son was eating this at 3 weeks my 11 year old daughter was eating this at 3 months my 8 year old son was eating this at 2 months and my 6 year old was eating this at 2 1/2 months old. You can never really know how hungry they are because you ate not them. But if they drink a whole bottle down and they still want to eat more that is telling you the milk is not enough for them. You don't want to make it thick to where you have to use a spoon to feed you just want to give them something to go on their tummy. I usually added about one or two teaspoons of rice cereal to an 8 oz bottle to help thicken it up to help with the hunger and I only did this for their night time or bedtime feeding I slowly increased the feedings over a period of time.

Mommy - posted on 07/23/2012

Ummm, not to be the bearer of bad news or freak people out, BUT my daughter didn't sleep through the night until she was almost 18 months old! I used to cry, she woke up at least once every night. And we did everything, nighttime routine, cereal in the bottle, bath before bed, 1 short nap a day....nothing worked. I just had to wait for her to grow out of it. So now she has been sleeping through for about 8 months and I have a new baby on the way in 3 weeks. My full night sleep will be hiatus again! lol

Kajesa - posted on 07/23/2012

My daughter just turned 6 months on Sat. I STILL cannot get her to sleep through the night!! I had my son sleeping through the night at 3 months!!! My daughter wakes up every 3-4 hours as well and drinks a 6 ounce bottle too!! It does no good!! YES!!!! Do the rice cereal!!! I has worked like twice for us, she has literally slept all night. She goes to bed any where between 8 and 9 and she slept until 7 or 8 the next morning. Other than that we have not slept through the night since Jan when she was born!!
As advice on the baby juice. To be honest, I don't advise it and I say this because I am a diabetic. My pediatrician has a 2 yr old and just had a baby a few weeks ago, she doesn't give juice to her kids and does not believe in giving juice. She told me you get the natural juice straight from the fruit. Juice in the can or even the juicy juice, is just more sugar and empty calories than anything. I actually gave my daughter a piece of pineapple the other day, I held on to the chunk and I let her suck the juice from it, she LOVED it!!!

Stephanie - posted on 07/23/2012

...another consideration is milestone's... sometimes as babie's hit different milestones they wake in the middle of the night. Sometimes they just miss you, too.

Stephanie - posted on 07/23/2012

teething or growth spurt. They generally have growth spurt's around 3, 6, and 9 weeks. Than again around 3, 6, and 9 months. Than around 12 months they slow a little bit. My son didn't wake up a lot at night after he began formula at 3 months. But, around 11 months through now at 21 months he frequently has nights that he awakens due to getting all his teeth in that span. Many babies have their first tooth around 4 months, my first did.... and it would wake her up when she teethed from around 3 1/2 months until she had all her teeth around 18 months, but she went in spurts where she got her teeth whereas my son almost constantly has been getting them from 12 months on! They're all different!

Summer - posted on 07/23/2012

My daughter (now 19mo) was colic until 6mos and slept a total of about 4hrs per day. That's including her 10-20min cat-naps during the day. After about 6mos she began to sleep about 6/7hrs at night which was a blessing! My 4 1/2 month old son has been sleeping through the night since about 3 months but within the last week has been waking randomly at 2am, 4am, and 6am (and he's been on solids 1x a day for about 3 weeks now). Just goes to show that every child is different and unique in their sleeping patterns. Its frustrating when you, the parent, gets used to a full night of uninterrupted slumber to only have to change back to the random middle-of-the-night cries for attention....but it all just a part of the territory :)

Louise - posted on 07/23/2012

I agree with the other comments about avoiding the rice this early and avoid the juice completely! Children need milk and water, not juice and it's not good when they are teething as it can be high in sugars.

I had the same problem, my son seemed hungry a lot but wouldn't take much milk. My midwife suggested changing the teat in the bottle to a size 2 or 3 as he was possibly exhausted sucking so stopped but wasn't completely full. This worked for me, he was able to get more milk without exhausting himself and slept longer. I would recommend being careful if you try this and only go one size up in teats as you don't want the milk coming out to quick!

There is also the chance its a growth spurt and don't forget those little teeth start causing bother months before they show, my second son started around 3 months and got his tooth at 8 months.

Unfortunately the hardest part of the early years is the sleep deprivation and as a parent we all have to just have to cope with it. My kids never followed the leaflets that said how many hours a night they would be sleeping and each kid s different. Both my children were almost 2 1/2 before they slept all night but both sleep from 8.30pm to 7.30am now.

Try a different teat, hope it works fo you and good luck:)

Shauneen - posted on 07/23/2012

Growth spurt. will only last 48hrs. Waking twice a night is good. U r lucky!!!!!!!!!! he is small. giving my baby solids once a day and she still wont stretch longer than 3 hrs... rice cereal before bed is too heavy on their stomachs and they dont sleep well anyway. Just saying...

Jessica - posted on 07/22/2012

people u need to read her post propely he want take any more bottles and neither would i if i was hungry no harm in trying solids if he hungry he hungry

Jessica - posted on 07/22/2012

dont use juice but there is no harm in trying baby rice even jsut a tiny spoonful could make a world of difference one of my girls was having a teaspoon of solids at six weeks old do it at lunch time and make sure it not to dry every child is different and if ur baby is hungry feed him try giving half bottle the food then finish bottle make sure u bur well as i said no harm in trying and every child iis different

Amy - posted on 07/22/2012

Please don't put him on rice cereal yet. he does not need it. He needs you to hold him, cuddle him and if he needs a bottle every three hours, so be it!
My little one is 5 mths old and still wakes twice through the night for milk. It's completely normal.
As every one else has already mentioned, babies go through a growth spurt at this age which will affect their sleep/eating patterns.

Just remember, babies can not manipulate you. If they are sad/ cranky it is for a reason. It is our job a mothers to help them whenever they need us... even if that's at 4 in the morning ;o)

Good luck Mama.

Melissa - posted on 07/22/2012

my youngest is almost 6 months now, but right around 3 months I remember her going through a phase for about a week or so where should would wake sooner and more often during the night to eat she was just going through a growth spurt which is normally at that age and after a week or so stopped needing the extra feedings.

Mandee - posted on 07/22/2012

Probably a growth spurt or teething.

I don't recommend it, but if you and your pediatrician do decide to use rice in his bottle, there are formulas that have the rice starch added to it already. If you use rice in the bottle it often clogs the nipple so you have to buy a special one with an "x" in it. But again, I do not recommend it.

Every couple of months (about 2-4) your little one's schedule will change the first 12-18 months anyway. That is normal.

Bex - posted on 07/22/2012

I got this as an alert in my emails and wanted to reply,,,

We have a 3 and a half year old and an 18 month old. The baby has yet to sleep thru more than 5 hours at night - never has so far, and we've struggled to get more than 4 hours sleep in ourselves during that time.

So it's amazing you've had a baby who's treated you well thus far, but their rhythms do change with time, we probably got a bit more sleep at the beginning. A lot of babies will settle the whole night younger like 6 months but some do not develop consistent night time sleep that fits around their parents sleeping schedules, until much later, 2 years or sometimes more. It is all just a phase and we have to just ride it out as long as it lasts..

Some things you can do to help later on, making sure baby is full, but at 15 weeks I strongly feel like they should be having nothing other than milk. That's how I feel I know some would disagree...I have friends who fed their babies from 10-12 weeks and yes it did them no harm so it's all up to you.. I waited the full 6 months with my first and about 5 months with number 2 when I first introduced solids. It's just not good to fill a baby up with stuff they aren't yet designed to digest properly and in a bid to get better sleep. I think babies know when they are hungry and if their needs change sometimes it's better to adapt with them than try to change them... I'm only saying this as it's how I feel not in any judgement to anyone who does different. But a baby grows in spurts and may have a growth spurt and need more frequent feedings for a day or two, maybe this is wjat your son is going thru at mo? It's all their way of growing and getting to the stage where they are big enough to regulate their metabolisms and ultimately sleep thru!
Once they get to 6 months there is that good night milk which I think is fortified with cereals oe something so is thicker and keeps them fuller for longer. Or I guess you can do it yourself in the way your mum has suggested.

I'm a deranged sleep deprived mother of 2 beautiful girls, so sorry for rambling, but I'd just like to add it's all just a phase and it won't last long, and I hope you get luckier than me and he's back to sleeping thru soon ;)

Andrea - posted on 07/22/2012

I don't suggest the cereal in the milk, he's just becoming more alert! Babies change, what they did last week is not what he'll necessarily be doing this week. If the milk satisfies him when he wakes up then that is simply the issue, maybe a growth spurt. If he stays up screaming then consult your pediatrician. Don't worry until he's 3 and not sleeping through the night (like mine).

Chelly - posted on 07/22/2012

Skip the juice, it can be just as bad as soda for sugar content.

It's also WAY early to be feeding anything other than milk. World Health Organization recommends EXCLUSIVE breast feeding for the first SIX months. Rice cereal is simply stuffing their little tummies, they're much better getting the milk for it's nutrition at this stage.

As far as waking in the night, it's completely normal for this age. It's part of their sleeping patterns and it takes a while for them to learn to self soothe. Your baby could also be teething or like others said, having a growth spurt.

(My little one is 3 months old, oldest 3 years... They do eventually sleep through the night) :D

Chelly - posted on 07/22/2012

Skip the juice, it can be just as bad as soda for sugar content.

It's also WAY early to be feeding anything other than milk. World Health Organization recommends EXCLUSIVE breast feeding for the first SIX months. Rice cereal is simply stuffing their little tummies, they're much better getting the milk for it's nutrition at this stage.

As far as waking in the night, it's completely normal for this age. It's part of their sleeping patterns and it takes a while for them to learn to self soothe. Your baby could also be teething or like others said, having a growth spurt.

(My little one is 3 months old, oldest 3 years... They do eventually sleep through the night) :D

Chelly - posted on 07/22/2012

Skip the juice, it can be just as bad as soda for sugar content.

It's also WAY early to be feeding anything other than milk. World Health Organization recommends EXCLUSIVE breast feeding for the first SIX months. Rice cereal is simply stuffing their little tummies, they're much better getting the milk for it's nutrition at this stage.

As far as waking in the night, it's completely normal for this age. It's part of their sleeping patterns and it takes a while for them to learn to self soothe. Your baby could also be teething or like others said, having a growth spurt.

(My little one is 3 months old, oldest 3 years... They do eventually sleep through the night) :D

Chelly - posted on 07/22/2012

Skip the juice, it can be just as bad as soda for sugar content.

It's also WAY early to be feeding anything other than milk. World Health Organization recommends EXCLUSIVE breast feeding for the first SIX months. Rice cereal is simply stuffing their little tummies, they're much better getting the milk for it's nutrition at this stage.

As far as waking in the night, it's completely normal for this age. It's part of their sleeping patterns and it takes a while for them to learn to self soothe. Your baby could also be teething or like others said, having a growth spurt.

(My little one is 3 months old, oldest 3 years... They do eventually sleep through the night) :D

Chelly - posted on 07/22/2012

Skip the juice, it can be just as bad as soda for sugar content.

It's also WAY early to be feeding anything other than milk. World Health Organization recommends EXCLUSIVE breast feeding for the first SIX months. Rice cereal is simply stuffing their little tummies, they're much better getting the milk for it's nutrition at this stage.

As far as waking in the night, it's completely normal for this age. It's part of their sleeping patterns and it takes a while for them to learn to self soothe. Your baby could also be teething or like others said, having a growth spurt.

(My little one is 3 months old, oldest 3 years... They do eventually sleep through the night) :D

Selina - posted on 07/20/2012

My bubs was like that she's a hungry baby I started solids at four months and doc suggested it to even tho I was goin to as daughter number was solids at four months.. She's know goin on 8 months she's on solids 3 times a day may have snack eg a biscuit arrowroot if elder daughter or me has one and wen she wonts a bottle I give she has one before bed 830 pm I make 150 - 180 ml bottle most time leaves some at bottom. Then she still wakes anytime btween 1 am- 330 am for a bottle then again at 730am she has breaky rnd 9 am as sister and me arent early rises she sumtimes has a bottle rnd 11 am if not she eats at lunch then another bottle rnd 2-3 pm she doesn't sleep much during day either of my kids do but has 2-3 or so hr nap if home in arvo and if out naps wen she wonts.. All bubs r different I just go with the flow read the signs of what they won't before solids she drank every 3 hrs or less

Nix - posted on 07/19/2012

hey, sounds like he is ready to move on to solids, mine started at 3 months and loved it, although he never slept through the night, hes 26 months and still doesn't sleep right through!