Reversing Reverse Cycling?

[cristeen]

Mods - this seemed like the best place for this, since he's bottle-fed at night, and I'm trying to figure out what to do during the day to limit the night-time issues (so it doesn't seem to fit in BF or Nighttime Parenting).

For some reason, the last 2 weeks or so, my little guy (6 mo) seems to be reverse cycling. He has no real reason to, since I SAH and feed him on demand during the day. But he's been up every 90 minutes every night lately. And each time he's eating 2-3 oz (sometimes 4).

During the day I feed him on demand, but he seems to be demanding it less and less.

Is there something I can do to discourage the reverse cycling, or encourage a more "normal" cycle? He's also become a worse napper since this started (from 3/day to 1-2). He used to take a morning nap around 9, a long nap around noonish, and another short one around 4, but yesterday he only took one around 4 after fussing all day and refusing to nap.

At this point he's sleeping worse than when he was a NB and mommy's exhausted.

[batsister]

I don't have any advice, but I think this can be a normal response to babies becoming more mobile, aware of their surroundings, etc. In other words, I think some babies don't want to take time out to eat (or sleep!) during the day because they might "miss something." Thus, they make up for it at night by eating more then. I think it's a phase that will go away on it's own, but others may have suggestions for you. Good luck!

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by batsister

I don't have any advice, but I think this can be a normal response to babies becoming more mobile, aware of their surroundings, etc. In other words, I think some babies don't want to take time out to eat (or sleep!) during the day because they might "miss something." Thus, they make up for it at night by eating more then. I think it's a phase that will go away on it's own, but others may have suggestions for you. Good luck!

From 4-7mo I was hard pressed to get my DD to eat enough during the day. She woke up one day and realized that the world was so shiny and exciting! My DS did the same thing from 7-9mo, so I definitely think it's a faze that most babies go through. My DD is 8mo now and will pretty much eat during the day again (plus she loves solids too), although she still wakes up at night several times..

[Super~Single~Mama]

Since you SAH when you think he might be hungry (for my ds at that age it was ever 2-3hours) take him into a quiet room, turn off the lights, and relax with him. Offer the boob, and he'll probably take it.

And, I would recommend nursing at night (at least every other feeding) so that your supply doesn't suffer to bad.

[karika]

You are feeding him donor milk in a bottle at night, right? (gathered from your post and sig) My guess is that he prefers the fast flow of milk from the bottle and will stop nursing at the breast. Bottle feeding sets up for weaning IMO. If at all possible go back to only breast feeding, especially since you SAH this may be possible? If you have low supply and are using donor milk, can you utilize one of the supplemental feeding systems like an SNS or a Lact Aid? From what I have gathered, babies will always gravitate to the bottle once it is accepted because they get so much so fast. If you do not intervene soon, chances are a bottle is all that will be accepted IMO

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by karika

You are feeding him donor milk in a bottle at night, right? (gathered from your post and sig) My guess is that he prefers the fast flow of milk from the bottle and will stop nursing at the breast. Bottle feeding sets up for weaning IMO.

Thanks, but he's actually been on the bottle since 2 weeks, and on the Lact-Aid since 2 months. He has days where he refuses the breast for bottle, and days where he refuses bottle for breast. He's still using a NB nipple, so he really has to work for it - he actually gets milk faster from the LA. But the reason I don't nurse at night is that he's decided to be up every 90 minutes and I have not figured out nursing side-lying with the LA. I just can't contemplate sitting up, arranging the pillows, moving him, nursing him sitting up, then trying to transfer him again (he doesn't transfer well) every 90 minutes all night long. I'm getting little enough sleep as it is. And since I have almost no milk of my own, I can't really hurt my supply much further than it already is.

Hopefully this is just a phase, and we'll work on getting him to eat more often during the day.

[maptome]

Originally Posted by cristeen

...
Hopefully this is just a phase, and we'll work on getting him to eat more often during the day.

IME, NOTHING worked to get DD to stop this kind of reverse cycling. At some point, I realized that she's not eating more often at night because she didn't get enough to eat during the day. For us, it was the other way around. She wasn't eating during the day because she got so much at night.

I was trying so hard to nurse DD during the day, we were practically in combat. She was NOT hungry. And this was taking an emotional toll on me.

Now at 9 months, she nurses every 2-3 hours at night. finally.

It's just a phase. Hang in there. I know what it's like.

[tzs]

is it possible to bottle feed him during the day and nurse at night?

i really don't have any special insight but am just asking this based on the logic of the previous posters. like, IF he is getting more somehow from the bottle (either from the flow or b/c he happens to enjoy it at the moment) then by bottle feeding him by day he might fill up and feed less at night (????)

i know you said the side-lying was an issue but if it worked it might be worth it to nurse say once or twice upright than every 90 minutes the other way.

just a thought

man.....i just have to say from reading all your posts, you really go all out for your guy. lucky babe!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by tzs

man.....i just have to say from reading all your posts, you really go all out for your guy. lucky babe!

Thank you for that.

We were nursing exclusively at night right up until he started this reverse cycling.

I thank you ladies for the input. It it apparent now that he's teething. Yesterday was a bear and he refused to sleep even at 10:00 pm (no naps all day). It finally occurred to me to pop some teething tabs in his mouth and I could feel multiple tooth buds pushing through. At the very least he has both top teeth coming through (they're visible) and I think 2 on the bottom as well. So after a dose of Motrin last night he slept for 6 hours.

So I'm thinking the last couple weeks of sleeping difficulties have really been fueled by teething, which, for some reason, makes it easier to deal with.