7 month old - still wakes/eats every 3 hours at night

[irishmaji]

Hi,

I have a 7 month old little boy that still gets up like a newborn. He is not breastfed, unfortunately, as much as I wanted to it didn't work out for us and he is milk protein sensitive so he is on hypoallergenic formula.

However, he is not a big eater. Sometimes he'll only take 3 ounces at a time, sometimes he will take a 5 ounce bottle, but he much prefers to snack throughout the day. I think this is the biggest reason he is still getting up so much at night to drink, I don't think he's taking in enough calories during the day.

We have started solid foods, he looks very interested everytime someone is eating, but most of the time has very little intrest in baby food, some days he will do pretty good and most days he's not interested in even trying a bite.

Has anyone had a little one like this before, any success stories on getting them a little more focused on eating during the day vs at night? I cannot do cry it out, but I also truly believe he needs at least some of the calories he's getting at night. He is fine weight wise, he's in the 50th% for weight and 75% for height, he is a long skinny baby.

Any input would be great, mommy is very tired and works full time

[LadyCatherine185]

sleep deprivation is no fun. That said, waking every 3 hours is normal and actually pretty good for 7 months old. My DS didn't sleep that long until 18 months old when we started nightweaning. Could you have a DP help out with some of the nightwakings? Like take half the night and you take the other half? Is your DS in your room with you, beside your bed, so that you don't have to do as much moving/getting up and down?

As far as the solids, it is normal for babies not to be interested in much food until closer to a year or older. And taking 3-5 ounces at a time is actually better for their digestive system than taking larger amounts. It sounds like he is eating more like a breastfed baby. My DS wasn't interested in much food until closer to 15 months old. Have you tried letting him self-feed finger foods?

[lkmiscnet]

My 11 mo old used to wake every 2-2.5 hours up until a month ago and I wuold nurse him back to sleep. He eats maybe 2 oz of pureed solids a day. I also nursed him every 2-3 hours during the day.

Perfectly "normal". One baby may sleep through the night, while another doesn't.

[Alisse]

My almost 8month old eats a ton of solids, 3times a day, but STILL he nurses every 2hours at night, (sometimes more).

[Kiwiontheloose]

sorry to add to everyone else - but yep - every 3hrs is normal for that age!!
in fact my 12month old last night nursed probably every 1.5-2hrs (didn't really count) then for breakfast ate a whole bowl of wholegrain oats with seeds/fruit, a piece of bread and a mandarin! I guess they're growing so much its no wonder they're hungry.

But that doesn't help your tiredness. What are your sleeping arrangments? can you have a bottle warmer next to the bed and baby close enough so you just have to reach over and grab him, and grab the bottle? I find that the physical act of getting out of bed in the night makes it harder to fall back asleep and makes me tired-er in the morning.

[kalamos23]

I had a dairy allergic baby too - she was late to start solids (didn't start eating more than a taste until 11mo - even now she barely eats) and I wonder if the allergy had anything to do with her willingness to try foods. Anyway - every 3 hours is great for 7mo! DD was still up every hour during the night at that point, we did get a 2 hour stretch if we were lucky for the first stretch, but after that it was every hour.

Also, if you guys end up having any more kids, you can take all dairy out of your diet and still breastfeed if you choose - the likelihood of another child of yours having a milk protein sensitivity is higher than normal because more than likely it is due to your own gut not processing the dairy fully before it gets passed to the baby. I ended up off of dairy for around 8 months, and we trialed DD on dairy at her 1st birthday. Unfortunately many doctors don't know this and just tell you to put the baby on hypoallergenic formula. I just wanted to let you know this just in case you really did want to breastfeed at one point with another child.

I doubt that pushing solids during the day will help him sleep longer - he's probably learning crawling and there is just SO much they are learning and trying to do all at once, that it is hard to unwind for them at night and sleep. We've caught DD practicing new skills at night - doesn't make it any easier for you unfortunately, but it does pass!! I promise! Do you cosleep? Sometimes I found that DD would sleep longer if she wasn't right next to me, and other nights she slept better curled right up next to me - ymmv.

When all fails, just remember, they will only be this young once, and try to enjoy it while you can ;-) It will pass!

[irishmaji]

Thanks everyone, it helps to know I'm not alone, it's tough when those with little ones around me have babies that have been sleeping through the night since they were 3-4 months old.

He spents the first half of the night in his own crib and usually the 2nd half of the night we all cosleep, it has allowed me to get a little extra sleep this way as it takes him time to fall back asleep and I can't just put him down after he eats.

Kalamos23 - I did take dairy out of my diet while I was trying to breastfeed, that was my doctor's first recommendation vs formula, but my son was not a good latcher and would get very lazy about sucking, I was also very stressed out because he was so colicky at the time (turns out the colic was due to the protein sensitivity) but I think the stress just started drying my milk up and he wasn't getting enough he wanted to constantly nurse and then would just stop sucking (I'm guessing cause he wasn't getting much). It was very difficult and when I started the formula he was instantly a different baby and for my own sanity I stopped trying to breastfeed, I definitely think I would do things differently if I have another, I do regret not pushing myself to try and make it work, but it was very difficult and I was exhausted.

Lady Catherine - I have not tried letting him self feed with finger foods, although I have just started reading up on baby led weaning cause I do wonder if that might be a better route for him, but I have to admit it makes me a little nervous.

[kalamos23]

Irish - I hear you about the stress - I think the colic seriously traumatized us. I had an over supply or I probably would have lost my milk from the stress as well. Big hugs to you, mama ((((hugs)))). I hope your baby gives you a little more sleep soon! Fwiw, I remember 4-8 months as being the worst possible for sleep for DD - it got better when she crawled and even better when she started walking teh majority of the time. Hopefully it will work the same way for you!