[AngelaQ]

hello- i just joined 2 days ago

my son is 11 months old and still wakes up 3-4 times a night to eat. my daughter was so easy so i never had to put effort into her sleeping patterns. im not entirely confortable with letting him cry all night- i just think it is a little cold and not me. one suggestion ive gotten so far is to start decreasing the amount of bottle i give him when he wakes up and i myself try changing his bedtime to "find that natural clock". he naps well, im just exhusted and frustrated- any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Zenzero]

I'm no expert being a first timer but my DS is also 11 months (very nearly 12) and he still wakes several times a night to feed and although it may be more for comfort than hunger as he is bf but I have been told and read that it is perfectly normal for babies this age an older to still be waking through the night and if yours is bottle fed and taking a good amount each time he probably is hungry.

I know this maybe doesn't really help if you are struggling with lack of sleep but as soon as I realised it was not abnormal behaviour and just decided to go with it, I at least got rid of the frustration aspect somewhat, if not the actual tiredness (although since we co-sleep & bf I am probably less disturbed by his wakings than you are).

If you are unable to catch up on sleep through the day and don't have someone who can take on some of the night feeds for you and/or you really don't think he is hungry I have heard of some people either really watering down feeds or just offering plain water instead and eventually baby stops waking for it.

Is he eating any solids? If so, how much? Could you add an extra snack before bed? Or what about a dream feed when you go to bed? Or if he is waking at regular times could you anticipate it and try to catch him before he is fully awake and see if you can pat/rock etc him back off rather than feeding him?

Hope you find a solution you are comfortable with soon!

Linz x

 

[appalachianwomyn]

I'm right there with you (DS 11mo) and he nurses all night. Keeps going on and off solids (every tooth he cuts, pushes him away from solids for a couple days). I have been really frustrated too but I have just decided to go with it so I don't get so upset about how little sleep I'm STILL getting. It's got to end sometime, right?

 

[echoecho1528]

DD is nearing 14 months and does the same. If you haven't already, you should check out The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantly. It is a favorite on this site. You have come to the right place to get support and commiseration on sleep issues. Welcome!