Need help with putting the baby to sleep?

Question

My 7 months old wakes up 8 - 10 times each night (more during wee hours) to breast feed. Doctor suggested to feed him water with a sipper instead. That does not help. He cries a lot if not breast fed and does not sleep at all. Any ideas?

Thanks to all you wonderful people for the answers.

Answer 1

Where is he sleeping? If you put him in bed next to you (I'm assuming here that you're the mother...not the father), you may learn to nurse him back to sleep in your sleep. Most women learn to do this within a week or so of co-sleeping (see sources section below). Even if not, if he's in bed with you, he may feel "safer" and wake less frequently. And when he does wake up, he won't have to wake *all the way* up before you can roll over and take care of him, so you'll both lose less sleep.

Answer 2

Feed baby cereal before bed. It will fill his little tummy. Or wee hours when he wakes the first time. Put it in a feeder (the kind with a nipple.)

It may not truly be hunger, rather the need to be close to you. He will grow out of this, especially when you introduce the bottle or quit breast feeding.

But feeding FOOD at bed time will help.

To help him stay asleep, try turning on a radio in his room, very soft tones. That is the only way one of mine can sleep. If it gets too quiet he wakes up, and he is ten.

Hope you find a solution, cause broken sleep is worse than NO sleep, huh?

Answer 3

Many babies, whether breastfed or artificially fed, start to wake more frequently at this age, even if they were previously sleeping for long stretches.

It is usually because of teething!
Just like with adults,babies are more aware of pain during the night when it is dark and there are few distractions.

Nursing your son back to sleep is the easiest and quickest way for you ALL to get some rest!
Many mothers find that keeping baby close during the night makes life simpler. If you do feel comfortable having sleep in your own bed, maybe you can at least keep his crib in your room so that you can just reach over to pick him up when he wakes.

This is just a stage that he is going through and it will pass. You will not be still be nursing him to sleep when he goes to college!

Answer 4

I am not sure if this is the RIGHT answer or not.. because nowadays they say don't start pablum until a year if you are breastfeeding.. but give him a bit of breastmilk and pablum before bed.. It may also be a seperation thing... What I did with my baby when I was getting no sleep was to lay one of my t-shirts on his crib..so he smelled me still and thought I was holding him.. it is a comfort thing. The other thing I did with my youngest baby was just let him sleep with me and nurse all night because I was exhausted and going to university full time..I would sleep he would eat and pop off when tired.. and it worked wonderfully for me.. I wouldn't have surrvived university otherwise. He only did that for a short time once he felt more reassured he went back to sleeping in his crib. He is almost 2 now and no longer needs the t shirts either! Good Luck.. hugs been there

Answer 5

Definately sounds like he is not getting enough milk. Waking up 8 to 10 times a night is not normal for a 7 month old. Maybe it's time you started seeking out a new doctor. Sorry, but his suggestion makes no sense.

Answer 6

Try weaning him from the breast--6/7 months is actually the ideal time. Feed him more and more with a bottle (either formula or breast milk, don't mix them!) during the day, so it will easier during the night. Also, pacifiers help babies get used to bottle nipples.

Answer 7

I had the same problem. Before I fed the baby right before bed, I used to give him some baby cereal first, then his breast milk (or bottle). Sounds like he's not getting enough to eat. My Dr. told me at the time it was very common. Believe me I noticed wonders within 2 to 3 days. You might also start weening him a little at a time to a bottle. That way you can keep closer yes on exactly how much he's drinking. But be careful, when my daughter cut her first tooth I was the first to know, she did it while breastfeeding. ouch!!!

Answer 8

I did breastfeed my baby but at night before her bedtime, i fed her formula as formula milk is making her full and it lasted quite a few hours. my baby woke up only once for bottle. after that she fell asleep right away. she slept soundly through the nite.

in the morning when she awake, i breast fed her all day until her bed time.

i pumped out some milk and store in the fridge. so that i could feed her sometimes using bottles.

it worked well for me. my baby is now 19 mos and is healthy, smart and active.

good luck!

Answer 9

first of all don't listen to Theresa G... drugging your baby is wrong!! Drugs are not harmless!!!!

Maybe baby wants some more mommy comfy time ..like you don't give enough already!! Is he using you breast as a pacifier? Does he need more soothing..is he just suckling vs really drinking???

a suggestion... can you express some breast milk during the day and give him a "bigger helping" of it at bedtime???
I hope you find a solution so you both get some good sleep..
good luck

Answer 10

It sounds like the baby is hungry. Our son did the same thing. We gave him cereal with breast milk, then I would breast fed him and put him to bed. Another thing I did with all 3 of babies, was when I out them to bed I would start a music box. They would associate sleep with the music box and they fell asleep readily. Good Luck Mom.