Have 6mnth old eats every 3-4 hrs 6ozs, won't sleep past 4 hrs a night - looking for ideas/suggestions?

Question

Thanks to all for solids advise, we've added rice/cereal to bottle - no help. I've started her on stage 1 foods, she's not to good at it yet will keep trying

Answer 1

At 6 months he can start solids. Try a rice cereal first and then introduce stage 1 veggies and fruits. Start with veggies first though. He probably isn't getting full enough on formula alone.

Good luck

Answer 2

Perhaps it is time for solids? Does your baby sit, at least with assistance? Can the baby hold the head up? These are usually signs that it is ok to go ahead and start some cereal. Start with some thinned cereal, then thicken it up as the baby learns to eat with a spoon. If the baby thrusts the tongue out, try again in a week or so. Please do not feed cereal from a bottle. This messes up the baby's fullness cue, since more calories are being taken in from the same volume of milk. Do, however, with the advise of your doctor, feed the baby more milk in one sitting, as much as the baby wants until they refuse the bottle. It may be that your baby needs more milk in one feeding, and you have it "rationed" to six ounces.

Also, not all babies will sleep the night at 6 months. My baby is almost a year old, and still does not sleep the whole night, but wakes up at least twice briefly to nurse. All babies are different, and they will learn eventually to sleep the whole night, but on their schedule, not necessarily on yours. Good luck, and see your doc for more info.

Answer 3

A baby that age doesn't necessarily need those night time feedings. When he/she wakes up for the first nightly feeding try rocking him back to sleep without a bottle/breast. Do this for a few nights and he may start sleeping through it because he knows there will be no feeding. I have personally not done this but I had a friend whose baby was 7 months and still getting up at night, she tried this and it worked. If hes waking up twice just try and get rid of one feeding at a time. The cereal at night is a good idea too. The 2 would probably work great in conjunction.

Answer 4

I would put cereal or oatmeal in the milk then I would start the baby out with baby food but dont be alarmed if your baby does not like it I think they say it takes 10 trys to get them use to it and liking it and you have to make the baby want to eat it by saying uum this is so good pretend your eating it get the baby intrested in the food but dont introduce to many things at once because you want to make sure the baby doesnt have a reaction

as far as sleeping you got to give the baby a regular routine like eating dinner by 6 or 7 and playing and then a nice bath by 7:30 or 8 and then reading to the baby by 8:30 and then put him to sleep leave the room and let the baby cry check on the baby to make sure everything is ok but dont pick the baby up or anything just let the baby cry its hard to do but by 6 mos they are capable of sleeping through the night it will take about a wk to break the baby but in a week you will have good results trust me I have been there

but you must be constant for it to work

Answer 5

She is supposed to be eating stage 2 foods, and you should rush to her every need that she desires, when she woke up the first time in the middle of the night she knows her mother is going to give her a bottle when she wants it, plus she my be a light sleeper like my daughter and wakes up when she hears things. This winter is going to be hell for me since she can't sleep with the air conditioning right next to her bedroom!! = ( Her diapers may be bothering her also, she should be atleast size 4 diaper right now, My daughter is 6 months and she is starting to be a size 5. They get mad if it gets cold and wet down there or even if it is hot they don't like it.

Answer 6

Solid food..start with a cereal, and don't put it in a bottle. Use a baby spoon.
I started my now 14 yr old on cereal when she was 8 weeks old..she didn't suffer any and she slept very well.

Answer 7

Give baby some more "cry" time at night. Maybe baby wakes up, bored, and thinks "i could sure use some company right now, where's the lady with the bottle, i like her!"


So, baby starts crying and you run in there...wait next time for about 5 minutes, and then about a week later wait 10 minutes and so on...i doubt baby is hungry, just bored!

Answer 8

If you are breastfeeding I would just suggest nursing him more often. If after a week or so he still does not seem satisfied I would try a little rice cereal IF it is okay with your pediatrician.
If you are not nursing him I would look to some of the other answers that you were given.
Lady T

Answer 9

At 3 months old my son (who is now almost 7 months old) was drinking 10 oz. and still hungry! I talked to his pediatrician. and he said to start him on solid foods. My son now drinks 6oz. and has a jar of cereal with fruit and then another jar of fruit or a lunch/dinner meal and a jar of fruit. It's worked wonders. My son took two naps a day so we started putting him to bed a little later and he started sleeping through the night and taking one nap. I hope that this answer helps you!!

Answer 10

Try giving her a dream feed, what time do you put her to bed?
Put her to bed at 7pm give her a feed in the dark without waking her about 10pm this will put her on for the night then.
Also you could try giving her a bath with lavander in, this will relax her, then give her some supper, weetabix is good if she has no problem with wheat, and then top her up with a bottle, continue with the dream feed also.
Good luck x