I am trying to teach my 7 month old son to sleep through the night. He usually goes down without a fuss, but he always wakes between 2-3a.m. Is he just waking out of habit because he has done this for 7 months? How do I break this habit. At what time and how much do you feed your 7 month old to ensure he is completely full at night?
2006-11-18 12:20:07 · 10 answers · asked by Bird79 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
How long should he be able to go without eating at night?
2006-11-18 12:23:05 · update #1
Our six month old sometimes wakes and fusses at 3 am, I ignore it and he goes back to sleep. You need to let him fuss, he will go back to sleep. He does not need night feedings at that age. I feed my son a good dinner of cereal and veggies at about 6:30, top him off with a bottle at 7:30, then put him to bed.
2006-11-18 14:35:43 · answer #1 · answered by toomanycommercials 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
By the time a baby reaches 11 lbs (for the average baby) they should be able to sleep a full 8 hours no problem. It could be out of habit. Just let him soothe himself back to sleep. If he's still fussing after 10-15 minutes then go check on him. I know sometimes my 7 month old son will wake up in the middle of the night, but he stops fussing after 10 minutes and goes back to sleep.
2006-11-18 22:16:45 · answer #2 · answered by d4cav_dragoons_wife84 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All infants wake a few times per night- the difference is that some can go back to sleep without assistance. My 8mo son does the same thing as yours only he gets up 2-3 times per night and won't go back without a bottle. Some infants want held, nursed, rocked.. etc.
If you feed your son some solids and give him an 8oz bottle before bed and let him eat whatever he can out of it that is all you can do really.
My dr suggested letting him cry it out so he can learn to self-sooth and go back to sleep.. I'd rather just wake up and feed him, from what I've heard they pretty much grow out of it by a year old and I'm ok with that.
Good luck!
2006-11-18 20:26:05 · answer #3 · answered by iampatsajak 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Seven months is young to sleep through the night. There are more possibilities than that he is hungry or just in a habit. At seven months he might just need to be reassured of your presence and care. There is no harm in responding to him. At that age he needs you just as much as he needs food. If he eats when he wakes up, then he's probably hungry.
Right now I am pregnant and I imagine that my hunger is somewhat like a baby, at least more so than usual. Sometimes I need to eat in the middle of the night (seriously, I'll wake up at 4 am and have a bowl of cereal or something) but usually I don't. Sometimes I'm hungry all the time and sometimes I'm not. It just depends on the day. I would get upset if someone said to me "Well, at six months along you should be able to go seven hours without eating." Maybe I can and maybe I can't. Maybe I shouldn't have to. Just because someone else who is six months along can go that long doesn't mean I can. It would especially bother me if the person who told me that was also responsible for giving or withholding food based on whether he or she thought I was hungry. If I'm hungry I eat. But the only one who knows if your little guy can go that long without eating is your little guy himself. So if he eats he's probably hungry. If he doesn't eat he probably just wants some comfort and cuddles.
If you let him cry you will only teach him that what he needs is only important when it's convenient for you. Sure some kids learn that lesson and then they go to sleep by themselves. But if you want a happy and well-adjusted toddler, respond to his cries, day or night. He will learn to sleep through the night when he is ready to, and believe it or not you will actually miss him at night (well, I did anyway)
One thing that can help deal with night-waking is to have the baby closer to you so you don't have to get up. You can let him sleep in your bed or get a co-sleeper.
2006-11-18 23:54:41 · answer #4 · answered by AerynneC 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
every child is different. My 6 year old still doesn't sleep well. Try a little cereal (maybe a couple teaspoons) in his bottle right before bed . I did that to my son when he was an infant and the first night he slept 6 hours straight! Heaven!
2006-11-18 20:27:48 · answer #5 · answered by party_pam 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on whether or not you are willing to let him cry it out. If you do get up to comfort him DO NOT FEED HIM. Just comfort him. After awhile he won't bother to get up anymore if food isn't going to be offered. He is plenty old enough to go through the night without food. My kid's doctor told me this and it worked.
2006-11-18 20:24:08 · answer #6 · answered by JJ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All children are different. i try to give my son a bottle before he goes to sleep. and i turn off all the lights. i also give him his pacifier if he wakes up during the night. he sleeps for about 9 to 10 hrs. try to keep him up during the day. and keep his naps short.
hang in there!!!!!!!!!
2006-11-18 20:32:14 · answer #7 · answered by LL 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By that age most people i know will add a little baby cereal to the babies milk to fill up his belly...they usually sleep better and longer with a full belly...like us after a big meal!
2006-11-18 20:22:54 · answer #8 · answered by kamsmom 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
My mom said she had the same problem with me sleeping threw the night...She fixed that by showing me the sun..one day she took me out side and let me see the sun and after that I slept all night and was awake during the day...Show them the sun is now her motto
2006-11-18 20:24:23 · answer #9 · answered by conundrum_dragon 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
he may have hyperthyroidism
2006-11-18 20:24:18 · answer #10 · answered by shellz3 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋