When Lillian (my now 6 1/2-month old girl) was two months old, she started sleeping through the night. This continued until she was about 4 &1/2 to 5 months old. She then started a growth spurt. Since then she has gained at least ten to fifteen pounds and grown at least five or six inches. The problem is this: she's ravenous, especially at night. When we first started feeding her food, she often could not finish an entire serving, whether it was the gerber tupperware tubs or the beechnut jars. Now, she routinely eats one for breakfast and one for dinner, and sometimes one for lunch as well. However, at night, she wakes up hungry at least three times, if not more. While we have tried not to let her associate sleeping with eating, the truth is she's just too hungry to sleep. Is there any food that will stay in a baby's stomach all night long? It's to the point where I am half-tempted to put biter biscuits and rice cereal in a blender!
2006-12-21 04:20:50 · 15 answers · asked by cheezbawl2003 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
You can mix rice cereal in with the formula in equal portions. I do it every day. I hope you get some answers that help. MY 10 month old wakes up 3 times/night. Takes 30-60 minutes to feed and get back to crib. Then just as I fall asleep it starts all over again.
The Dr. told us we could mix the formula and rice ceral in the bottle.
We use Nestles Good Start with DHA/ARA. There's a scoop inside the can. We use 3 scoops formula PLUS 3 scoops organic rice ceral (Same scooper), and mix with 7-8 ounces hot water.
We use Dr. Brown's bottles too. They help a lot with gas burping and vomiting ewwwwwwwwww!
PS! ------ You will need to open the nipple a little so baby can suck the thicker stuff through. Don't want to forget that.
In the meantime. You and your partner need to take turns. One sleeps tonight, then the other sleeps tomorrow night. You'll lose your flipping mind doing it on your own.
My heart goes out to you, Good luck!
2006-12-21 04:29:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I also have an eight month old and a two year old. A doc told me to feed her oatmeal cereal mixed with babyfood for supper andput some oatmeal cereal in her last bottle of the night. This will hopefully help her sleep a little longer.
2006-12-21 12:27:42 · answer #2 · answered by Crystal T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on her weight ...but i have to tell you two sometimes three jars of baby food a day doesnt sound like a LOT to me. It sounds about average - even low. Granted, we are a family of big eaters here but, i would say some quick cooking oatmeal cereal with a jar of apples or plums, or try 'stage two' with more complex ingrediants in them. If she can handle 'chunkier' food, rice or pastina. again, you can mix it with a jar of strained fruit something. Is she still nursing/getting bottles? I would 'up' the fluid intake as well.
2006-12-21 12:31:17 · answer #3 · answered by motherhendoulas 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she requires more food causing her to be full all night will cause her to become malnourished.
Just try to feed her more during the day. Particularly breastmilk and formula which are the most important and the highest in calories.
Then at night before bed be sure to give her carbs and protein together as this will help her sleep. Meat is a great first food, btw.
More about foods that help you sleep:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042400.asp
2006-12-21 12:31:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
She wakes in the night for a bottle? If so then she's totally normal and over feeding can be a big mistake. Once when my son was about 8 months i wanted to feed him well so he would sleep all night, huge mistake! He woke up anyways and with the biggest stomach ache, he cried for hours. If she's getting full at dinner and is satisfied when she goes to bed then i wouldn't worry a lot of children her age wake at least during the night. My son did for a long time. You could let her cry her self back to sleep, she'll get use to it and soothe her self back to sleep.
2006-12-21 12:29:36 · answer #5 · answered by Curious J. 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are still giving her formula, right? Baby food is good, but she still needs 24-32 ounces of formula or breastmilk every day.
My daughter got a bottle every night before bed. Sometimes she drank 4 ounces, sometimes 6, but it kept her sleeping through the night. Now, she's happy going to bed without a bottle, if she eats her baby food dinner around 5 and drinks her bottle around 7.
Good luck!
2006-12-21 12:24:07 · answer #6 · answered by LadyJag 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Make sure that she is actually hungry, and not thirsty. Offer her water sometimes instead of food.
Also, are you sure she is waking up because she wants food? She could also just be needing something to suck on, to pacify her. A pacifier or a bottle with water if you don't like pacifiers could also help keep her asleep through the night.
2006-12-21 12:26:42 · answer #7 · answered by hourglasspixie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The doctors told me to give my son who is 8 weeks old baby cereal in his bottle. We have just started feeding the cereal to him on a spoon and he loves it. He does sleep better at night with the cereal in his milk.
2006-12-21 12:57:50 · answer #8 · answered by Angel 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Rice Cereal or Oatmeal "Gerber Baby Food" I use to mix it in a bottle and cut a bigger hole in the nipple.
2006-12-21 12:25:47 · answer #9 · answered by Lynn E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay here's the deal: No child gains 15 lbs. in one growth spurt. If she has, then you need to get her checked by a doctor for a metabolism or thyroid problem.
For now: Quit feeding her so often. I can guarantee you that she is not hungry when you are feeding her all those times.
2006-12-21 12:34:52 · answer #10 · answered by CelebrateMeHome 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋