my baby is just over 4 months old now,i was wondering when he will start sleeping through the night?

Question

im breastfeeding and i put him to bed it 6pm,he usually sleeps until midnight then up at 3 am and 6am..its not that i mind getting up its just im back to work next month and know ill b exausted....by advice i was told to give him sugared water to replace the 3 am feed but he wont drink it...any advice please..

Answer 1

All babies are different, so it could be anywhere from 3 months until 1 year.

Never, EVER give your baby sugared water! The sugar is not good for him and he could get an upset stomach.

Good luck with your precious new one!
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Answer 2

Sounds like he is sleeping too long from the time you put him to bed (6Pm) to midnight?I would try another 1 or 2 more feedings between that time so he can maybe be more fuller. I wonder since he can sleep 6 hours from 6pm to 12 am maybe you can switch it to 6 hours from midnight (after a feeding) until 6 am? I think baby formula would be a better idea than sugar water. Does your baby take a pacifier? That helps alot too. Good luck

Answer 3

Tough one. Babies go through adjustments....what works one month might not work the next. At 4 months, the baby might need to start going to bed a little later at night. Also, you might check with the baby's doctor to see if it's time to add other foods, like some rice cereal, to make the baby feel full longer. Sugar water is just an old remedy to try to keep a baby on a feeding schedule, and has no nutritional value. And you'd still have to wake up to give the sugar water or anything else to eat, to him..

Answer 4

I would recommend a book called "The No Cry Sleep Solution." Basically, you need to break the association between waking and falling back to sleep with a nursing session. He may not need to eat, he may just need another kind of comfort. A month is the perfect length of time to put the plan into action.

Since he is four months old, you might also try giving him some pablum before bed to see if he can sleep longer before waking. I've never done it myself, but it is popular so it probably works.

My articles on this and related topics via the link below.

Answer 5

I would stay away from the sugar water. It looks like he sleeps for 6 hours from 6p til midnight. I would try keeping him up longer and get that 6 hours through the night. The sugar water would never satisfy a babies hunger so that idea is not practical. Your baby should be taking water though to satisfy thirst and hydrate. Some mothers try rice cereal at night. It is heavy enough and fills them up so hunger isn't making them awaken. im the mother of 6 and this worked for me. Four months old is plenty to introduce the baby cereal to. I hope this works for you.

Answer 6

I'm breastfeeding a 6 month old, who wasn't sleeping through. We went to sleep school who started me doing a "rollover" feed about 10-11pm. She now stirs about 3am, I pat her and "shh shh" her, then she sleeps again until 7.30am. The rollover feed seems to help her sleep longer through the night. Do it in the babies room, don't talk to him/her, change nappy or make eye contact. Simply feed, then back into bed with little fuss. My daughter hardly wakes for this and it helps her sleep through. Much safer than giving cereals at such a young age, WHO is now recommending no solids before 6 months of age. Good luck, you'll get there in the end, it just takes longer for some babies than others. :)

Answer 7

Ahh just worte you a long note and then realised he is waking at midnight as well.bah. I woud try starting him on some solids(as simple as farex to start) around 5pm. I would put off his bath until you are ready to give him a bottle.I suggest trying for 7-730pm for the bottle after bath and put him down. If he wakes before you go to bed,try settling him without a bottle. When you are ready to go to bed, maybe 11.30pm feed then. Hopefully with a fuller tummy, a bit tired form being awake longer, he may stay asleep longer.If he still wakes at 3am try settling him without feeding.At 4 months he can do without 2 night feeds. I recomend a dummy if he uses one,sometimes they will go back to sleep if a dummy is popped in the mouth.
good luck, it's alittle bit trial and error and trying to make new routines.

Answer 8

Oh please dont give sugared water to replace feeds.... Milk is 100 times more important.. water should be given in between feeds not as a replacement feed...

I actually dont add sugar to my 6 week old daughters water.. She has plain water... In my opinion water is good for them same as fruit but we dont go adding sugar to our childrens fruit.. I hope my daughter will love water the way it is.. Sorry that is off the subject but I give plain cold boiled water without sugar...(much more healthy for them)

And as for the sleeping throught part... Your baby will find his own routine and sorry to say it but there is not much you can do to influenece sleeping through.... Maybee try keeping him awake longer of a day time and hope that he sleeps longer through the night....

Answer 9

best thing is to give him a feed just before you go to bed, i know every bub is different but i did this with mine and she would go right through. the sugared water thing is silly i was told that too, we are supposed to encourage healthy teeth and gums yet give them sugar in a bottle of water? beats me! anyway i really hope the later feed helps. best wishes

Answer 10

No sugar water.That will hype the child also that is not cool for the teeth that are going to be coming.Those old remedies are not cool for today's children.Try to train your child it is not cruel to slowly change their habit.They might be fussy,but that is how they learn anyway from us.Don't let a 4 mo. old start telling you what is happening,or it will continue to other things as the baby grows.Good luck,be patient and loving.