my 4 month old son is still waking at night for breast feed?

Question

any tips or advice my son is still waking 2 or 3 times a night for a feed he only feeds for about 5 mins then back off to sleep i have to other children so cant let him cry for to long ( it wakes them up) am so tiered i end up putting him in bed with me. I know i shouldnt but just fall asleep feeding him i worry that i will hurt him in my sleep

Answer 1

I have 4 kids, and apart from the eldest, who was a great baby and slept from I week old, the other 3 were up at night till they were at least 2 years old.

Consider yourself lucky!

I've very rarely heard of 4 month old babies who sleep through the night. I think you may be expecting too much.

Don't worry about taking him into bed with you. I used to have my kids in a crib beside the bed, and when they woke I'd just pick them up, bring them into bed, get them latched on, then go back to sleep.

They would usually empty that side and start grouching again, so I's swap them to the other side, get them latched on, and again go back to sleep.

They are all now happy healthy young adults.

And although the sleepless nights were very hard, we got though them.

You will too!

Answer 2

I don't want to scare you but my soon-to-be-five yr old still wakes up sometimes 2/3 times a night! I have an 18month old son who sleeps very well (unless he's sick or teething) so I think it depends on the childs personality and the way you bring them up. My daughter always slept in my bed and used to have a bottle next to her whereas I didn't allow that with my son and he's an angel....so who knows!? Your family need you to be able to function and you are no use if you're sleep-deprived. If you do not have anybody to help you do the night feeds (you can always express during the day) then I would let your son sleep in your bed so that you can get the sleep you need!

Answer 3

Are you all mad, you should never fall asleep with your babies in your beds, not only is it not good for them and you are making a rod for your own back once they are older, and may not sleep in their own rooms. But also, you can't say that you will not fall asleep and you or a partner roll onto the child without realising. Please do not do it, I would suggest that if he is waking that often and only feeding for 5 mins that it is a habit rather than the fact that he is actually hungry, especially if you know that he is getting enough through the day, I would say try to pacify him in another way and also make sure you settle him back in his own room before going back to bed, have you tried a soother or music on softly.

Answer 4

Co-sleeping is normal, healthy and GOOD. NOT BAD. Don't feel bad that your son is co-sleeping with you. He still needs to eat that often during the night, and it will help you and your other children get more sleep. Let him sleep with you! Just do it safely. You are the mom, and you have a sense that will keep you from hurting him in your sleep. If you still aren't comfortable, put his crib next to your bed. That way, you can hear him when he first begins to wake up and you can scoot him over after feedings.

Check out www.askdrsears.com for tips and research that has been done on co-sleeping. You will be pleasantly surprised that it reduces SIDS and has many other benefits!

Answer 5

Unless you a get him to eat more during the day then there isnt a lot you can do, i agree the cry it out method wont work as he is waking because he is hungry. Can you increase the calories he gets in his daytime meals? Does he have the formula for hungry babies? these are packed with more calories too. I dont know what solids he gets but look at giving him more filling things and see if this works. Babies often go through growth spurts and eat like horses for a while so i reckon this will settle down. I bet next time he is weighed he has gained a lot. Good luck x

Answer 6

It is perfectly normal for a baby to wake for feeds during the night.
It is perfectly fine to fall sleep while feeding. That is why breastfeeding is so great. You can feed in your sleep!!!
Just make sure all pillows are away from baby, lay baby on top of your blanket. You will be fine. Plus a breastfeeding co-sleeping baby has less risk of SIDS.
If you are not comfortable co-sleeping then you just have to deal with getting up and down in the middle of the night for feeds.

Answer 7

At 4 months it is normal for a baby to wake up and nurse at night. Don't try giving him rice cereal to make him full, it does not work. At 4 months he may not be able to digest it properly anyway and could wake up more often from an upset tummy. When he wakes, try keeping him up to nurse longer than 5 minutes and maybe he will sleep longer in between feedings. Good luck!

Answer 8

My 4th child is 4 months 6 days old and he stills has problems sleeping threw the night most nights he does great but there are a few nights he wakes up my son had colic so he slept in his swing for a while and liked it and most of the time slept longer then in bed with me. It is time for a little oatmeal before bed it helps alot when he goes to sleep I put him in his crib if he wakes up then he makes it to my bed for the rest of the night I have never rolled over on any of my children but you do have to be careful just because you wont does not mean that your partner wont I would try a little oatmeal before bed if he wakes try in bed with you

Answer 9

Having your baby in your bed is your choice. If your happy to do it then its ok as long as you haven't been smoking, drinking, taking drugs (illegal or perscribed) or seriously overweight.

Personally I didn't like my son in bed with me but if its ok with you then go with it.

A lot of babies do sleep through at this stage but not breast fed babies. Breast milk is lighter and doesn't fill them up as long as formula. How about topping him up with a formula feed before bedtime?

He might just be wakening out of habit now and looking for comfort. Maybe try offering a soother and see if that sees him back to sleep. If it does then you know it isn't hunger thats wakening him up.

But it does sound pretty normal to me for a breastfed baby this age still to be feeding during the night.

Answer 10

Just feed him!
My daughter still woke up for a feed at 16 months, but at 18months she stopped.

You're not likely to hurt him.
Have a little sleep in the evening before everyone else does, have husband take children while you have a little shut eye.