can i just give him water untill 5 am?

Question

i still can't figure out how to get my 5 month old to stay away from his habitual feedings at night.

I've gotten one answer that i've read somewhere else - may help.. it's giving your baby warm water instead of milk at night. ( In my case, only untill 3-5 am.. not all night! )

Hes in 50th percentile for his weights and 90th for his height.. So he won't be missing the calories..


And please don't tell me that i'm starving my child, or he will be underweight... ( how do babies that sleep through the night at 6 weeks survive without food then... ? )


Thanks for everyone's input on this..

* Please answer about the water.. not when i should feed him.. He started waking b/c of teething, me, thinking it was a growth spurt would feed him every 4 hrs, so just need to break this habit.. A bottle shouldn't be a form of comfort.. it's a form of nutrition...

Answer 1

Just feed him, water wont fill him up much anyway, and I don't think there's anything wrong with water. Some one said it carried germs but then what about the water you put in formula? Water does not harm a baby.

Answer 2

I don't think that changing the bottle from formula to milk will make a difference in his getting up. It might satisfy him the first time and he'll doze then wake again an hour later looking for formula.
Honestly, I would just give him the formula. He will start sleeping through the night on his own accord.
However, that being said no baby ALWAYS sleeps through the night, there are times in every infancy that the best sleeper doesn't sleep. This frequently happens just before major milestones occur, like talking and walking. If he's teething then it helps sooth him back to sleep, it's simply comforting him at the time he most needs comfort.
Giving him warm water in the night might work, the only way you'll ever find out is if you try. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Answer 3

I suggest that you slowly add more and more water to his milk and eventually he won't be waking up...or you could consider that he is going through a growth spurt which can be once a month and if he is 5 months then he is approaching a new plateau and will need more sustenance. I have never been to good at ignoring a crying child under the age of 10 months and I have happy healthy babies- but I nursed...so if it is a bottle then water it down and he will find no fulfillment and then you can ignore him and let him get himself back to sleep. I wish I could have done that. If it is closer to 5am then it just might be his waking up time for breakfast and you might try to adjust your schedules, like going to bed a little later or at the same time EVERY night...good luck!

Answer 4

I totally agree with your 2nd answer by Kelly...

Some babies will sleep all night early on and some just need food day/night. If your son is 50th % remember that you have been giving him food at night and that does play a huge roll so if you decide to not follow our advice and fill your baby up with water be prepared to make up the calories durring the day. Acad. of Ped now recommends waiting until babies are 6 months before starting solids.

If your going to go through the trouble of giving water why not make it worth your time and do breastmilk?

Answer 5

Don't listen to chery, percentiles that different do not mean your child is underweight. As long as both rates are steady he's fine. Had to rant.

Anywho the water issue yeah you could try it but I'm not sure it will work because water fills up the tummy just like formula. What I suggest is maybe cutting the amount of water you give him every night and see how that works. He's old enough where you could try letting him cry it out but that's up to you.

Answer 6

Some babies can sleep through the night early on but obviously your baby isn't ready. Every baby's metabolism is different so you cant compare your baby to other peoples just because yours doesn't sleep through the night and theirs does. Some adults can not eat all day and feel fine, others would pass out from low blood sugar. Please talk to your doctor before doing this. I know giving a young infant to much water instead of breast milk or formula can seriously harm them by creating a sodium imbalance in their tiny bodies. You could be endangering your child's life unknowingly. Talking to your doctor will let you know how much water you should or can give safely.

Answer 7

I'm trying to read behind the question here...

is it a case where you are not getting enough rest and that is why you would like a break? Are you a single mom or is your partner or another adult in the house?

If so, and you are nursing, can you express some milk and then ask if someone could take turns with you on feeding the baby at night?

Also, have you been able to get the baby into any type of a routine, such as a set time to go down and a set time to get up. It may help the baby if you can get him or her into a routine.

Good luck to you?

Answer 8

As far as water goes, ask your doctor. Breast milk and formula have water in them. As far as what everyone else thinks you should or should not do, forget it! Do what feels natural for you and your baby. Five months old is still really little. You may be tired, but that's all a part of having a baby. I still nurse my baby in the middle of the night and she is 17 months old. I'm sure all of the "Ferberizers" would love that. I am into the attachment parenting method. I go with the flow and it works for her and I. Just do what you feel you need to do as long as it's not harming your baby.

Answer 9

I would not recommend water, due to risk of water intoxication. Rather, I would try him on a spoon-fed rice cereal serving with his last bottle before bed. He is old enough to start solids (regardless of what some on here post). A cereal feeding before bed will fill his belly and get him through the night.

Hopefully, he is not getting you up for the comfort rather than the food - you will be able to tell if you cereal feed him. If he still wakes, it's habit, not hunger... and that is a lot harder to work with! :)

Here's an article on introducing solids from a pediatriacian: http://www.drgreene.com/21_1232.html

Answer 10

What time do you put your baby to bed? If he is only waking up at 5am then maybe he is just an eary riser instead. Or maybe one of your neighbors is getting up that early and he is hearing a noise or something that you are not hearing and that is what is waking him up instead of him being hungry. Have you tried holding him for a little while instead of feeding him? Or have you tried giving him a pacifier? There are a lot of things that could be happening at that time of morning...Is this the only time that he wakes up hungry or is it at other times in the night too? I hope that something here helps you...