my 8 mth old baby is waking every 2 hrs and the only way he will fall back sleep is by breast feeding?

Question

i will not try the crying thing is it too cruel and i feel that there has to be another way. i know he is not hungry, i think its the only way he knows how to get to back sleep. so I need a suggestion as to how to ween him from feeding so much at night

Answer 1

I just figured out that my 4 month old is very fond of my scent. She was waking often and as odd as it sounds, someone reccomended wrapping her up in a shirt of mine, and she actually sleeps through the night. It could just be coincidence... but I'll take it :)

Answer 2

A pacifier is just something else you will have to break him/her of later and at 8 mos old I doubt that you will get him/her interested. My guess is that your 8mo is possibly having a growth spurt and may just be hungry. Some thoughts are can you let the baby 'cluster feed' in the evening? Can you cosleep for a while until this passes? and are you totally sure that the baby is healthy? maybe an ear infection? I BF my four kids for at least ten months and two of the four started sleeping well at 4-5 months only to start getting up again 8 or 9 months and with one I started cluster feeding at night and gave him cereal before bed and he started sleeping better within a week, the other we ended up letting her sleep with us for about a month, at least part of the night and she grew out it pretty quickly. I know it's so hard to deal with when its going on, but soon enough you'll miss those days, my youngest is almost 3 and I just htink where has the time went. Good luck, and hang in there!!!And don't use a pacifier!!! :)

Answer 3

Is he on soild food? If he is try giving dinner around two hours before he goes to bed. Feed him the soild food at the beginning of the two hours before bedtime and then give him a bath. Play for a while and around an half an hour before bed breast feed him. DON"T let him fall asleep while you are breast feeding him. You want him to get use to going to sleep on his own. This is a rountine that will help him know that eating and sleeping don't go together.

If he wakes up in the middle of the night, give him a pacifer. Try playing some music, go in and let him know you are there but don't pick him up. Rub his hair, sing to him, tell him he needs to back to sleep. Whatever you think is best.

The rountine will help. Once I started it with my son and do it every single night he will caught on and it will eventually get better. If all else falls, ask your doctor.

Another idea: Try supplementing formula into your feedings. Breast feed during the day and when he eats before bed, give him a bottle of formula. This way you are still enhancing the breast but helping you get some sleep. Enfamil Lipil is best with breastfeeding because they can't really tell the difference between the taste. (atleast my son can't and so I am told by others) and get a NUK bottle from gerber. They enhance the breast feeding also!

Best of luck

Answer 4

PLEASE DON'T LISTEN TO M-K...she's obviously not a parent.
She says:
"Sounds like the baby is a bit spoiled to me. It's not too crule. Please, for your sanity, let the child cry itself to sleep."

Babies can't be spoiled at 8 months. Your baby is obviously lacking something and needs you. It's a phase, just be there for him now, and the benefits will be incredible when he's older. Whatever you do, don't listen to MK who refers to your son as "Itslef". It's such a cold statement...."Please, for your sanity, let the child cry itself to sleep". I'm not even against the cry-in-ou method, it's the only thing that worked for my son when he was 6 months old, and now he's a great sleeper, but it was hard and I'm not telling you to do that. You have to do what's best for you situation. Maybe you should try the pacifier, the blanket or rubbing his back to sleep. My 15 month old still nurses to bed every night. When I'm not home (rare) my husband has no trouble getting him to sleep by rocking him. Just try everything that is suggested here, or modify each technique to work for you.

Bottom line, you are the mom and your instincts will guide you through this rough time. You'll get through this, we've all been there!!! BUT DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO REFER TO YOUR BABY AS "IT"!!

One more thing...don't supplement with formula unless you have to....by giving a bottle of formula instead of the breast, you are still encouraging that feeding, and you will dry up faster. Isn't it easier to nurse than to have to go to the kitchen, mix a bottle, then clean it in the morning? Just breastfeed your baby....no bottles unless necessary.

Answer 5

if not having solids yet try that, He is using your breast as a re-settling promt. Try not to breast feed him at night only during the day, otherwise he will continue to wake up 2 hrly, it is following his sleep cycles. Everytime he come up to his light sleep cycle he is breast fed back to sleep. Try a roll-over feed say at 10pm and no other b/f till at least 6am. if you do not want to use controlled crying as an option, just try to pacify him by stroking him and rubbing him. the first night it may take up to 1.5 hrs to re-settle, but should sleep through by 3 rd night if you are consistant with re-settling. it is hard work, but so worthwhile. Seek support from your partner to re-settle. Good luck.

Answer 6

Hi:) You're right : the only way your baby knows to go back to sleep is by you feeding him. But you don't need to let him cry his lungs out! There are different methods to help your baby adapt... Instead of taking him in your arms to soothe him, try leaving him in the crib, but patting him and gently, calmly talking to him. Your voice alone may be calming him and helping him go back to sleep. If not, you can try holding him and giving him a bottle of water. But one day or another, he is going to have to learn to fall asleep by himself. Here's a great link that might just help you out;) http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bsleep/0,,40g7,00.html
Good Luck!!!!

Answer 7

I know you said you're opposed to letting him cry, but my sister was at her wit's end when her child did the same thing from age 7 months to 9 months. FInally, the pediatrician told her to put him in his crib at night an hour after the last feeding and stay in the room. SHe was told not to speak but to rub his back for 2 minutes and stop for 5 minutes. It took two nights before he stopped waking up. He slept through the night from then on. He cried because he coudln't breastfeed, but it did work. 2 nights.

Answer 8

Could he be getting some teeth? What happens if you rock him to sleep?

My son went through a phase like that too when he was teething. I gave him motrin and Camilla (lactose free hylands type of liquid) before he went to bed and it helped some. Sometimes, I would just nurse him because he wanted it and it was just easier.

Answer 9

instead of feeding you could hold your baby until he settles but before he falls back to sleep put him in the cot lightly tap his chest like a heart beat no eye contact or talking just a soft shhhhhh sound, thats what alot of orginisations recomend

Answer 10

Have you tried putting a blanket that smells of you in bed with him? I would try that.
My 18 month old god-son is still wrapped up of a night. His mum sleeps with his blanket of a night, then wraps him with it the next night.
Hope it helps