still waking the 2nd one to eat at 5 months, help!

groovygrl

My LOs still wake to eat at least once in the night (bottles are more or less at 630/7pm, then 1130/12, then 5/6. They really don't seem to be able to go more than 5 hrs between meals). For the most part, DD wakes up first & cries & I am 'on' during the 1130/12 feed so I feed her. Then I still get DS up to eat even if he isnt moving around or making noise...I feel terrible, like I should be encouraging STTN but the thought of going back to bed only to be woken up 30 min later & have to get up, heat up a 2nd bottle, go through the whole thing again is just not appealing, esp now that I'm back to work.

Any advice? I don't think he is capable of fully STTN yet, since he completely drains any/all nighttime bottles and does often wake up when I'm feeding his sister (but it could be that her crying/eating woke him I guess).

I feel like I gave up any hope of them STTN any time soon around 4 months  and am back into survival mode. We tried dream feeding at 930/10pm which got them til 3 am and then fed again b/w 6 & 7 before daycare, but they were so full that they weren't eating much during hte day.

Thanks. 

Temp159135562506975

if you don't try- you will never know.... he is certainly at an age capable of STTN.  I would also try soothing your DD and not feeding her a bottle  - see if she will go back down without it - or slowly lower the amount you give her until she's at none.  At 5mo they don't NEED to eat at night - they are doing it out of habit most likely- but unless you try to eliminate it - they'll just keep doing it.  Yeah- it sucks if you have to wake 1/2 hour later - but it's the only way to eventually get them STTN.  Start trying on a weekend.

Rose.9.6.03

I'd stop waking the sleeping baby.   My pedi advised to stop waking the sleeping baby after they showed signs of being able to go longer than 3 hours between feedings.  It can cause them to wake for food when they aren't hungry.

We stopped waking the sleeping baby at 2 months. To be honest, we had two weeks of hell where we were waking all hours of the night for feedings.  However, at the end of that 2 weeks, I had one that was completely STTN and my other (who has always been a bad sleeper) was waking between 1-3 times a night. 

 Good luck with everything!

meldoo2002

I'd also stop waking the sleeping baby.  Yes it sucks to get woken up again, but they will never learn to STTN if you don't let them.  We took a baby each at that point... I had Joey ... he tended to wake more frequently and DH took Nathan.  After about 3 weeks only I was still getting up and within a few more weeks neither of us had to get up!

groovygrl

Thanks...I stopped & he STTN from 730pm til 6 am the last 2 nights. I just needed some encouragement . Now if only DD would do the same!