Would you try to "fix this"?

TiaTia

No flames please.

I'm working on the Ferber method to cut my DDs paci/sleep association, and I have to say that for the most part it's working. I've always told myself that I would never let her CIO if she sounded hungry.

As of a couple of nights ago, she's been giving me her hungry cry every 2.5 hours from her last feed, like clockwork. But when she latches on, she doesn't always eat.  Of those 4-5 "feedings", 1 or 2 are purely nursing herself back to sleep....but I can't tell her nursing from her hunger.

Could this be a growth spurt that I should just leave well enough alone?

Should I be Ferberizing these wake ups too, and feeding her only after a good amount of time has gone by?

We have been doing solids (cereals) once a day at either breakfast or lunch...should I try to put in a second meal in the evening?

Looking for advice/support from anyone who's "been there".

 

hlashley

I don't know anything about the Ferber method.

I just wanted to say your baby girl is adorable!

ta78

I think you are going to get a lot of 4 month wakeful responses. We were having a similar problem at about the same age as your daughter. (DS is now 5 mo 1 week.) And that's when I started Ferber. DS started going to sleep on his own and sttn (8 hrs) after 3 nights. We haven't taken away the pacifier, but only give it to him when he first goes down and sometimes he doesn't need it at all then.

I was unsure about not feeding him at first too. So I started with letting him cry the 1st time he woke up and told myself I wouldn't feed him before 2, then 3, then 4. Right now he sleeps from 730-530 and I feed him then he sleeps until 730. Maybe someday I'll cut out the 530, but this was a big step from getting up every couple hours.

I think if you cut out the first feeding after she goes to bed, she may start skipping some of her other wakings. If after a few nights it doesn't get better, than you can go back to feeding her. Ferber is a tough method, but it works.

MEJ2008

Personally, I think four months is too early. During the four month wakeful, babies are more aware and distracted and may not eat as much during the day causing them to want to make up for it at night. DS wakes every 2.5-3 hours and he is genuinely hungry. If she is just comfort nursing and not actually eating, is there a possibility that she is teething?

kg_08

I'd say do Ferber on the 2.5 hour cries too. DD doesn't have a "hunger cry" that I can tell, but I KNOW that any time I've tried to feed her before the 3 hour mark she usually won't take it. IMO if she's only sucking for a minute that's the same as a paci.

TiaTia

hlashley:

I don't know anything about the Ferber method.

I just wanted to say your baby girl is adorable!

 Thanks! We think she's kind of cute too