Really stupid feeding question

Cristin23

You would think since, you know, I'm his mom I would know, but I feel like my baby is eating just to eat. So I need some opinions.

Here's my question:

K is 7 months old. He will go to sleep just fine at 7:30-8:30pm depending on his signals.

He will eat a 4 oz bottle of formula and fall straight to sleep in his crib.

Without fail he will wake up at 11:00 (when he goes to bed at either time) and eat another 4 ounce bottle or breastfeed.

Then I will put him back in the crib he will wake up an hour later. He won't take his pacifier, he will scream bloody murder if we enter the room and don't pick him up (to say, "mommy and daddy love you, but it's bedtime"). By the point where we give in, nothing will calm him down except a bottle or boob.

He will wake up ever 1.5-2 hours if I put him back in the crib at this point. The only way he will go back to sleep is if he eat. If I bring him in bed, he will still get up and eat throughout the night-whether it be boob or bottle.

Sometimes I can trick him into taking his pacifier, but 9 times out of 10 he'll get more upset and just purse his lips together and shake his head from side to side and scream.

So, am I feeding my baby to much? Am I setting him(or me) up to fail? To me it just seems like he wants to eat constantly. This isn't a recent thing, he's just gotten way more demanding in the past couple weeks.

EVA116

That is exactly what is happening to me right now! I am curious to see what advice is given...I need it too.

LadyXaverian

How much formula is he getting in a 24 hour period?

What if you gave him a bigger bottle at bedtime? Nora gets, on average, 32 oz for the day , and she gets 8 of those ounces at bedtime. 

bootsnbananas

I don't really know, I guess there are a couple of things to consider.

I don't think 4oz is enough?? Every baby is different but Julia has been eating over 4oz at a time since she was 4 months old. So if every feeding is 4 oz he may just not be getting enough during the day.

Is he getting solids?? He may need something to fill his belly up.

Honestly it doesn't necessarily sound like he is eating too much if he is eating such a small amount per feed.  

Julia eats a jar of baby food mixed with rice or oatmeal at dinner time (6:30) a 4oz bottle after and usually a 6 oz bottle before bed at 9:30 (doesn't always finish it).  

daisygirl2010

Maybe you need to be feeding him more during the day/evening.  Can you up his bottles and solids during the afternoon/evening feeds?  If he's hungry all night, it sounds like he isn't getting enough to last him.

 

bootsnbananas

Also it is possible that he just isn't ready for bed that early.  When is his last nap before then?? If Julia naps too late she will not go to bed. She naturally goes to sleep a little later and sleeps later in the morning (which works for me)

WaitingforGrace

I was going to say the opposite. My girls need a lot of sleep and if they are kept up past 7:30 they are little terrors at night. If they go down by 7:30 (and this is with a nap from 5-6) they sleep like little angels until 6:30am.

I'd try bedtime at 6:30 and see if you get a longer stretch then.

When he wakes at night are you purposefully feeding only a "snack" to get him to go back to sleep? What if you try a more full 5-6oz feeding?

mrsmatchett

My son started doing this at 5 months and I dont know ur views on Ferber but in his updated book he talks about how in the 3rd (i think?) month their sleep cycles change and thy go through the REM cycle every 30 minutes so they are constantly waking up its just a matter of them learning how to fall back asleep w/o help (ie you, paci, etc) it worked for our son tremendously, he now sleeps from 10-12 hrs at night w/o waking up and its not easy but it takes about a week typically and the book helps, I would never recommend doing it without reading the book. Its called How to solve your child's sleep problem in case youre interested. Good luck!!

Cristin23

SEE! I told you that it was a stupid feeding question!

I didn't even THINK about increasing the amount of formula, he seems pretty content with 4, so I gave him 4. 

All together he has about 24 oz a day...maybe 12 for sure at daycare plus food, and 9-12 oz at night (this includes the 11:00 feeding)

sigh. Great, I've been starving my child.

plaidgirl117

My pedi encouraged me to let DH look in on DS in the middle of the night. If LO smells me, he will want to nurse.  He won't take a paci from me but will from DH.  I don't know if this is anything that is helpful or if you have someone who can help you, but it is something I have found useful.

Cristin23

slhessel:

My pedi encouraged me to let DH look in on DS in the middle of the night. If LO smells me, he will want to nurse.  He won't take a paci from me but will from DH.  I don't know if this is anything that is helpful or if you have someone who can help you, but it is something I have found useful.

Nope, tried this. He refuses it with his dad as well as me...the little turd

RayRay007

Cristin23:

SEE! I told you that it was a stupid feeding question!

I didn't even THINK about increasing the amount of formula, he seems pretty content with 4, so I gave him 4. 

All together he has about 24 oz a day...maybe 12 for sure at daycare plus food, and 9-12 oz at night (this includes the 11:00 feeding)

sigh. Great, I've been starving my child.

My LO can't take much more than 4-5 oz. of formula without throwing it up so be careful! Maybe if you offer a little more at every feeding throughout the day, rather than uping the bedtime bottle drastically, will help?

Also, DD's been waking a lot at night lately and sometimes gets pretty upset if I just try to sush her and give her a paci, and will struggle to get to my boob if I try cuddling/rocking, so I've resorted to giving her the boob for a minute to calm her down, and then sneaking the paci in there. I'm hoping she eventually learns that she doesn't need to eat at night.