Night wakings

piedpiper07

Does anyone know how to tell if night waking is becoming a habit or still necessary?
DS wakes every 2 hours and has a full nursing session each time. He goes right back to sleep after and I have no issues getting him to fall asleep, no rocking or anything, he does it on his own. During the day he eats every 2 hours as well, which makes me think it is not habit, but that he is actually hungry.
I have had more than one person say I am crazy for "accommodating him" and I should make him sleep. No idea how I would enforce that LOL.
When does nursing at night become habit? Is it just a habit? Or necessary?

anonsouthernbell

Idk who told you hat but it is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.  You are describing perfectly normal newborn/baby behavior.  Your baby has a need for food/comfort/you and you are meeting that need.  There are tons of gs during the first year of life, esp the first half of said year.  Next time that person says that to you, I'd ask them if they'd prefer that you starve their ------ or just tell them you are doing what is best for your family and then change the subject.

piedpiper07

anonsouthernbell:

Idk who told you hat but it is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. nbsp;You are describing perfectly normal newborn/baby behavior. nbsp;Your baby has a need for food/comfort/you and you are meeting that need. nbsp;There are tons of gs during the first year of life, esp the first half of said year. nbsp;Next time that person says that to you, I'd ask them if they'd prefer that you starve their or just tell them you are doing what is best for your family and then change the subject.

Thanks. I'd begun to feel like maybe I was making him wake up. But he is so obviously hungry that I wouldn't even consider ignoring him. I just started to feel like I am enforcing a habit because it was being mentioned so many times.

anonsouthernbell

: hugs: totally understandable but relax and be confident - you are doing the right thing mama!

mkflower3000

DD is going through the 4 month wakeful, and I was also worried that I was teaching her a bad habit. In her case, I can tell that she's hungry for the first wake up because she gulps like crazy, but every other wake up (about every 90 minutes until morning) she barely eats - just a little bit nursing and then passes out again. So basically I'm concerned that nursing her during those other wake ups is what's causing the problem.

Still, considering the fact that so many of us are dealing with this now, it's a lot more likely than not that it's a normal behavior that will pass eventually  

JanaBabe87

My DS is the same! Everyone says I'm spoiling him but each babe is different. 

drbethc

Pied piper, it seems you and I have the same baby. I have been doing the same thing. My LO eats every 2 hours and still wakes and eats. He has never been one to skip hours at a time without eating even at night. And I have heard the same thing from others. 

Makes me feel a little better that my LO is not the only one doing this... 

khill86

My LO has been waking more at night and I just feed him. He nurses every 12 hours during the day but he is clearly distracted and often unlatches to "talk," smile, look around, listen to something, etc. He definitely gets a better feed at night and I have no problem "accommodating" that.

People are so judgemental about babies and moms, I can't believe it! Especially other women and moms, it's so ludacris. Do what is right for your baby and ignore the comments!

BR

If he's having a full nursing session each time, he's hungry.  Why would people tell you to ignore your hungry baby??  Ignore them!  People comment on too many things that are not even their business and I also think some people don't realize every baby is different.  Just because something worked for their baby, doesn't mean it will work for yours.  You are doing a great job.

acbfreire

I hear you. LO is nursing every hour when awake and waking 3x at night. It's killing me. Oh, and she only naps in my arms... Darn 4 mo wakeful! She was STTN before.