Weaning the MOTN feedings/wakeups?

lancyjo

Ok... I used to say that I loved the one time a night feed that Aria woke up for, and I'd do it until she was 45 if it mean I got to snuggle her for that little bit of time. I also would say that if she started getting up more than that, I'd look into fixing it.

Well, the time has come. For the last two weeks, Aria has been up THREE times a night. She might be a little hungry, but I don't think that's it since she's back asleep after only an ounce or two. She always eats approximately 6 ounces right before bedtime. (we do bath-bottle-rock-bed) I lay her down by 8:30, she's up at 12:30, 2:30, and 5:30/6am (up for the day at 7:30, as usual). This is nuts, and I'm losing my mind. I know she's figured out that if she wakes up and cries, I'll come get her. It's a holy meltdown if hubs goes in to get her because she wants me, so that's no good.

How did you wean the MOTN feedings/stop the wakings? Help me. I need sleep.

Eta: sorry I'm a PW today ladies... I have to do something to keep myself awake.

pinkshades05

Last night was a tough night for us. Nat woke up 3 times BEFORE 2:30am! But I think she did it for teething because that second tooth looks ready to poke through. I just dealt with it and got a mocha this morning

Jen0204

Do you BF or bottle feed?  I would imagine that it would be harder to wean from BFing since part of that is a comfort component, but I really have no idea with that stuff.

Anyway, at our appointment today the doctor suggested putting water in their bottles instead of formula to help get them off of the habit of nighttime calories.  We'll give it the weekend and see how it goes and if they're just a hot mess all weekend then I think we'll try giving them a couple of ounces of formula and then some water (or watering down the formula a lot) to wean them off.  When I told him that we did CIO for the bedtime routine to help them learn to go down better he suggested doing that for any wake-ups apart from the one feeding wake-up.

MrsLindinger0905

Anna's usually up between 3-4 for a feeding, which we've been ok with, but lately she's been waking up around 10:30-11 (which is right when DH and I go to bed). We decided this week that since she wasn't hungry at that time that we would just let her CIO. She cried on and off for about an hour and then went to sleep, and skipped her 3 am feeding! In fact the 2 nights since then she's slept from 7-6:30 with no wake ups!

lancyjo

Jen0204:

Do you BF or bottle feed?  I would imagine that it would be harder to wean from BFing since part of that is a comfort component, but I really have no idea with that stuff.

Anyway, at our appointment today the doctor suggested putting water in their bottles instead of formula to help get them off of the habit of nighttime calories.  We'll give it the weekend and see how it goes and if they're just a hot mess all weekend then I think we'll try giving them a couple of ounces of formula and then some water (or watering down the formula a lot) to wean them off.  When I told him that we did CIO for the bedtime routine to help them learn to go down better he suggested doing that for any wake-ups apart from the one feeding wake-up.

We bottle feed. I might try your water/CIO suggestions this weekend. (we did a sort of CIO for Aria too, once nothing else worked) Since it's the weekend, I guess it'd be the perfect time to try, right? Ugh. Sleep baby, sleep!

Jen0204

lancyjo:

Jen0204:

Do you BF or bottle feed?  I would imagine that it would be harder to wean from BFing since part of that is a comfort component, but I really have no idea with that stuff.

Anyway, at our appointment today the doctor suggested putting water in their bottles instead of formula to help get them off of the habit of nighttime calories.  We'll give it the weekend and see how it goes and if they're just a hot mess all weekend then I think we'll try giving them a couple of ounces of formula and then some water (or watering down the formula a lot) to wean them off.  When I told him that we did CIO for the bedtime routine to help them learn to go down better he suggested doing that for any wake-ups apart from the one feeding wake-up.

We bottle feed. I might try your water/CIO suggestions this weekend. (we did a sort of CIO for Aria too, once nothing else worked) Since it's the weekend, I guess it'd be the perfect time to try, right? Ugh. Sleep baby, sleep!

As long as she eats enough without that feeding I would try it.  I am really hoping that this leads to them STTN sometime soon.  I could deal with the 5:30am wake-up if I wasn't up a few times a night with them.

lancyjo

Jen0204:

lancyjo:

Jen0204:

Do you BF or bottle feed?  I would imagine that it would be harder to wean from BFing since part of that is a comfort component, but I really have no idea with that stuff.

Anyway, at our appointment today the doctor suggested putting water in their bottles instead of formula to help get them off of the habit of nighttime calories.  We'll give it the weekend and see how it goes and if they're just a hot mess all weekend then I think we'll try giving them a couple of ounces of formula and then some water (or watering down the formula a lot) to wean them off.  When I told him that we did CIO for the bedtime routine to help them learn to go down better he suggested doing that for any wake-ups apart from the one feeding wake-up.

We bottle feed. I might try your water/CIO suggestions this weekend. (we did a sort of CIO for Aria too, once nothing else worked) Since it's the weekend, I guess it'd be the perfect time to try, right? Ugh. Sleep baby, sleep!

As long as she eats enough without that feeding I would try it.  I am really hoping that this leads to them STTN sometime soon.  I could deal with the 5:30am wake-up if I wasn't up a few times a night with them.

Me too. I could totally do the earlier wakeup time if I got more sleep at night!

She's a bottomless pit, eating at least 24 ounces a day plus 3 meals and snacks during her waking hours The MOTN ounces aren't necessary, so I really think we'll try your suggestions.

Jen0204

Good luck!  If either of us are coherent we'll have to compare notes on Monday.

lancyjo

Jen0204:

Good luck!  If either of us are coherent we'll have to compare notes on Monday.

Thank you, and good luck to you too!

aracelyluna

We have also done CIO. Jorge goes down sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 he was waking up at around 1:30 for food. Last week I started weaning. The first night he was up for an hour, I just did the usual routine went in every 15 minutes until he went to sleep. Since then he has only woken up again like that one or two nights but now only cries for about 20 minutes before doing to bed. He wakes up at 6:20 every morning to eat and goes back down until 8:20. I still breast feed and he gets 23 meals a day.

jmccall79

Does she take a paci?  When Ian would wake in the middle of the night, it was usually because he'd lost his paci.  I knew he wasn't "really" awake.  I'd go in and stick the paci back in his mouth and he'd be good to go.  Sometimes it was only once a night, sometimes it was a couple.  Sometimes he'd actually be awake, but I'd still just stick the paci back in his mouth, lay him down, tell him good night and leave.  He'd always go right back to sleep.  Don't offer the feeding.  If she doesn't take a paci, I'd go in let her know you're there, if she's awake, tell her good night and lay her down and leave the room. 

PALGal

jmccall79:

Does she take a paci?  When Ian would wake in the middle of the night, it was usually because he'd lost his paci.  I knew he wasn't "really" awake.  I'd go in and stick the paci back in his mouth and he'd be good to go.  Sometimes it was only once a night, sometimes it was a couple.  Sometimes he'd actually be awake, but I'd still just stick the paci back in his mouth, lay him down, tell him good night and leave.  He'd always go right back to sleep.  Don't offer the feeding.  If she doesn't take a paci, I'd go in let her know you're there, if she's awake, tell her good night and lay her down and leave the room. 

 

This for us too

jldubb0626

My pedi suggested not feeding at the wake up and if you have to feed, wait 15 minutes before doing so. So, if she's up at 3:00, do whatever possible to get her to go back to sleep and if nothing works, feed her at 315. Once she's "programed" to get up at 315, push to 330. We did this with Eli around 3ish months for about a week or so and he's been STTN ever since.