MOTN waking/feeding

PhillyGal34

My son is almost 6 months old and used to sttn at 2 to 3 months old. Then he started to wake at night when I went back to work. I figured he just missed me and I'd nurse him back to sleep. But now he's waking 2 times a night [he goes to bed at 8 and wakes around 2 or 3 and 5 then gets up at 7:30 or 8]. He will not go back to sleep without nursing but doesn't really eat. He just snacks and pacifies. If I try to give him the pacifier he cries.

I know there are a lot of reasons he wants up nurse other than food but I don't want him depending on it to fall asleep. And I have a stressful job and need my sleep too. I wouldn't mind one wake up but he seems to be adding night feedings instead of weaning them.

What do I do??

jlsimon56

Does he nurse-to-sleep at 8pm? 

Do you think he might be teething?

How is the temp in his room?

 

These were the things affecting my LO's night waking.  I was nursing her to sleep, then expecting her to be able to fall back asleep on her own in the night.  When she was teething, she wasn't eating as much during the day so she was hungrier at night, and also nursing soothed her aching gums.  Finally, she gets super cold if she's not layered up well.

PhillyGal34

jlsimon56:

Does he nurse-to-sleep at 8pm? not really. I nurse him and he gets tired but I put him in the crib half awake but drowsy... is that bad?

Do you think he might be teething? he is but he's actually been eating more during the day (he gets bottles while I am at work)

How is the temp in his room? it may be cold... his hands were cold this morning... I never thought that might be waking him up because I like it cold when I sleep DUH! I may have to buy a heater for his room... our heat doesn't get to the third floor very efficiently.  What temp should I look to get to? I feel so dumb!

 

he also wakes up because he scoots into the side of the crib but I'm not sure how to stop that, that seems to be the number one reason he wakes up because he is always against the side of the crib when I go in.  

 

jlsimon56

We keep our heat on 70.  LO likes it warm.  She wears a onesie, fleece footy PJs, and a fleece sleepsack to bed everynight, even in the summer.  (We have AC on in the summer.)

Are you still swaddling him?  My LO rolled over REALLY late so we swaddled her for eons.  We used a Woombie when the Swaddlemes weren't cutting it anymore.  That might prevent him from scooting so much?

Is he against the same side of the crib every time?  Maybe put a blanket, folded up, under the mattress on that side so he has to scoot "uphill"? 

And please do not think I was implying that anything was "bad".  You are doing a great job!  I nursed my LO to sleep until she was 15mo.  It just worked for me.  :-)

PhillyGal34

oh I didn't mean to imply that you were saying that :-) I just feel like I might have goofed!

 our house is set to 70 but I don't think the nursery actually gets that warm.  Maybe I need to put him in a fleece sleepsack too. We stopped swaddling him because he was breaking out of them constantly and waking himself up. It didn't matter what kind or how tight. He spent all night trying to get his hands to his mouth. he's doing well without the swaddle but now he scoots.  he actually goes to both sides haha so unless I put both sides up and make a U I'm probably stuck.  

 

Thank you for all the suggestions!!! 

BellePomo

theresat858:

I don't really have any suggestions but I can commiserate...we are going through the same thing!  She isn't even hungry except for one of the wake ups, and the other times she just comfort sucks a little back to sleep.  (And I'd be thrilled if it were back to 2x/night...it's just gotten worse for us).

We don't swaddle but use the magic sleep suit; it keeps her from rolling.  She does scootch a bit but not as much as without it.  Warm is important but too warm can be bad too...

 One thing I've heard mentioned is that maybe if your DH can go try to soothe him back to sleep, he won't need the boob because it isn't right there. (I know this isn't an option in my house, but maybe your DH would help out at night.) 

I'm interested to know if anyone has any other suggestions.... 

 This works for us!  Usually, I can feed LO in his sleep without him waking, but sometimes baby just wants to keep nursing because it's so close.  When my husband notices I've been out of bed a while, he always comes in, cuddles LO and has baby asleep in his crib within minutes.

PhillyGal34

BellePomo:

theresat858:

I don't really have any suggestions but I can commiserate...we are going through the same thing!  She isn't even hungry except for one of the wake ups, and the other times she just comfort sucks a little back to sleep.  (And I'd be thrilled if it were back to 2x/night...it's just gotten worse for us).

We don't swaddle but use the magic sleep suit; it keeps her from rolling.  She does scootch a bit but not as much as without it.  Warm is important but too warm can be bad too...

 One thing I've heard mentioned is that maybe if your DH can go try to soothe him back to sleep, he won't need the boob because it isn't right there. (I know this isn't an option in my house, but maybe your DH would help out at night.) 

I'm interested to know if anyone has any other suggestions.... 

 This works for us!  Usually, I can feed LO in his sleep without him waking, but sometimes baby just wants to keep nursing because it's so close.  When my husband notices I've been out of bed a while, he always comes in, cuddles LO and has baby asleep in his crib within minutes.

 

interesting... maybe I'll send him in first and see if that works!