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I need help STTN for my used-to-be good sleeper

katea81katea81 member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
My boy has always been a good sleeper. I was one of those moms whose baby slept long stretches as 2-3 months. He even was sleeping 8-6 for a few weeks.  But ever since the 4 month wakeful period, I fear he has gotten into a habit (is this even possible at 4 months?) of waking every night at 2am and 5am. When he wakes up, he expects to eat. He'll lay in his crib and talk to himself for awhile, but if we don't get him he'll start to cry. I wasn't really all that bothered about it until people started making me feel like we were doing something wrong. "He's not sleeping through the night yet?" "Why are you feeding him when he wakes up? Try to get him to skip that feeding!" "Why is he still hungry since you're giving him rice cereal? That's highly unusual", etc etc. We just started giving him rice cereal right before bed a few nights ago, but he's still up at 2. Last night we tried just going in to soothe him, but the devil child showed up and would only be calmed by a bottle. I don't even know if this is an issue-- or something that other people are trying to make me think is an issue.  I would have thought that giving him cereal would absolutely make him sleep longer. Is it possible that he is just waking up at the same time each night because he's used to it and expects a bottle? Do we have a battle in front of us?! Ahh! Help please! 
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Re: I need help STTN for my used-to-be good sleeper

  • NiniJ55NiniJ55 member
    imagekatea81:
    My boy has always been a good sleeper. I was one of those moms whose baby slept long stretches as 2-3 months. He even was sleeping 8-6 for a few weeks.  But ever since the 4 month wakeful period, I fear he has gotten into a habit (is this even possible at 4 months?) of waking every night at 2am and 5am. When he wakes up, he expects to eat. He'll lay in his crib and talk to himself for awhile, but if we don't get him he'll start to cry. I wasn't really all that bothered about it until people started making me feel like we were doing something wrong. "He's not sleeping through the night yet?" "Why are you feeding him when he wakes up? Try to get him to skip that feeding!" "Why is he still hungry since you're giving him rice cereal? That's highly unusual", etc etc.  We just started giving him rice cereal right before bed a few nights ago, but he's still up at 2. Last night we tried just going in to soothe him, but the devil child showed up and would only be calmed by a bottle.  I don't even know if this is an issue-- or something that other people are trying to make me think is an issue.  I would have thought that giving him cereal would absolutely make him sleep longer. Is it possible that he is just waking up at the same time each night because he's used to it and expects a bottle? Do we have a battle in front of us?! Ahh! Help please! 

    It's only an issue if you think it's an issue.  Each family is different.  Believe it or not many ( A WHOLE LOT) of children do not STTN until after their first or second birthday.  People try to make it seem like something is wrong... but it's actually quite normal to wake at least once per night until the toddler years. 

    DS did not really STTN until a few months ago (when DD was born) - he was still waking once per night and needed comfort to fall back asleep.  I was fine with it -- I'm the type to just follow his cues with what he needs -- I don't do rigid schedules or sleep training.  DD still wakes at night for a bottle and I can see this going on for a while.  She will gradually reduce just like DS did - so I'm not so worried.  DD also has allergies so this causes her to wake also, though. 

    Don't let people try to make you feel bad.  Yes, we would all love a baby who STTN 6 out of 7 nights a week... but trust me you are not alone when a baby who still needs mommy/ daddy/ bottle/ breast 1-2 times a night (more for some).  Does the baby "need" to eat - no they don't NEED to eat in the middle of the night.  But it is normal.

    Good luck with whatever your choose to do.  Just make sure you are deciding to do something about it based on your need to do something... not because people make you feel bad or people make you think it's not normal. 

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  • kmm2150kmm2150 member
    Everything pp said. Also, rice cereal=STTN is a myth: https://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-true-that-eating-rice-cereal-can-help-a-young-baby-sle_10304430.bc
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  • LesleyjkingLesleyjking member
    Is he eating the whole bottle-if so he's likely hungry. I don't think babies eat if their not. Maybe try a dream feed before going to sleep?
    Kingsley Kennedy Wolff born March 16, 2012!!!
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  • jodywelshjodywelsh
    I wish I could help but my DS is exactly the same. He will do a night here and there from 7:30 to 5 but he seems to need to eat sometime most nights. And he really just wants to eat, because he is fed and back in bed in 20 minutes. The Dr seems to think he is just used to waking up but I figure if he wants to eat, better to feed him than have a meltdown and still have to feed him to get him back to sleep.
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  • rockychryslerb2010rockychryslerb2010 member
    I feel like E is always changing, so now we handle night wake-ups differently.  His new thing is to wake between 10-11pm, so I will nurse him.  For every additional wake up (sometimes none, 1 or 2..), I send H in first to try to calm him.  Most of the time, it does the trick and he goes back to sleep.  If he won't settle down for H, I will nurse.  E always wants to nurse when I go in, so sending H has helped us differentiate between waking up due to habit vs. hunger.
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  • treble_cleftreble_clef member

    I agree with pp.  It's just a little hard for the parents if the baby doesn't STTN, but so what?  Pretty soon they won't even want you to come into their rooms.  That's how I think about it:D

    My friend was bragging the other day about her baby sleeping for 10 to 12 hours straight at night.  She said her baby is a good girl, but it just means she doen't have to do take care of her baby at night.  

    I struggled with my son, who was a terrible sleeper, and I feel like all I was trying to do was to think of a way to avoid taking care of him.  Now I treasure the time with my daughter.  If she wants me to hold her at night, fine:)

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    Proud mother of two breech babies:)

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  • katea81katea81 member
    Thank you all for your great advice and responses. I know that he's hungry because he downs the whole bottle in a short 20 minutes and goes right back to sleep afterwards. Im going to try having my hubby go in to soothe him first, but then we'll just continue to feed him if it doesn't work.  We'll see! I try to think that one day I will truly miss his needing us so much! Already the time has gone by too quickly! 
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