Is it normal for him to be waking up so much?!

MamaT83 · June 2013

DS is 5 months old. We have a very consistent nighttime routine. He has a bottle around 9:00-9:30, and then he typically fights going to sleep, so we pat him until he falls asleep. We are currently co-sleeping. He is strictly formula fed, and we supplement his bottles with some rice cereal as well.

He is currently waking up 3-5 times a night and has consistently done so since birth. The longest stretch he will sleep is 4 hours but on average he only sleeps 2-3 hours before waking.

We have tried increasing the amount of formula during the night, thinking maybe he just needs to eat more, but we have found regardless if we give 4 ounce bottles or 6 ounce bottles, he will finish every last drop and still wake up just as much. He has a couple of 1 hour naps during the day, and a 1-2 hour nap around 6pm. We have tried forgoing the evening nap to see if he slept longer, and it had no affect on him waking up.

I have also tried just giving the paci, but he wants the bottle, and will wake up rather than go back to sleep with the paci. My thought has been, if he wasn't hungry he wouldn't eat, right?

I'm not too bothered by it, it sucks waking up so much but I'm really more concerned about whether or not it's normal that he isn't sleeping long stretches yet. I've been reading the forums and am wondering if maybe we have gotten him too reliant on needing a bottle and/or being patted to get back to sleep. I barely let him stir before I give him a bottle to get back to sleep. I'm wondering if maybe he has become dependent on needing the bottle to sleep? Is he too young to start trying to teach him to sleep on his own and learn how to put himself to sleep?

Any thoughts???

Kyleedawn08 · June 2013

i think at 5 months its more of a bottle dependency thing. i wouldn't cut back all the way on nighttime feedings, but try to start letting him fall asleep on his own, he should give you at least 4 hour stretches at night consistently. 2 is a little much i would think, he shouldn't be hungry in only 2 hours. possibly just bored, sees you, and wants to cuddle and eat. idk if you are a fully pro-cosleeping mama, but DS started sleeping for longer stretches when he moved into his own room.

orangegoggles · June 2013

Kyleedawn08:
i think at 5 months its more of a bottle dependency thing. i wouldn't cut back all the way on nighttime feedings, but try to start letting him fall asleep on his own, he should give you at least 4 hour stretches at night consistently. 2 is a little much i would think, he shouldn't be hungry in only 2 hours. possibly just bored, sees you, and wants to cuddle and eat. idk if you are a fully pro-cosleeping mama, but DS started sleeping for longer stretches when he moved into his own room.

I agree with a lot of this.

However, it also depends on your baby. How much does he weigh? Was he born early? Sometimes babies really do need to eat that often but at 5 months its uncommon.

My son always slept like this and then we had a month where it got worse. He started to get up every hour after each sleep cycle. He just couldn't get himself back down without my help. I have read that getting a baby to put himself down instead of feeding, rocking, patting, etc. helps them develop self soothing abilities. I still do those things with my little one but I make sure he doesn't fall asleep and we only do it for a couple of minutes. Once he is good and drowsy I put him in his crib.

Of course he screams sometimes but then I go back in every few minutes. I rub his head, say its ok, etc. I do not pick him up and leave the room in less than 60 seconds.

It took a few nights but now he's able to put himself down most nights without protest. His sleep has improved dramatically! He goes down around 7 and is able to sleep until about 3:30-4:00 am. THen eats and sleeps until 7.

pitterpatter129 · June 2013

Yes. Sleep depends on the kid and there is no correct pattern. However, there are average patterns:https://www.thealphaparent.com/2013/01/timeline-of-baby-and-toddler-sleep.html

mben1119 · June 2013

I would try to push an earlier bedtime.

tigergirl25 · June 2013

I agree that an earlier bedtime might be better. Maybe give him his last bottle at 7:30 and have him into bed at 8. That's what we do with our 4 month old. You can also start gradually cutting out ounces in the middle of the night and feed him more during the day. I have found that getting my son on a schedule of eating every 4 hours during the day made him stretch longer at night.

tilsonc · June 2013

How much total is he eating during the day? LO has to eat close to 30oz or she will wake up in the middle of the night hungry. She sleeps 9-11 hours a night. My LO just turned 3 months. Your LO should be able to sleep for long periods if they are at least 12 lbs.

I would also put LO in their own room. We did not get much sleep until we put her in her own room at 6 weeks. I would think LO needed to eat or was hungry when reality she was just moving around and making noise (they are so noisy when they sleep!). I can hear LO when she wakes up in the morning as I leave both bedroom doors open. I also have a monitor that I can turn on and look at her (I keep it off as battery life is not good and I would hear every noise).

Want a personalized experience?

Is it normal for him to be waking up so much?!

Re: Is it normal for him to be waking up so much?!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards