Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 6 - 9 Months
Babies: 6 - 9 Months
New Discussion

Doctor said to stop giving him a bottle @ 4am!

shaunessashaunessa member
in Babies: 6 - 9 Months
So the doc has a point.  My little one should be sleeping through the whole night, which he was for a while...until now.  He has started waking up at 4am for a bottle.  She said not to give it to him and just let him put himself back to sleep.  Umm...helloooo I'm not just going to leave my child crying!  And don't you think i've tried that?  I've learned to "read" his cries and the 4am one is pretty bad.  He's fully awake wanting a bottle.  He's not fat and measures perfectly on the percentile.  Truth is, I don't mind waking up and feeding him.  I go to sleep almost immediately after his bedtime (8pm) so its not like I'm losing on too much sleep.  Will he grow out of this or am I just assisting a bad habit?

P.S. 
He has a puree and about 4oz of formula before bedtime.  Should I increase his puree intake?
Report Reply to Post

Re: Doctor said to stop giving him a bottle @ 4am!

  • SandFHasseSandFHasse member
    DS wakes up a few times a night. He's 7 months old. We make his bottle, hand it to him and he puts himself back to sleep.
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • DesignermommaDesignermomma member
    Our dr. told us to give him water at night and his body would get used to not needing food at night. He still wakes multiple times a night and we've only been doing it a few weeks now. He drinks about 4 oz total over night and 5-6am he'll drink 4-6oz of breast milk.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    I'm not saying my way is right or wrong but I'll share - neither of my boys STTN until they were close to 1 (the first was just shy of 1 and the second was close to 14 months).  They both were/are skinny kiddos and I felt like that bottle was an important part of their nutrition and the wake up was quick and they went right back to sleep after eating.  Around 1 for each of them I did change the bottle to water and they both finally dropped it.  
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

    image
    Report Reply
  • TeacherVickyTeacherVicky member
    At this age, LO does not need to be fed in the night as long as his caloric intake is sufficient during the day.

    By feeding at 4am, you are creating a caloric need at 4am, KWIM? It really comes down to what you want to do. If you're cool with feeding him at 4am until he stops or you break that habit, then it's fine. If you don't want to create a habit of eating at 4am, don't feed him.
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    Report Reply
  • shaunessashaunessa member
    TeacherVicky said:
    At this age, LO does not need to be fed in the night as long as his caloric intake is sufficient during the day.

    By feeding at 4am, you are creating a caloric need at 4am, KWIM? It really comes down to what you want to do. If you're cool with feeding him at 4am until he stops or you break that habit, then it's fine. If you don't want to create a habit of eating at 4am, don't feed him.
    it makes sense "creating a calorie need".  But then @DesignerMomma said her LO wakes up "multiple" times a night with just water.  I'm worried if I do switch to water, he'll wake up more often.  I guess I can start by giving him less?
    Report Reply
  • TeacherVickyTeacherVicky member
    Again, it comes down to what you want to do, but if you don't think he needs anything, then you don't have to give him anything. Some people will feed, some will offer water, some will help soothe back to sleep and some will do some sort of sleep training method. 

    I've never given my children water at night, with the exception of my DS when he is sick. 
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"