Sleeping Through

[Compostella]

Our 5 month old son is struggling to sleep through. He is on solids and taking them fine along with his formula. We usually get him down by about 8pm

Theres just something that makes him wake at about 2/3am. He takes a bottle and then spends another hour getting back down again.

There are no draughts in the room, its at the right temp, hes happy (albeit he has a cold at the mo). Any tips getting him thro a bit longer. We can manage at the moment but my girlfriend is going back to work in the new year so if we have a waking baby then, we are bith going to be really tired

[ethanryan]

do you have a neighbour that goes out to work or comes back from work at that time.
my son used to wake at 4 every morning and i found it very hard to settle him back down. my health visitor told me, if he has a clean bum and isnt hurt to go in and lie him back down, give him a drink if he has one and leave him to settle himself. if he cries go back in and lie him down and keep doing it, i know its frustrating hearing him cry but at the moment he knows you are going to go in to him so he is waking through habbit.
we brought a disco ball from woolworths for my son and put it on in his room, he was that amazed by the lights that they sent him to sleep.
just remember who's boss without shouting, stay calm

[toby99]

5 months! - my daughter was six years before she slept through! She could wake every two - three hours - I was like the walking dead for years - she just needed company.

Your little boy has possibly got use to having a bottle at that time and now wakes hungry. We are creature of habit and If you can, try not to give him a bottle or drink and just settle him back down for a few nights.

I have never been one for letting them cry though. I think it affects their security and confidence.

[katieg29]

i have a boy of 20 months and a girl of 9mths, neither of these sleep through, both have bottles in the night, i just get used to plugging them in my sleep, im like a xombie myself.
Sometimes you can try every routine but eventually the child will just get themselves in there own routine, it will get easier!!
good luck

[Katie~77]

Both of my babies slept all through the night at 7 weeks. I always put them up to bed at 7pm (from birth) and when they woke up for feeds I fed them in their rooms in the dark.x

[aims1202]

You could try stopping the bottles at night. He is old enough not to need night feeds so offer him water instead. I did this at about 2 months and he was fine. He might not be very pleased at first but if you perservere he will drink water if he needs it. Then he will probably stop waking as he is more than likely waking for the bottle.
You might find he wants a bit more milk in the evening before he goes to sleep. Good luck.

[pixie_woo]

Hi

If you're sure that your LO is otherwise ok then you could try offering 0.5oz less for the middle of the night feed. Reduce the amount every 2-3 days until LO is having so little milk that they realise its just not worth waking for.

Its not uncommon for babies to wake at least once until they're 6 months old. While babies are biologically capable of sleeping for 6-8 hour stretches from 3 months onwards many babies still need that night-feed to tide them through.

I hope you find something successful.

[Compostella]

Thanks for the great advice

Just an update, when he stirs now, I rock him to sleep again which usually buys us another couple of hours.

It seems he's sleeping better now his cold is subsiding.

Thanks again

[paulos66]

Toby, controlled crying shouldn't affect security and confidence if done correctly, you still let the baby know you are there for them and check everything is ok you just don't give them the attention they are craving - it isn't easy though

[beck07]

my baby is 5 months old and he sometimes wakes up in the night lately but he has slept all through the night since he was newborn.. He has started teething and sometimes struggles with wind so maybe that could be the problem? after some bonjela on his gums and a cuddle he usualy goes back off till the morning..