feeding (and early waking) schedule for almost 6 mo old

[Anonymous]

My baby is 5.5 months and started daycare a month ago. Before daycare started, he ate, on average 28-32 oz a day and slept form 7:30 until 6/6:30 pretty consistently. I fed him with size 1 nipples and pretty much on demand- he did alot of contact naps while eating, and usually ate max of 3 oz in one sitting.

Now that he was in daycare, he eats on the lower end of his average and now wakes up at 4:30 am hungry and eats 4 of the oz then. He then sleeps well until 6:30 am. He is using size 2 nipples and does a better job of eating 4-5 oz in one sitting but it is hard to get him to take more than 4.

His eating schedule is:

4am- 4 oz
7am- 2 oz
9am- 5 oz
12 5 oz
2 5 oz
4:30 5 oz
between 5:45 and 7:30 (snacks in my attempt for him to eat more): 4-5 oz


He was in the 75% for weight before and he was weighed at a sick visit yesterday and was at the 50%. Ped didnt say anything, but since he had a cold I dont think they really looked at it.

I am thinking he just isnt getting enough food during the day- which is why he is hungry at 4:30 am but not sure how to fix it. He is very tired after daycare and I cant get him to stay awake longer (he usually naps on the way home from daycare). We tried doing 5.5 or 6 oz in his daycare bottles but he isnt eating it. He has his 6 month visit in 2 weeks and would love to try some other solutions before. asking the pediatrician for advice then. What has worked for others?

[Anonymous]

OP here- just to addd- he is been mainly bottle fed with BM and about 4-5 oz of formula a day since 2 months, occasional breastfeeding.

[Anonymous]

Have you sleep trained? My guess is this is a sleep issue not a food issue.

[Anonymous]

He was sleeping through the night for over a month before starting daycare. I never specifically did anything to "sleep train" him because he was sleeping 11 hours straight before. What would "sleep training" look like at 4:30 am? Not feeding him at 4:30 when he gets up?

[Anonymous]

He should be starting solids shortly, it might correct itself then.

[Anonymous]

Is this breastmilk or formula?

This age was when my (then) baby's intake really peaked. You might consider supplementing with formula if you haven't already, to sort of bridge that gap until solids become a bigger part of the diet.

[Anonymous]

OP here- thanks-- I eats mainly BM and i supplement 4-5 oz a day with formula bc I dont have enough supply. He is bottle fed so he is getting all he wants with the extra formula. We did just start a few solids but I am hoping that helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was sleeping through the night for over a month before starting daycare. I never specifically did anything to "sleep train" him because he was sleeping 11 hours straight before. What would "sleep training" look like at 4:30 am? Not feeding him at 4:30 when he gets up?

He went through the four month sleep regression. It's normal for babies to sleep well until this happens and then they're up more.

[Anonymous]

Can you dream feed when you go to bed? Will he stay asleep if you took him out, fed him in a dark room with no talking, then put him back to bed? If that helps, then do it. But if he still wakes up hungry at 4:30am after a dreamfeed, then you have a sleeping issue not a hunger issue

[Anonymous]

Sorry op daycare transitions can make things wonky. It will even out but it could be a couple things - 1. it may be that he is just waking for a little more connection time. It has happened with my kids with daycare sometimes. So getting a feed and cuddles I think is sometimes about that, the connection. So personally I think ok to give it, usually it is a phase with my kids (I had to sleep train my kids too but they still woke to eat at that age and for an early morning wake like that I would just feed, not sleep train, personally). It could also be the overtiredness from daycare is causing the early waking. And then a feed helps him kind of go back to sleep and make it the last little bit. Again personally I would just do it.

I wouldn't worry too much about ounces. Just offer the extra feed, he will drop it again eventually. At least my kid usually dropped their night feeds mostly on their own. Every kid is different.

And I wouldn't worry too much about the weight. See how it is in two weeks. My kid was recently sick and weight was down at the appointment and I got concerned but when we took him back it was completely back and ped said that kids lose more weight when sick than we would expect because since there isn't as much to lose it looks more stark when they lose a couple pounds. Or something like that, I can't remember her exact explanation but basically she said - normal! So it may not be related.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you dream feed when you go to bed? Will he stay asleep if you took him out, fed him in a dark room with no talking, then put him back to bed? If that helps, then do it. But if he still wakes up hungry at 4:30am after a dreamfeed, then you have a sleeping issue not a hunger issue

OP here-

I did try that for a week and he just eat less at 4:30 hahaha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry op daycare transitions can make things wonky. It will even out but it could be a couple things - 1. it may be that he is just waking for a little more connection time. It has happened with my kids with daycare sometimes. So getting a feed and cuddles I think is sometimes about that, the connection. So personally I think ok to give it, usually it is a phase with my kids (I had to sleep train my kids too but they still woke to eat at that age and for an early morning wake like that I would just feed, not sleep train, personally). It could also be the overtiredness from daycare is causing the early waking. And then a feed helps him kind of go back to sleep and make it the last little bit. Again personally I would just do it.

I wouldn't worry too much about ounces. Just offer the extra feed, he will drop it again eventually. At least my kid usually dropped their night feeds mostly on their own. Every kid is different.

And I wouldn't worry too much about the weight. See how it is in two weeks. My kid was recently sick and weight was down at the appointment and I got concerned but when we took him back it was completely back and ped said that kids lose more weight when sick than we would expect because since there isn't as much to lose it looks more stark when they lose a couple pounds. Or something like that, I can't remember her exact explanation but basically she said - normal! So it may not be related.

Thanks - that's helpful! I have to get up and pump anyways so it's not awful, just sooo tired

[Anonymous]

Take care of your child during the day.

[Anonymous]

I know a baby who always slept just 1 hour nap in the morning abd 1 hour nap for the second nap at home before daycare.

Every kid is different. Now that baby is sleeping longer at daycare and sleeping all night too and wakes up at 6:30am.

Every kid is different

[Anonymous]

OP, your problem is your sleep training at home. Work on that, ve consistent.

Children has sleep regressions many times during theur early years. Just wait for the next one lol