Why is my 6-month baby still waking up hungry twice a night?

[Anonymous]

You basically have two options at this point. You can sleep train. Or not.

If you don't (I didn't, so I can't really speak to the other option), then eventually your child will grow out of waking up at night. WHEN they grow out of it is a crapshoot. Some time between now and their second birthday is within the realm of normal, IME.

Whichever one of these options you choose, someone will tell you that You Are Doing It Wrong. This also applies to: how you feed your baby, how you talk to your baby, when you potty train; whether or not you work out of the home or stay home with your baby; what kind of school you choose; what your child eats and drinks; their behavior in public; and probably what kind of clothes they are wearing. Telling mothers what they are doing wrong is a cottage industry, but the simple truth is none of those people know you and your kid, so go with your gut, do what seems to be the smartest and easiest thing, and then if you don't like it, do something else.

(And all my sympathy for the sleep deprivation. It sucks. I'm sorry. It sucks less when your kids are older.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You basically have two options at this point. You can sleep train. Or not.

If you don't (I didn't, so I can't really speak to the other option), then eventually your child will grow out of waking up at night. WHEN they grow out of it is a crapshoot. Some time between now and their second birthday is within the realm of normal, IME.

Whichever one of these options you choose, someone will tell you that You Are Doing It Wrong. This also applies to: how you feed your baby, how you talk to your baby, when you potty train; whether or not you work out of the home or stay home with your baby; what kind of school you choose; what your child eats and drinks; their behavior in public; and probably what kind of clothes they are wearing. Telling mothers what they are doing wrong is a cottage industry, but the simple truth is none of those people know you and your kid, so go with your gut, do what seems to be the smartest and easiest thing, and then if you don't like it, do something else.

(And all my sympathy for the sleep deprivation. It sucks. I'm sorry. It sucks less when your kids are older.)

I am the mom who wrote that my 6.5 mo just STTN for the first time. I could not agree with this poster more. Your baby is likely not so hungry that he NEEDS to eat twice a night (but ask your ped for his/her opinion), but so what? Sleep really isn't about what your baby "should" be doing at any given point. Do what works for you.

[Anonymous]

At six months, we night weaned down to only one feed a night. She was really hungry and nursed well at one feeding, and went quickly back to sleep, but the other feedings were not like that. I decided she needed the one feed but not any more than that. We used Ferber's method to drop down to only one meal at night,and it worked really well for us. The baby actually slept longer once she wasn't waking up so often--perhaps she was able to sleep deeper.

It is possible that babies wake up out of habit--they are really hungry because they are used to eating at that time, but they don't need to eat then and could go longer.

Now, at ten months, she's stopped eating at night at all.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thank you for the helpful suggestions; now I have some ideas to consider. Thanks especially the idea of using a bottle of water or milk/water (had never heard of that before).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--thank you for the helpful suggestions; now I have some ideas to consider. Thanks especially the idea of using a bottle of water or milk/water (had never heard of that before).

OP, if you do that, go slowly. Cut down an ounce at a time, dilute with water. Don't just give water straight away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"At six months, we think it's about time he slept through the night."
Not to be snarky, but you can think whatever you want.
The reality is lots and lots and lots of kids do not naturally sleep in 12 hour stretches. Neither do many adults. My kid was almost two before he started sleeping through the night.
I agree with 13:02. You can try stuff if you want, but it might just be a lot simpler and a lot less pain for everyone involved if you just feed the kid. I think your instinct not to "sleep train" him is correct. 6 months is still awfully, awfully young.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

How much is he eating at each feeding? My twins used to wake up at 2 and 5 and then they stopped eating very much at the 5 am feeding. They would eat a little and smile at me. So I just started soothing them if they woke up at 5 and they dropped that feeding. One if them woke up at 5 for a couple weeks so I would lay with her a bit to go back to sleep (and not wake the other twin). They are 4.5 months now and sleep from 7 till 2 or 3, and then wake up to feed. But they drink 6-8 oz so they clearly still need that feeding for now. Then they usually sleep till 6-7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"6 months is still awfully, awfully young.

No, it's actually not. Plenty of kids sleep through the night at or before 6 months. It all depends on the kid, weight, habit, etc. My 6 month old weighed more than my friends' one year olds. Different gender & body time. But if he's getting adequate food during the day, there is no "need" to eat at night. Obviously, you can't just cut both bottles one day to the next, but OP can wean her baby off of the bottles slowly.

So you admit that it depends on the kid and then tell the OP that what worked for you will work for her. okay...

+1 It totally depends on the kid. Some kids with STTN no problem others will take a couple of years. There are no kid refunds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"6 months is still awfully, awfully young.

No, it's actually not. Plenty of kids sleep through the night at or before 6 months. It all depends on the kid, weight, habit, etc. My 6 month old weighed more than my friends' one year olds. Different gender & body time. But if he's getting adequate food during the day, there is no "need" to eat at night. Obviously, you can't just cut both bottles one day to the next, but OP can wean her baby off of the bottles slowly.

So you admit that it depends on the kid and then tell the OP that what worked for you will work for her. okay...

+1 It totally depends on the kid. Some kids with STTN no problem others will take a couple of years. There are no kid refunds.

If your kid takes two years to stop eating during the night, it's not just about the kid's individual personality - the parents are doing something to encourage that behavior.

[Anonymous]

OP,
I would give it another month or two-babies change so often at this age. My best guess is that he is just used to having you come in to help him get back to sleep. Even if you beefed up his food intake during the day he may still wake up out of habit down the road.

You'll have lots of decisions to make as a parent- one of them is whether to sleep train or not, make the choice that works for your baby and your family.

[Anonymous]

My son was doing the same thing. I think he was down to one feeding- but that one feeding per night lasted at least until 9 months maybe longer. We tried sleep training him out of the feeding- guess what? The kid was hungry!! We would try to let him CIO and he would scream for 2+ hours until we finally fed him. He would immediately go back to sleep after eating. My son has always been a big eater. I firmly believe he was hungry and needed it to sleep. Do what you feel is right. I think for now try to cut it down to one feeding and go from there. If you are just bf you might want to add formula. It might fill him up more- but formulas not for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was doing the same thing. I think he was down to one feeding- but that one feeding per night lasted at least until 9 months maybe longer. We tried sleep training him out of the feeding- guess what? The kid was hungry!! We would try to let him CIO and he would scream for 2+ hours until we finally fed him. He would immediately go back to sleep after eating. My son has always been a big eater. I firmly believe he was hungry and needed it to sleep. Do what you feel is right. I think for now try to cut it down to one feeding and go from there. If you are just bf you might want to add formula. It might fill him up more- but formulas not for everyone.

You let him scream for 2+ hours? I'm not against CIO, but that sounds extreme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"6 months is still awfully, awfully young.

No, it's actually not. Plenty of kids sleep through the night at or before 6 months. It all depends on the kid, weight, habit, etc. My 6 month old weighed more than my friends' one year olds. Different gender & body time. But if he's getting adequate food during the day, there is no "need" to eat at night. Obviously, you can't just cut both bottles one day to the next, but OP can wean her baby off of the bottles slowly.

So you admit that it depends on the kid and then tell the OP that what worked for you will work for her. okay...

+1 It totally depends on the kid. Some kids with STTN no problem others will take a couple of years. There are no kid refunds.

If your kid takes two years to stop eating during the night, it's not just about the kid's individual personality - the parents are doing something to encourage that behavior.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

My child slept through the night at 6 weeks old. We used The Contented Little Baby Book, and it worked like a charm, with a bit of trial and error. We fed and put him down at 7:30, woke him at 11:30 for a feeding, then he woke about 5 or 5:30 or the next feeding. I went to bed at 10 and my husband took the late feeding, so I always got a decent amount of sleep. MOST babies are definitely ready for long stretches of nighttime sleep by 6 monts.

I also agree with a PP about making sure they eat enough during the day, and nap but NOT too much. Babies need X amount of nutrients and sleep -- make sure they get their food durnng the day and their sleep at night.