7 month old waking three-hourly at night for bottle - what's going on?

[Devon]

Hi there

My 7-and-a-bit month old has started waking up three-hourly during the night for a feed.

It's been happening over the last week, and last night he woke up at almost exactly three hourly intervals, and we gave him a bottle each time and he resettled.

I have been bfing and ffing due to low milk supply, he bfs during the night but I don't have enough so we have to give him bottles as well. We're also cosleeping.

I would like some clues as to why this might be happening. He used to sleep really well during the night - we'd get at least a 6 hour block of sleep.

The things I'm considering are growth spurt, he's taking less milk during the day (more solids) so is catching up at night, I have less milk and before he was just bfing more during the night, developmental stage, the cosleeping.

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on, or had a similar thing happen at this age?

I'm trying to figure out if he's really hungry, or if he's just using the bottle to settle himself. He had 120ml three times last night, so it's a reasonable amount of milk. Should I give him a bottle every time, or should I get up and try to resettle without it.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Devon
xxx

[Devon]

any ideas?

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I'd think growth spurt, TBH. Try giving porridge at bedtime. That really fills up anyone's tummy and helps for a longer sleep. Or BF before solids are offered.

If he's feeding back to sleep, I'd let him feed. It was only when DS stopped feeding back to sleep that I stopped feeding at night (I'd drift off while feeding then he'd wake me up again to settle him another way... I was more tired that way!).

[Olive]

maybe try and cut back on the solids and increase his milk intake, either BM or formula, hopefully its also developemental phase as well and he'll start sleeping better soon!

[chickenlittle]

I had a similar experience with mine.. at 11 months old I really needed to put an end to it as I was so sleep deprived... I sought help and was told that a baby doesn't physically need night feeds after 6 months old... it's still fine to do that if you want to of course, but if they're eating and drinking well during the day, then waking up in the night is just a habit.

So I ditched night boobs, and bottles, and a dummy, and started to settle her using other methods ie patting back to sleep. For me the results were quick, she learned that she needed to stay in bed and keep on sleeping because it wasn't time for food or drink yet, and within days we had a baby that was waking maybe only once but settling quickly, and then within weeks she was sleeping through.

It is a very personal choice tho, and this was just my way of dealing with it as a sleep deprived working mum.

Good luck with whatever you choose is best for your bubba. x

[~Raven~]

Developmental leap...teething...thirst - especially if he is having less milk due to favouring solids to fill up on.

I know if I have an out and about day and R is too distracted to BF properly then she will wake during the night for a drink.

[Devon]

Thanks everyone. I am thinking perhaps it is thirst, I'm having a hard time getting milk (bm or formula) into him during the day. I might go back to offering milk before every solid meal.

Might try the porridge closer to bedtime as well.