15 Week Old Used to Sleep Through the Night Is Now Waking to Breastfeed

Growth Spurt!!! Both of mine went through one at that age. When it happened with the second, I remembered it from the first. You have a very "easy" baby over all so you can be quite thankful for that. Some of them come with many more issues. My first child was more like you describe than my second :).

My daughter is 5 months old and she went through the same thing. It is a growth spurt. It lasted about a week. Another thing it could be is the 4 month old sleep regression. Around this time they start becoming easily distracted while eating, so they may not be eating as much during the day as they used to. That is why they wake up in the middle of the night so hungry!

My daughter is EBF. When she wakes up in the middle of the night (like the other moms said, they go through phases), I try to comfort her without feeding her. I rock her, rub her, etc. Within a few minutes, I can tell if she is hungry or just awake for another reason. If she's hungry I feed her.

Congrats on breastfeeding! I agree with the growth spurt...there are other things you can do to help this as well. Increasing supplements and an organic protein mix will enrich your milk and make your son last longer between feedings. I did this with my children and it made such a huge difference. If your interested, drop me a line and I'd be more than happy to help you!

Take care,

D.

Sounds to me like a growth spurt. Kids will always keep you guessing, they never stick to a plan that you have.

I think he is probably going through a growth spurt - if not a physical one then a developmental one. I am also a first time mom - my son is now 13 months old - and we've cetainly had our share of similar experiences. I found the book, "The Wonder Weeks" to really insightful and helpful, and highly recommend it. Chances are your son will settle back into his routine shortly - but don't get too comfortable because the next growth spurt is not that far away! :0)

Good luck making the transition back to work!

I will keep this fairly short. With babies and kids, as soon as you think you have something down, it changes! First, he is still SO YOUNG. If he acts like he needs to eat, he does. Rarely does a (breastfed) baby that young sleep more than a few hours. And if they do, it'll change before long! It sounds to me like he's growing and needs nourishment.

If you want to encourage healthy sleep patterns now and as he grows, read The No Cry Sleep Solution by E. Pantley. I'm not sure how soon you have to return to work, but this book can help you give your family a realistic goal and work toward it. And remember, your days of a full night of solid sleep are pretty much over. Your definition of good sleep changes post baby! But it does get better, I promise.

It sounds like a growth spurt. Just when I think I'll go mad, they go back to sleeping normal again, if not better! Also, when they are going through big change like getting ready crawl, etc... I also love the book the no cry sleep solution by E. pantly. Here are some resources that might help.

http://www.pantley.com/E./books/0071381392.php
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp
http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/articles/cuefeeding...
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html
http://www.ezzo.info/babywise.htm

Be flexible. As soon as you figure out their schedule, they change it. No two babies are alike. My older one ate every 2 hours round the clock. My younger one would sleep for 5-7 hours and we couldn't even wake her to feed her(not even with cold wash cloths or taking off her clothes. They eat when they're hungry. Go with the flow.

Hi E.,
I'm a Babywise Mama, and love every wonderful thing it gave me! Congratulations.

I agree with your already awesome advice. Is it too early to start a few solids?

Also, remember, let him self-comfort a little. If he's waking up at almost the same time every night, he may think he's supposed to, especially if he's getting a feeding out of it.

Again, maybe a little rice cereal would help?
t

Hi E.,

You use the word "backtracking" a few times. I hate to say...get ready for a lot of this throughout parenting. We have a model set in our minds by our culture...of constant progress (marching forward always) as the desired pattern. Real learning and child development is a lot more complex. Sometimes kids "regress"...or I'd say "revisit" an area of comfort before moving on. I (and many others) say this is normal. Sometimes kids make leaps and jumps that don't fit what we expect. If you are more flexible in your expectations...it will leave you less stressed.
But the fact that your little one eats really well at all feeds...I'd say a growth spurt. I would not be denying my kid food to stay on a schedule. Breastfeeding for comfort looks quite different...I well know. (I enjoy being a pacifier...not all moms do) The babe usually falls asleep again really fast.
Good luck!

Well, first of all, I'm so jealous at how much your baby is sleeping!! But, it's not about me so I'll tell you of a web site I looked at. Sleepsense.net

You fill in your situation and she gives you some tips. It's okay and I gleened a few good ideas, but then she trys really hard to sell you her book. I decided I didn't need it, but perhaps I should've bought it. Anyway, you'll probably get at least one good idea for free from her web site.

Otherwise, I'm wondering about the short catnap in the evening. Perhaps that should start being bedtime rather than going to bed between 8 & 9? It actually helped my boy sleep a longer spell when I put him down by or before 8. I would've never figured that, but it helped.
Good luck,
B

This is not an uncommon age for a child to have a growth spurt. Growth spurts make the baby genuinely hungry more often. Think about how quickly a pregnant woman can get...it's kind of like that.

My best advice is to feed him at this time because he is clearly hungry and needs it. Continue to keep the room quiet and dark and don't talk to him or provide anything to stimulate him to be fully awake. Send him the message that this is sleeping time. He will probably go back to sleeping full nights before long.

First of all kudos to you for breastfeeding your baby. It's a wonderful natural way to nourish your child and I like to pat women on the back that make that choice for their baby.
I successfully breastfeed three babies, the youngest of which is now 3 years. I agree with what the other women are saying completely. The recent waking for an extra feeding probably is a growth spurt. Also, every child is different and kids (especially babies) are not predictable. These methods that have been created are great ways to try and get your kids in a routine but you have to realize that there will always be things that upset or change your routine. When kids get sick, you can expect things to be disrupted. I hate to say it but when you start back to work, things will probably be disrupted as well.
Please don't try to feel like you have to have the baby at point "ABC" before a certain time. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong if things don't work out the way you are hoping. Just enjoy every moment of that sweet baby without putting pressure on yourself. They grow way too quickly and I can promise that even in a year, you probably won't even remember the issues you are facing right now. Is sounds like you are doing a great job so keep up the good work!

If he seems like he's really hungry he probably is having a growth spurt. Continue to keep his schedule the same during the day and normally babies get back on track once the growth spurt is over with. It usually lasts about a week. Just make sure you put him back to bed as soon as your finished feeding so he doesn't get his days and nights mixed up. Congrats on the new baby.

GROWTH SPURT!!! Also remember that you are on THEIR schedule...relax...just as soon as you think you have a routine...they change it on you. Roll with it...being a new parent is about sleepless nights, exhaustion, uncertainty, etc. Enjoy it...time goes so fast and each new "problem" you overcome...you gain more and more confidence as a mom.