5-Month-old Night Feedings...

When kids sleep through the night is completely based on whether they are ready and there is nothing you can do to make them ready. Feeding schedules will only hurt your milk supply and letting her CIO is not a good idea as babies only have crying as their communication.

My son breastfed from birth until 3mo and from 3mo until 18mo he woke up 2-3 times a night to eat. He needed those calories and frankly most babies do. Babies get up to 20% of their calories during the night. More than half of babies do not sleep through the night during the first year and that number stays at roughly half well into their second year of life.

It can be a growth spurt, teething, or your child may be about to hit a milestone which causes them to nurse more. It is normal. Please don't try CIO it will make both of you very unhappy and your baby won't understand why you ignore his needs at one time and not at another. Kids don't know how to tell time until they are much much older and the concept of nighttime is just not there.

I decided to side-car my daughter's crib to my bed so we can safely co-sleep and thus make nighttime feedings easier on all of us. If she wakes up at night she latches herself on and we both continue to sleep.

Breastmilk is specifically tailored to your baby and your body makes it first taking from your body stores if need be to keep the milk at it's best quality. Your breastmilk is not faulty and those who would suggest otherwise just don't understand how breastfeeding works.

Babywise is not recommended for anyone's baby as the teachings are not based on any facts have lots of misinformation on how breastfeeding works and many babies have been severely harmed and some have died by using Babywise techniques on their children.

http://www.ezzo.info/Aney/aneyaap.htm

I'm not sure what Weisbluth, but im guessing it has something to do with letting them cry it out. A five month old breastfed baby might be going through a growth spurt, or be ready to start solid foods. I couldn't let an infant that young cry, but what you can do is to make the nightime feedings unexciting, meaning no playtime, talking, and no lights or even avoid diaper changing, ie, keep it as low key as possible. I know it is draining, but that's parenthood for you!!!

My pediatrician said if they get enough calories during they day then they won't need as much at night. My third is now five months. Each of my kids started waking more around this time and our pediatritian told me to start spoonfeeding them. I think my first was on three meals a day by 6 months. I have hungry babies and I don't think my breastmilk was/is plentiful enough. Feeding them more has helped me. I am still sleep deprived but at least I feel like there is something easy I can do to make it better. Good luck and safe travels.

Hi, my baby is now 14 months, but she was exclusively breastfeeding at 5 months. Around then I also started introducing a few foods. She continued to wake at night to feed until she was about 9 or 10 months old. Seems to be normal, as long as she's just waking, eating, going back to sleep. Even Weisbluth says as long as they're going back to sleep, just let them get up and eat. I know it's hard, but remember that it won't last forever! It's important for their little developing brains to get the nutrition that they need. I follow Weisbluth almost to the letter - it was super helpful in getting my daughter to go to sleep at night very easily.
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Please read the book "On Becoming Babywise". It changed our lives! It tells you how to put your baby on a feeding schedule during the day, so your baby will sleep at night. Our kids were both breastfed and were both sleeping 7-8 hours a night by the time they were 8 weeks old. My daughter is almost 4 months old, and she sleeps 10-11 hours a night, without eating. Sometimes she wakes up, but not because she is hungry. So we give her a pacifier or pat her stomach a little to reassure her and she goes back to sleep. Everyone I know who has used this method has the same results of getting their kids to sleep. The more closely you follow the method, the better results you get. If you have any more questions about it or need help finding the book--please send me a message. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Hi R..
When you get back home, try to read Weisbluth. Our breastfed son was exactly like your daughter. Good luck!

Hi R.. It depends upon how you and everyone else is defining "throughout the night?" It's very normal and healthy for a baby to have 3 feedings during a 12-hour night period (i.e. 6pm to 6am) until the baby is 9 months old. But, yes...it is SO draining to have months and months of interrupted sleep. Hang in there!!

Our son didn't wake up that many times/night at that age. But, it was perhaps 2-3 until his stomach could hold a little more.

You might want to examine the consistency of your breastmilk. Not all are the same, and some women produce milk with much higher fat content that can fill a baby up longer.

Our son was also a snacker. He ate much more frequently than most babies because he took in smaller portions. It is exhausting, but you are definitely doing the best thing for your child.

Our daughter's eating habits were much different though she still woke-up about once/night until almost a year to feed.

Good luck! It does get easier.

goodmorning...yes i have...my oldest was exclusivly breastfed til 10 months and that whole time he woke up 3-4 time a night...i also have a 3 year old little girl who was formula fed..she wouldnt nurse and it broke my heart...well i now have a 3month old little boy...and i have learned something huge...it does not hurt a baby to supplement with formula...i really think it helps them to sleep even if that last feeding before bed is a formula bottle it doesnt have to be all day or even every night but i use one called gentle ease it is most comparable to breast milk..i wish you luck..dont be afraid to try it if needed..i was because i prefere natural but i have also learned by baby #3...things dont always go as planned..you must be flexible!

Yep, I had 2 of those. Cereal and Formula didn't work. Weissbluth worked like a charm with one and only sort of worked with the other. I actually posted on here about my 2nd son when he was about 9 mos. He's 2 1/2 now and occasionally gets up still to cuddle his mama. I'd let him cry more often but he wakes his brother and then we are in a pickle! Probably why it didn't totally take with him.
Anyway with our first, it only took 2 days, so depending when you're leaving you may want to try it now!
Good luck!

My almost 6 month old will wake up anywhere from 0-3 times a night. He will often go right back to sleep, but occassionally will stay awake for an hour if he has been asleep for a while. If I can tell that he really isn't hungry, I'll just pop the pacifier in his mouth - and he's back off to sleep. If he startles himself awake, I will swaddle him. I like co-sleeping with him because I can close my eyes and lay next to him as he settles back down to sleep. BTW - I had been putting him to bed later (9:30pm/10:00pm) and he slept clear through the night; however, it wreaked havoc on my milk supply. Now, I am grateful that he wakes up at night...but it is tiring.