My 10 Month Old Son Doesn't Sleep Through the Night!

I am going to go against the grain here. My wonderful sister who has raised two brilliant daughters is a firm believer that kids do not sleep through the night... some stop asking for you because you have taught them that you are unavailable for them. I happen to agree with her.

My daughter crawls into bed with me almost every night. She is 3. She wakes up between 1am and 3am and comes to cuddle with me. I love being near her and she will grow out of it. I am there for her all day when she needs me, I feel that being there for her at night is the same as being there for her during the day.

Dr. Sears has some great information on how to help your baby sleep: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

Remember that your sons tummy is as big as his fist. Babies are actively growing at night when they are sleeping, he could be hungry.

1 mom found this helpful

S.,

You know what! I am having the same problem. People say to try a bottle with some cereal in it but my son will not do it. Maybe your little man will take a bottle with cereal in it and that will help him sleep. I have the avent bottle (just for cereal bottles) that have the large opening in the nipple (so that I don't have to cut the nipple). My son refuses to drink from that bottle. He likes his bag bottles and the nipples on them. I will be interested to read some of the other mom's advice. Just have to find the time to sit down and read them. My son wakes up about the same amount of times as your son. Some people have said to let him cry it out but I refuse to use this technique. Especially when he is eating a full 6-7 ounce bottle when he wakes up. He is hungry so I will feed him. But, if "crying it out" would work for you then maybe you should try it. Each person must do what works for them and their child.

Good luck! And, I can't wait to get a chance to read the other responses.

D.

With my little one, it wasn't the food he wanted, it was the contact. I would start by not feeding him in the night, and just cuddling him. Try the neck nestle. Walk him until he calms down and then sit in a comfy recliner and put your feet up and hold him until he falls asleep. When he gets used to that, then just sit with him in the chair. Then try putting him in his bed while he is still awake. I would avoid taking him into your bed at all costs. It will be extremely difficult to break that habit once you start.

I would also try to stop nursing him to sleep. Nurse him slightly earlier in the evening so that he doesn't associate food with sleep. Good luck.

My son was eight months old when I had to break him from waking in the middle of the night. I know a lot of mothers do not like to let them cry, but just like your doctors said he should be sleeping through the night. My doctor told me that at his age he should not be hungry in the middle of the night and the only reason he is waking up is out of habit now. You could try feeding him just water and seeing if that will break him. I went the tough route and let him cry it out. It took a bottle of wine a day and week and a half, but he is now 18 months and the only thing I have to do is bath him, put his pajamas on, put him in his crib, turn off the light, and close the door and he is there until morning. It is one of the best things I could have done and if I had the chance to do it all over again I would do it the same. You just have to remember that your will has to be strong then his. Good Luck.

Hi- Maybe this will help, I suggest you feed the child early, around 4 or 5 oclock. Give a bath then 2 hours before going to bed allow some time for play or stories. Sometimes taking a bath right before bed or eating then,can wake them up.
I found that mixing dry baby cereal in there bottle with milk, at bed time, would last them though the night. But you have to enlarge the whole in the nipple a little,not to much. 'Granny'

Hello S..
I have a 22 month old son. My son did not sleep through the night until after his first birthday. Also, he just gave up his bottle a few months ago! Your doctor may have told you that your baby should be sleeping through the night (quite a few babies at 10 months do) but not every child does. As for weening him off the bottle, I would start with that when YOU feel comfortable (not when other people think you should). Since my son was so late weeing off the bottle I just made sure to brush his teeth often and offer him sippy cups with water during the day. Also, if he is pushing you away when you try to feed him, he just may not be hungry (try not to worry too much if he misses a meal, usually babies will make up for missed calories by consuming more at the next meal). I hope this info is helpful. :) Jen

Enjoy him at this age even with not much sleep! They grow up so fast. I think this is one of the greatest memories you will have of him. After all when he gets older and sassy, you will long for this intimate time when he was such an angel giving up his fight to stay awake and be close to you, closing those gorgeous eyes!

If you get some good tips, let me know. My daughter is almost a year old and she only sleeps through the night about once a month.

Sounds like your son needs more food in his stomach to sleep thru the night. Try adding some baby cereal to his night bottle. You will want to start out with just a little at first, so he can get used to the taste. Then increase the amount you put in. You will have to enlarge the nipple hole so check to make sure it can still flow out. My mom did this with both me and my brother; and I did this with my daughter. None of us hard adverse effects from this (food allergies or obesity) I hope this will help.
V.

My first thought is what do you mean by "baby food?" If you are tring to get him through the night, I suggest some ceral. You could put some in the milk. I would suggest not giving him other kinds of food this close to bed. Unless it is something he really likes. I'd try the cereal. Good luck!

LET HIM THROW THE BOTTLE AWAY. if he eats regular food then he should be drinking from a sippy cup.MY grand-son is 14 month's and hasn't had a bottle since he was 10 month's.He sleeps through the night.SO try more table foods and a sippy cup,BUT don't put him to bed with any cup.JUST keep telling him he's a big boy and big boy's don't have baby bottles.BELEAVE ME I ALSO HAVE A 17 YR OLD HE's also ADD &ADHD I took the bottle from him at the age of 10month's he is just fine.he also shouldn't be eating baby food at 10 month's. HE's got the tast of table food & baby food is bland no tast doesn't satisfy him.LET him eat what you make for dinner & you will see a change. HE will start sleeping all night because he will be going to bed with a full belly of food not liquids.

Usually by now he shouldn't be needing to eat in the middle of the night. My son has a bottle before bed, and is fine until the morning. If his weight is healthy I would say stop feeding him at night. He may be waking up because he knows he will get fed when he really doesn't need to eat. You also may want to simply go in his room, pat his back, turn on music, etc. but RESIST the urge to pick him up. He may be waking up now because he wants you...and he is used to you getting him up and holding him. I almost forgot...read this book, it has been my LIFESAVER!!

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
by: Dr. Marc Weissbluth

How much does he weigh?
Once they are 15 lbs they usually sleep through the night, if not atart giving him rice in his bottle. Sleep will follow!

My daughter just turned 7 mos. and I have exactly the same problem. Wish I had advice for you. When you figure it out, let me know. Thought it would help to know your not alone.

Get the book called something like "Healthy Sleep Happy Child" written by a pediatrician and father. I think that is the title, but I'm not sure if it is exact. This book explains what you need to know and gives practical tips etc.

My daughter is now 8 months old and just a few weeks ago started to sleep through the night..this is what we did..
My Dr said she wasnt waking up because she was hungry but that she is use to the comfort of me picking her up and feeding her, so that very night I fed her solids at around 7pm then bathed her she fell asleep as I was lotioning her up I let her lay on my bed for about 10 minutes then put her in her crib, she woke up crying around 2 am I let her cry for a couple mins then went in her room at pat her on the back and left, did that for then nxt 15 mins going in every 4-5 minutes and eventually she fell asleep. I know alot of people say dont let them cry it out,I think there is a fine line between crying it out.. now dont get me wrong if 20 minutes past and shes still crying of coarse pick her up, but just know that its going to be tough at first but as long as you stay consistant it will be worth it in the long run, my daughter now sleeps 8 hours at night, and that is such a relief!! The suppernanny book is great at learning to get infants to sleep through the night.

Awww. I wish I could say the doctor is correct. But every baby is different and not one of mine slept through the night at 10 months!I know you're tired. I know you're stretching beyond most women's breaking point being a single mom, student and full time employee. But my advice is this. Don't look at the clock. Don't try to overfeed your baby before he goes to bed. No one wants to sleep on an overfull tummy. He's growing right now. That's a very good thing. So he needs to eat in smaller, amounts more often. He's actually in a good rhythm for sleeping/eating for his age. What you have to remember is this too will go away. And then he'll grow up...and become a young adult...coming home later than you want...and you'll wake up in the wee hours of the night all over again (laugh).
I think as mothers because we have so much coming down on us that we desperately want some routine, regularity. The difference here is that your baby does have a routine and regularity in his sleeping/eating schedule. It's just different than yours! You'll have to sacrifice sleep for a little while longer. I know it may be impossible, but go to bed when your baby goes to bed. Read your homework assignments when your baby gets up to feed at night. Just get in tune with your little boy biologically. Don't fight nature. I PROMISE YOU...after three children...all of whom got up in the night until they were a year or older...that you won't have to do this the rest of your life! The most important thing is your child will learn that you are there to take care of him...no matter what...and that is a tremendous gift to give your child. It's not spoiling. It's loving...as sleep-deprived mothers have done for centuries. I don't know your faith life, but I'd use that time to pray for mommas that were crying themselves to sleep because their babies or children had died...and they would do anything, anything...to have that time in the middle of the night together. It really is precious time. Now, turn the clocks around before you go to bed (smile).

have you considered that maybe he's not waking because he's hungry but because he wants your attention? maybe you should try letting him go back to sleep on his own. (easier said than done, but worth it in the end, trust me!) this happened with my son. i kept thinking he was truly hungry, but when i stopped feeding him in the night he ate better during the day and eventually he slept thru the night, after many nights of him crying himself to sleep. now he'll wake up but quietly fall back asleep.
good luck!

Babies get into habits and routines. He is probably just in the habit of getting up and drinking a bottle so that is what he is used to and why he keeps doing it. Since he is old enough to not need to eat in the middle of the night, I would suggest maybe for the first week just try rocking him back to sleep without a bottle. That would first get him used to not giving him a bottle in the middle of the night. Then maybe a week later just try to let him go back to sleep on his own. I am sure it will take some getting used to, but eventually I am sure he will do it and let you get a full nights sleep!!

I have two boys who still do not sleep through the night and they are 8 and 11 y/o!!! However, we did find out when ODS was about 3 y/o why he wasn't sleeping through and he was diagnosed with ADHD/ODD, as was YDS when he was 3 y/o as well. With that being said, we have tried everything under the sun and have found the ceiling fan to work wonders ~ we have it on reverse (it has also kept his room warmer by circulating the heat that rises). We even tried a white noise machine, but they would stay awake and listen to the sounds for different things and talk about what they were hearing, so that machine was shut off. The fan has been the best and while they are restless still, they do not wake up and get out of bed.

I can understand your being tired, as I used to WOH and had to be up by 4:30 am, but was getting to bed by 11:30pm. With the boys getting up, I would literally sleep anywhere they would let me. One night I was tempted to go and sleep in the bathtub if it meant I could actually get some sleep.

Good luck

First, you may want to search around here because I know that this concern has been brought up and you may find some useful tips.
Second, I hear you girl!!! My son is almost 8 months and is waking just like yours. I've tried giving him water at night because everyone said he would realize that it is just water and not wake. Not true - he still wakes up. I can't bear to do the CIO method because I don't agree with it, however I do not judge anyone who does do it. Parenting is such an individual style for all of us. Hope you find something that helps. I just try to remember that the years will fly by and I'll miss this stage.

Generally once a baby is 4 mos old they do not need to eat at night. By 10 mos your son certainly should not need to eat at night. If he wakes up, try rocking him, but do not feed him (unless he is clearly starving). My ped recommends not giving a bottle directly before bed b/c the child associates food and sleep. Try transitioning him to normal eating times and give his last bottle about an hour after his food (say food around 6 and bottle around 7 and sleep around 8)but well before bed.

Good luck...

Babies are creatures of habit. It sounds like he's in the habit of eating at night and you're supporting this habit. You need to stop feeding him at night. When he wakes hold him for a minute and put him to bed. Tell him it's sleep time tuck him in and leave. Continue to go in every few minutes(putting more time between visits in) but the key is not to keep picking him up and not to feed him. After a few days he will realize he's not getting held or fed and he'll sleep. He's going to cry but you have to be strong. Do NOT give in. Your bed time routine is great, except you should try to put him down while he's still awake. That will help him learn to sooth himself to sleep. Good luck

Maybe giving the bottle before the food would be helpful. My baby won't eat the cereal unless I give her some formula first and I let her drink in between bites to help her wash it down. Since I started doing this, she has slept through the night.