3 Month Old Used to Sleep Well - Habitual Waking???

At 3 months I think you can start putting cereal in the milk. You have to take it step by step and only try on cereal at a time and for a couple weeks before switching. Ask a doctor 1st, but giving cereal will help.

I think he might be getting hungry, what I did at the advice of my elders was add a little rice cereal to the last feeding before I put him down for the night and it did help him to sleep a little longer.

I would agree with previous posters that maybe he isn't going to follow an exact schedule at this age. We had a "schedule" that we started trying to follow beginning around 3 months, but things were changing so rapidly still, that it was more "loose guidelines" than anything resembling an actual schedule. (This was of course once we were passed the "you will feed me every 2-3 hours, and you'll like it" schedule that brand new babies demand.) You have to be patient...things will work themselves out. Eventually, our son settled into a great schedule, and he seems to really appreciate the consistency. It paid off that we started working toward a schedule, even if we deviated more often than not at first.

And trust me, just about the time that things start running like clockwork, something will change with him that will throw a kink in things for a few days. My son is 18 months now, and this is still the case. The one parenting constant seems to be inconsistency. It makes things fun, right? ;)

ok in my opinion its still a little early to expect a complete bed time routine for him. hearing he just had a growth spurt means he needs more food. not necissarily cereal but either longer or more feedings. i dont agree with the cereal in the bottle either. if he is eating and going back to sleep i think that is just fine. he will eventually settle back into sleeping through the night but i think he obviously needs that food or he wouldnt be eating it. if all else fails ask your pediatrician. but i think it will be fine, just hang in there. some babies just need more meals and some dont sleep through the night as early as others, my daughter is a prime example she was 6 mo. or so before she did. just depends on the kid. good luck.

J.

What are you feeding him? If it's just milk he made not be getting full enough off the milk to continue sleeping through the night espcically if he just hit a growth spurt. I had to start feeding my son cream of wheat and cereal at about 2 to 3 months because the milk was getting him full. After I done that he was fine. Also my son waited late to get his nights and days crossed up as well, he was about 3 or 4 months when he started that. That was an ordeal it took us at least a full week to get him back on track.

For his cream wheat I make fairly thin and made the hole in the nipple a little bigger and fed him with his bottle. I remember his dr telling me he was too young but obvisouly he didn't agree but it work just find I nor did he have any problems with the feeding routine.

Hopes this helps good luck

Most babies your sons age are just starting to sleep through the night. My son did at 2 months, but he had a 10 bed time. My daughter didn't sleep through the night till four months, but she goes to bed at 7 and is a much better sleeper than my son. If your son goes to bed early you may want to wake him about 10 or 11 before you go to bed and nurse. Try not to really wake him and leave the lights dim. Do not feed him at midnight, dobn't even pick him up unless he is really upset. One hour is not a long time to take for him to go to sleep for habitual waking. Each night it should get less time and after 3-7 days he will not wake up. Also by not picking him up he will learn to fall asleep on his own. My daughter didn't take a pacifer until 4 months, when she started sleeping well. Sometimes I would have to put in her mouth in the middle of the night until she learned to do it herselg at 6 months. Your son may still need the 5 am feeding, but only if he is take a full feed. If he is not taking a full feed, don't keep this habit. Also work on correcting each waking seprately.
When your son goes through growth spurts you may have to feed him in the night, but then just be consistant on get back on schedule. I will be hard.
Another thing that works is wake to sleep. One hour before his regular waking time go and wake him up. Keep the light off, but just shake his belly or change his diaper. It sounds crazy, but it will distrupt his sleep patern and it works. I got that from the Baby Whisper. I recomend this book. You may not want to do all it says, but it give you a good understanding of your baby.
I read this with my son and he slept like an angel from 2-7 months. At 7 months he sarted pulling up in his crib and I started nursing him to sleep. Then I got renant again, and wanted to hold him all the time and I didn't mind rocking him to sleep and sitting with him till he fell asleep. He is almost 3 now and I AM STILL either holding him or laying on his floor till he falls asleep. You really don't want that to be you. I learned from my mistakes and my daughter sleeps from 7 till 7, a 2 hour nap at 10 and again at 2. There are days when it is hard to follow her schedule, but we just get back to it the next day w/ no problem.
Sorry this is so lenghy, but I hope it helps.

It's normal for babies to have regular wakefulness in the night as they experiance new milestones.

And yes what the other mother said, feeding rice cereal to help sleep is an old wives tale, and while it may work for some, it is not suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics and can cause more digestive problems at his age.

Feed him when he needs it and he will eventually fall into his regular pattern again.

Hi L.,

This has and will always be a controversal issue. You didn't say if you were breast feeding, formula feeding or if the baby is on cereal and food so I will guess that your son is probably still not on "real" food. Anyway, whether he is or not, he is not getting enough "real" food to hold him over for an entire night it seems. I always gave my children cereal, usually rice cereal (in the baby food box) mixed with baby formula, and offered them a bottle after before putting them to bed. They slept longer and better before wanting another feeding. Also there was an indication that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome might be caused by a baby's blood sugar dropping too low, at one time. I disapprove of keeping a baby on a schelule before the age of one and would encourage feeding on demand. This of course is my opinion from my own experience and beliefs. I hope it helps.

P.

3 months is way way way too young to start solids. Research also shows that it does not help them sleep longer and, early introduction of solids can actually make things worse. Their tummies are just not developed enough and it can upset them.

He's only 3 months old and he's going to continue to have growth spurts throughout the year. This is a time that is notorious for sleep issues due to growth spurts, new developmental milestones, etc. If you haven't read it already, check out the book or dvd -- Happiest Baby on the Block.

If he's hungry, feed him. Hunger is not a habit -- especially at this age (nor can you spoil him either). His stomach is the size of his fist so it really can't hold much at all.

It sounds like he's actually doing pretty well actually. It's not realistic to expect more than 5 or 6 continuous hours of sleep at this age (which is considered sleeping through the night btw). Many do not sleep through the night until after a year. There's always someone who had the baby that slept 10 hours straight, but beleive me, that is not the norm. I had a son who woke anywehre form every 90 minutes to every 3 hours during growth spurts. He does not do that anymore so clearly it wasn't a habit in his case. He's 3 now and sleeps about 10-12 hours at night.

It does get better. Enjoy this time while you can.

L.,
Patience in a week or so he will probably be back to a routine you can live with. The feeding part I have gone both ways with my three girls. I did cereal just a tsp in the last night bottle at around 3 to 4 months with my oldest girls, now 8 and 10. With my youngest, 16 months, we waited to start any solid foods until 6 months. The other posts have great information on the cereal question.
Also if it seems to be a matter of "hey its time to play"this may come later on. My hubby is a push over and will get the baby up, I on the other hand give a little loving right at the bed and tuck her right back in. Baby's know who will get them up and who will not. If you know which parent is which it will help. If the fusing continues then I know there is a definite hunger problem, but you will be able to tell.
Just remember patience you will get through all the little milestones and just enjoy each one.