Sleep Question - Sherman Oaks,CA

I, feel you should up his Formula quantity.
AND, yes, it could definitely be a growth-spurt... that he is still trying to get enough intake for & catch up with, since typically growth-spurts occur at about 6 months old. And he is past 6 months old already.

According to my children's Pediatrician... for the 1st year of life, Breastmilk/Formula is the PRIMARY source of nutrition for a baby... NOT solids, and NOT other liquids, and to still feed on demand 24/7.

My kids, at that age, drank more than 6 oz. bottles of breast or Formula, and more frequently even though they were totally on solids by that point, and my kids had GINORMOUS appetites... throughout the day, and they grew like weeds.

I think, your son is simply needing more intake... Formula wise. It has more nutrients ( a wider spectrum of it plus iron) in it, than say a bottle of baby food even if given 3 times a day.

A great book is "What TO Expect The First Year" and it can be found at any bookstore or online.

For me, I would first as a matter of deduction, increase his bottle/Formula quantity... instead of giving him just 6 oz. Try putting more in the bottle... and if he drinks ALL of it with no problem... then he probably needs more.

Another growth-spurt will occur at 9 months old... then 12 months old...then 15 months old and so forth.

I think your baby boy is growing a lot right now, since 6 months old, and he will probably be hitting some milestones soon, and other developmental changes. Often, a change in appetite and sleep is a forewarning of these changes coming up, if it has not already occurred.

All the best,
Susan

Jen,

I'm not sure by your schedule how much milk/formula you're giving him even though he's eating 4 oz. each meal of solids. My experience is that at his age he still needs to have around 24 oz. of milk/formula per day. Maybe substitute some of that water for milk/formula at mealtime and during the 2 am feeding try to give water or even camomile tea to put him back to sleep so he doesn't get used to asking for milk at that time. Then when he wakes at 6 am he can have a bottle of milk and stay satisfied until breakfast.

Also, before bed try a nice warm bath to relax him so he'll sleep better too :)

All the best,
G.

Totally agree with Susan.

My son was combo fed (formula/BM) after he was 8 months old and I fed on demand until he was a year old. But, I remember distinctly my son's Pedi telling me that no matter how much he was eating of solids to keep up the formula/BM and not eliminate, but to let my son take as much as he needed at each feeding.

Solids as I was told, are just practice for real table food when they get older...not the main source of food at that point. Looking back at my notes, I would prep an 8 oz. bottle for him and let him take what he would until he was done.

At this point there is so much going on...teething, growing, learning and now new foods. Just keep it simple and watch his cues.

I would give him more solids, move up to 6 ounces and that may help. My daughter had 2 8 oz bottles daily at that age along with her solids, it was I think 4 ounces at breakfast, 6 at lunch and 6 at dinner. She also breastfed at night before bedtime and maybe she would wake up once for a feeding but not usually. Give him more food and see what happens, he will probably sleep better!