5 and half month old waking every hour!

[Vicky75]

Please someone help! My little man has started a lovely habit for the last 2 weeks of waking every hour from 3am onwards. We can settle him back to sleep for 40 mins at a time but come 6am he's wide awake & we resort to taking him into our bed, where he chats for a bit & then falls asleep til gone 8.
We started weaning 3 weeks ago so don't know if it's related to that.
Any advice would be really appreciated!!!

[cruisemum1]

how are his daytime napping habits?

[Iklboo]

And what's his room environment like?

[Iklboo]

Oh - also noticed the "taking him into our bed". Methinks the little monkey might be playing you up so he gets an uber mummy-cuddle

[Vicky75]

His daytime naps aren't brilliant. His routine is like this:
7.30/8 6oz formula
9.00/10.00 35min nap
11.30/12 6oz formula
13.00 1 cube veg puree
14.00/14/30 60min nap
15.45/16.15 7oz formula
16.45/17.15 35min nap
18.00 2 cubes veg puree
19.30 8oz formula
20.00 Bed
23.00/00.00 5oz formula
We've just dropped the 3am feed (sounds cruel, but more like made him stop cos with that feed he was having over 35oz a day!!!) He doesn't seem bothered about dropping it cos he doesn't drain his 7.30am feed.
Then from 3am the fun begins! We settle him at 3am for an hour, 4am for 40mins & 5.20am we try for 30 mins but he's wide awake so that's when we take him into our room. I really don;'t want to go down that road cos I know that's building a rod for own back & I'm sure he's starting to cotton on to the fact that he gets to go in our bed if he fusses enough!
During the day he tends to either sleep on the sofa swaddled or in his pushchair or if we're out & about in his car seat or pushchair. I've tried him in his bed during the day but he absolutely screams the place down & didn't want to start making him scared of his cot because his nightime routine goes well (up til 3 of course!)
He sleeps in darkness at night but have tried leaving the landing light on for the last couple of days & all that's done is when he slightly stirs, it settles him again. My sister has now given me a night light but not sure if that's the answer.
Thanks for your replies so far, hope this extra info helps you i helping me!!!!!

[cruisemum1]

How old is your little man? Sounds arse about face but if he is still a baby then maybe he is not getting enough daytime sleep which makes nighttimes restless. I am no expert as my ds -18 weeks old - was sleeping 8 - 10 hrs at night but since his cold now wakes three hourly (this is an improvement on last week though when it was 1 - 2 hourly! ). It is believed that around 4mths - 6 months they benefit from around 4hrs worth of daytime naps which is easier said thank done I know... Shame he won't nap in his cot as I am sure the quality of sleep must be better when they are in a cot (mine won't nap there either ). The real prob for you must be his lively banter at such an uneartly hour. He has to relearn that nights are dull, boring and for sleeping. Sorry I cannot help but I am sure some wise old sage on mn will be able to...

[cruisemum1]

btw - I did notice a distinct improvement in his nighttime settling once he had got a nap routine going over the past week. hth

[herbgarden]

Hi there...the only thing that strikes me from your post is that maybe you need to increase his solids a bit at the lunchtime feed? Have you tried increasing the solids here and then decreasing the milk a bit? I imagine if he's a hungry baby he might take a bit more than a cube - try offering him the food at more like 11am - 3/4 cubes and see how much he takes and he might cut back on the milk. Depending on the carb content of the veggies - perhaps mix with a bit of baby rice.
Then, I would try baby rice (working up to 4/5 tspns) mixed with some fruit puree for tea at around 5.30/6ish- it might fill him up a abit with milk just before bed.

Just a thought, but if you've been weaning for 3 weeks and he was ready for it, he might be a hungry boy ! Mine started off taking very small amounts and has just taken off like no tomorrow - he'll take 4 cubes of veggies at lunch and then 5 tspns of rice with pureed fruit at tea.....

You obviously need to fit your milk feeds in too around this lot, but maybe see how you go?

Have you talked to your HV? I know they vary in their effectiveness but they might have some advice too - mine is just from my own experience so may be complete rubbish !!

[Vicky75]

He was 23 weeks on Saturday. I just don't understand it! He's never really slept through the night, except for a few odd nights, hence why we're pushing him to drop the 3am feed. But at least before he was going from 11pm to 3am for his feed & then on to 7am.
But this night waking started before stopping the 3am feed & 10 days or so after we started weaning. He hasn't been poorly & only had his jabs last week so they haven't caused this.
He's really happy & energetic during the day, without long naps & a proper nights sleep & some of my friends have said that maybe he's just an early riser but 4am is a little bit too early!!!

[Vicky75]

Thanks herbgarden! I've upped his purees at 6 to 2 cubes because he was crying when he'd finished his tea! He was never a fan of baby rice so I just gave him veg purees. He got a rash on his body so I've cut right back to basics & just giving him carrot for lunch & tea. Going to introduce Butternut Squash tomorrow & see how his reaction is to that but he did love it before.
You are right, he is a hungry boy & seems to enjoy his puree far more than his milk. I thought you were meant to keep their milk intake up because that's where they get their calories. this weaning stuff is all so confusing!