Sleep

This sounds like very typical sleep for this age. Especially if your child is breastfed. Frequent waking is a biological advantage… it is protective against SIDs and ensures baby’s needs are met - milk, diaper change, cuddles, care taker close by. My daughter didn’t start sleeping longer stretches until 1 year. And now at 2, has had a couple nights of sleeping 9pm-9am. Sleep is a developmental skill and frequent wakes, especially at the age of your child, doesn’t automatically indicate there is something wrong. Talk to your pediatrician if you are concerned about any medical red flags like baby struggling to breathe, waking every hour, or baby’s sleep is truly restless. Is baby nursing or formula fed?

This sleep sounds good for his age honestly. At 6 months my son was waking every 40 minutes and at 17 months he still wakes every hour on a bad night, a good night is 4 or so wakes. I work 40 hours of shifts with 10 hours of commuting and I’m tired yes but you somehow just power through. In some ways it’s easier to work tired than it is to stay at home with baby. As Anne has said waking is actually good and protective of SIDS. It’s normal for children to wake frequently in the night until at least 4 years old. Weaning can actually make sleep worse as their tummies take a while to learn how to digest food so it can cause tummy aches, constipation etc. the slower the better for introducing food really don’t go all in with 3 meals a day. Have you tried/ are you open to co-sleeping? This has saved our sanity x

@Anne formula fed, I’m aware of development changes and sids etc, he was sleeping through a few months ago but professionals I’ve spoke too have informed me that he should be having longer stretches as does not the milk if well fed during the day, I do offer milk but he wants a bottle every two hours which I think he is waking up out of habit x

Yes I do co sleep most nights just So I can have a rest but recently it hasn’t helped and he will still wake up, I’ve spoke to professionals and they’ve informed me he should be having longer stretches now with the milk intake he doesn’t need that much at night, it is effecting his mood during the day as he always tired xx

@Grace Tudor by “professionals” do you mean people trying to sell you sleep services and programs? Its your child, so do what you want, but waking up every 2-3 hours wanting milk seems biologically normal at this age. My daughter woke every 2 hours to nurse until 12 months. Little ones have such small tummies. Many babies needs overnight feeds past 12 months. Ive never heard of weaning at this young of an age and i would definitely discuss with an pediatric nutritionist

My 6 month old is combo formula/milk fed. When she went through the 4 month regression she started waking out of habit for food and not taking a full feed everytime. She also started snacking during the day. I managed to cut the snacking and getting her to eat more during the day and taking really big feeds right before bed. I figured out she would take a bottle after her last nap and then another massive bottle post bath before bed. So now we do a bath every night as a result. I stopped feeding on demand at night because she wasnt actually hungry. I would reconsider the 4 naps a day because at this age they should be down to 3 so it might be that he just needs more sleep pressure before bed. Shes also in her own room and naps in there as well with the exception of on the go naps and one contact nap a day to get a longer nap. She sleeps 12 hours a night with one wake to feed now. Good luck! The broken sleep is awful!

@Molly that’s what he does he wake up to snack in night it’s never a full feed… he has full feeds in the day alongside food now, I’ve stopped the 4th nap and I make sure he has a bigger wake window before bed and it hasn’t helped either, he sleeps in his cot but he won’t have longer than 40 mins even in my arms xx

@Anne no various qualified professionals, i myself have experience within my job

@Grace Tudor gotcha. maybe advice is different in the states but 3 pediatricians and 1 pediatric nutritionist told us this sleep pattern is developmentally appropriate for this age. We did nothing and our daughter is a great independent sleeper. Best of luck!

@Grace Tudor yeah I think the 40 minute naps are standard. Mine will only take longer naps in the car seat, the stroller or a contact nap. Id work on cutting out the snacking feeds at night. If it's not a full feed he doesn't need it and it's just causing him to wake up and think that's how he goes back to sleep. You could also try increasing esch daytime feed by like 1 oz so that hes getting an extra 6 or so oz a day. But also I'm no professional and I'm a FTM just sharing what has worked for us (and what I've read from all those fake professionals online 😏)

Sleep can be rough till about 8-12 months. Hang in there Mama! Try to see if Hubby or a family member can pitch in so you can catch up on your sleep. It’s very important for your mental health and fighting off postpartum depression, anxiety and psychosis. I just started a mental health/postpartum awareness group if you are interested in joining.