5 Month Old Still Waking Up

It's totally normal for a breastfed baby to wake up after four or five hours! She probably needs to be eating then, so don't feel like you're doing it as a "last resort" kind of thing. Breastmilk is digested so much easier than formula so that's why she's waking up. I'm right there with you. My son is waking up two or three times a night. We just started solids with him so I'm hoping that will make a little difference.

The most important thing I can tell you is to not compare your baby to other babies, especially formula fed babies. Each baby is different. If I were you, I would just feed her when she wakes up and put her back down to sleep.

There's an excellent book called "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. It's probably at your libary. Another GREAT book is "Good Nights" by Dr. Jay Gordon.

What your baby is doing is normal and actually healthy. If you feel like you're sleep deprived, nap when your baby naps. Snuggle up together in bed and enjoy it.

Babies' brains develop the most at night, when they're alseep. The brain needs glucose, which comes from baby's food. Babies who are forced to sleep through the night too early (because of cry it out methods) suffer harmful effects, both intellectually and emotionally.

If you are tempted to do cry it out, ask yourself how you'd feel if you were placed in a cage and left to cry. You would probably never trust the person who did that to you the same way.

I used the cry it out method with my son, but not until he was about 9 months old. There is an age where it's suggested that is too young for this method. I honestly can't remember if it is 6 or 8 months.

I have a book suggestion, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." I found the book helpful with my wakeful son. It's written by a Dr. It starts from young infancy on, I suggest reading the whole book, even though your child is 5 months. You might find some helpful information in the under 5 month information.

There is another set of books, in the "baby whisperer series" The first is, "Secrets of the baby whisperer; How to calm, connect, and communicate with your baby." A secondary book, which goes into more detail on the methods in the first book is called, "The baby whisperer solves all your problems: By teaching you to ask the right questions."

I found these books when my son was between 4 and 6 months and he wasn't a great sleeper...they helped me a lot...wish I found them earlier.

A.,
I have 2 children, my son is 3 1/2 and my daughter is 15 months. We didn't let me son "cry it out" because it just didn't feel right for us, who wants to let their kid cry and my daughter was about 5-6 months and we didn't with her. One day, I was really getting drained from holding her and rocking her to sleep all the time and losing time with my son, so I decided to try letting her "cry it out" and day 1, it took 45 minutes for her to fall asleep and I would check on her every 15 minutes, rub her back and say, "night, night". It really does work and by day 4-5, it was barely anything, if 5 minutes. She is so much more well adapted and sleeps far better in the night then my son does. My son still wakes up from time to time in the middle of the night.
Also, if she seems uncomfortable, maybe she has gas or acid reflux.

Good Luck!
S.

A.,

I think you're little one is right on track if she's getting up only once in the night to eat. My son was breastfed exclusively for his first year and he didn't sleep through the night until right at 12 mo. Every baby is different and some folks get luckier than others, but I wouldn't try letting her cry it out just yet. You can also try nursing her one extra time in the evening. If she's actually eating in the night, she still needs those calories and won't sleep peacefully until she gets them. I've read that you shouldn't attempt "crying it out" until your baby is at least 6 months old. Until then you're still building a foundation of trust with you child so it's important to let her know you're there for her when she cries.

The baby book that I have says that you can also try giving them water instead of nursing. After awhile, when they realize all they are getting is water, they won't bother. I do know that babies who are nursing though usually have to do so more often than those who are on formula. But don't stop nursing because of this; nursing is the best thing you can do for your child.

E.

She is only 5 months old, her tummy is very small and breastmilk is so easily digested, she probably is hungry. My oldest slept through at 2 months, my youngest was closer to 9 months, and it was so frustrating, but I had to keep reminding myself that he's just a baby, he'll only be a baby for such a short time, and to enjoy those quiet moments at night. If nursing her puts her back to sleep, then nurse her back to sleep to save your sanity and so you can get more sleep. And remember that it will pass, she will get older and bigger and will be sleeping longer before you know it.

I have a little music thing that plays lullabys and shines some pictures on the ceiling. They one I have was a real cheap one shaped like a star, but it worked great for all 3 of my kids. We bought the cheap one, because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something if I didn't know if it would work.