9 month old keeps waking up

Hi all,

Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night. He used to sleep
through the night until he was about 6 months old, then started waking up
once to feed at about 2 AM or so. For the past month he's been waking up
3-4 times between 10pm and 7am. He does not always feed and when he does
it's just for a minute which makes us think he's doing it just for comfort.

Could this be because he's not getting enough food and his hungry?

When he does wake up, he is not fussy or cranky if we pick him up. I doubt
he's waking up because of gas or teething pain. He's typically happy and
starts babbling and looking around once you take him out of his crib.

His meals/feeds are typically: Mom's milk at about 7, breakfast at 9:30 or
so (3 oz cereal with BM, 3oz of baby food). 3oz of Milk for a snack at 11,
lunch at about 1 or so (3 oz of fruit + 3 oz of veggies - gerber jars), 3 oz
of milk as a snack again at about 3, then a meal at 5 or 6pm (sometime
cereal with 3oz or so of baby food).

We don't really know what's waking him up, will be seeing a doctor in a
couple of weeks for his 9 month appointment but this waking up is really
getting to us, espcially my wife because I can't do much with him at 3am if
he's thirsty and wanting to nurse.

Any advice would be greatly appreaciated !

Thanks,

Kevin
Dad to Matthew 11/1/04

"Kevin" wrote in message
Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night.

How does he sleep during the day for naps? It has been said that babies who
have good sleeps during the day are not overtired and overstimulated to
sleep at night. Also, when you hear him babble or make noise, do you rush in
to get him? If you wait a bit and see if he starts to really cry, he might
not be actually waking up, but rushing in to him may fully awaken him and he
might be accustomed to the attention at night now. Or, he could be going
through a growth spurt and need more to eat. More information on his daytime
pattern for sleep would be more helpful though.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

Sue,

He takes about 3 naps during the day, of about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.

I also posted a correction to my message but I don't see it. He nurses 95%
of the times that he wakes up at night and he's up for about 20 minutes each
time.

When he does wake up, he cries, so we pick him up. However, once you pick
him up he's happy as ever, looking around, pointing to things and babbling.

Kevin
"Sue" wrote in message
...
"Kevin" wrote in message
Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night.

How does he sleep during the day for naps? It has been said that babies
who
have good sleeps during the day are not overtired and overstimulated to
sleep at night. Also, when you hear him babble or make noise, do you rush
in
to get him? If you wait a bit and see if he starts to really cry, he might
not be actually waking up, but rushing in to him may fully awaken him and
he
might be accustomed to the attention at night now. Or, he could be going
through a growth spurt and need more to eat. More information on his
daytime
pattern for sleep would be more helpful though.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

Kevin wrote:

Sue,

He takes about 3 naps during the day, of about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.

Hmmm...by 9 months, mine were down to two naps a day (morning
and afternoon). Perhaps cutting back to two naps might help. He
might be sliding into a catnapping pattern, and getting fewer longer
sleeps during the day might encourage the same at night.

Best wishes,
Ericka

First I second Ericka's suggestion that you might try dropping down to
two naps a day.

Second, I would suggest that when he wakes to feed in the middle of the
night that you not turn on a light, but feed him in the dark. This will
help to reduce the playing and looking around.

Good luck,
Larry

Kevin writes:
: Hi all,

: Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night. He used to sleep
: through the night until he was about 6 months old, then started waking up
: once to feed at about 2 AM or so. For the past month he's been waking up
: 3-4 times between 10pm and 7am. He does not always feed and when he does
: it's just for a minute which makes us think he's doing it just for comfort.

: Could this be because he's not getting enough food and his hungry?

: When he does wake up, he is not fussy or cranky if we pick him up. I doubt
: he's waking up because of gas or teething pain. He's typically happy and
: starts babbling and looking around once you take him out of his crib.

: His meals/feeds are typically: Mom's milk at about 7, breakfast at 9:30 or
: so (3 oz cereal with BM, 3oz of baby food). 3oz of Milk for a snack at 11,
: lunch at about 1 or so (3 oz of fruit + 3 oz of veggies - gerber jars), 3 oz
: of milk as a snack again at about 3, then a meal at 5 or 6pm (sometime
: cereal with 3oz or so of baby food).

: We don't really know what's waking him up, will be seeing a doctor in a
: couple of weeks for his 9 month appointment but this waking up is really
: getting to us, espcially my wife because I can't do much with him at 3am if
: he's thirsty and wanting to nurse.

: Any advice would be greatly appreaciated !

: Thanks,

: Kevin
: Dad to Matthew 11/1/04

In article Vm6Ge.191810$_o.99299@attbi_s71,
"Kevin" wrote:

Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night. He used to sleep
through the night until he was about 6 months old, then started waking up
once to feed at about 2 AM or so. For the past month he's been waking up
3-4 times between 10pm and 7am. He does not always feed and when he does
it's just for a minute which makes us think he's doing it just for comfort.

Could this be because he's not getting enough food and his hungry?

Probably not, if it's that freque and he only BFs for a minute. More likely
he is too cold (BF contact warms him up) or too hot (BFing because he's
thirsty).

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

"Kevin" wrote in message
news:Vm6Ge.191810$_o.99299@attbi_s71...
Hi all,

Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night. He used to sleep
through the night until he was about 6 months old, then started waking up
once to feed at about 2 AM or so. For the past month he's been waking up
3-4 times between 10pm and 7am. He does not always feed and when he does
it's just for a minute which makes us think he's doing it just for
comfort.

Could this be because he's not getting enough food and his hungry?

When he does wake up, he is not fussy or cranky if we pick him up. I
doubt
he's waking up because of gas or teething pain. He's typically happy and
starts babbling and looking around once you take him out of his crib.

His meals/feeds are typically: Mom's milk at about 7, breakfast at 9:30 or
so (3 oz cereal with BM, 3oz of baby food). 3oz of Milk for a snack at
11,
lunch at about 1 or so (3 oz of fruit + 3 oz of veggies - gerber jars), 3
oz
of milk as a snack again at about 3, then a meal at 5 or 6pm (sometime
cereal with 3oz or so of baby food).

We don't really know what's waking him up, will be seeing a doctor in a
couple of weeks for his 9 month appointment but this waking up is really
getting to us, espcially my wife because I can't do much with him at 3am
if
he's thirsty and wanting to nurse.

Any advice would be greatly appreaciated !

It was teething for us, even before there were any obvious signs. My 13
month old started doing the same thing a couple of months ago, even though
the first six teeth came through with no problems. Get them to check his
ears at your appointment if you think there might be something wrong with
him like an ear infection - by being breastfed he is at reduced risk for
them, but it doesn't hurt to check.
It could also be a new developmental phase - crawling and the like disrupts
sleep, especially if he's become too busy to breastfeed/consume solids
during the day. I think that's pretty likely considering he's so happy when
you get him up - it's like there is just too much going on for him to waste
time sleeping!


--
Amy
Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02,
& Ana born screaming 30/06/04
http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/
My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/

Kevin wrote:
Hi all,

Our almost 9 month old boy keeps waking up at night. He used to sleep
through the night until he was about 6 months old, then started waking up
once to feed at about 2 AM or so. For the past month he's been waking up
3-4 times between 10pm and 7am. He does not always feed and when he does
it's just for a minute which makes us think he's doing it just for comfort.

Could this be because he's not getting enough food and his hungry?

When he does wake up, he is not fussy or cranky if we pick him up. I doubt
he's waking up because of gas or teething pain. He's typically happy and
starts babbling and looking around once you take him out of his crib.

His meals/feeds are typically: Mom's milk at about 7, breakfast at 9:30 or
so (3 oz cereal with BM, 3oz of baby food). 3oz of Milk for a snack at 11,
lunch at about 1 or so (3 oz of fruit + 3 oz of veggies - gerber jars), 3 oz
of milk as a snack again at about 3, then a meal at 5 or 6pm (sometime
cereal with 3oz or so of baby food).

We don't really know what's waking him up, will be seeing a doctor in a
couple of weeks for his 9 month appointment but this waking up is really
getting to us, espcially my wife because I can't do much with him at 3am if
he's thirsty and wanting to nurse.

Any advice would be greatly appreaciated !

Thanks,

Kevin
Dad to Matthew 11/1/04


IIRC there is a big developmental change at 9 months... this could
affect his sleep. ? ride it out or follow other's suggestions... I
don't know. We're not there yet!

Good luck!

Jo

8-9 months old is the age at which many babies first experience separation
anxiety. He may need to know that his parents are still nearby and
attending to his needs. I began co-sleeping with DD at this age .

Good luck,
-Patty, mom of 1+2

Hi all,

He's down to 2 naps a day now but he's still waking up at night and now it's
getting quite bad. We can't split the task either because he only wants
Mom. If I pick him up he screams his head off, until she takes him from me.
I tried holding off but he bawled for about 20 minutes last night after I
which I finally gave in.

Should we just not pick him up when he wakes up?

One of things that we thought might be troubling him was "teething" but it
can't be his teeth because he still does not have any and this has been
going on for over a month now.

If anyone has any suggestions it would really be appreciated!

Thanks,

Kevin


"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Kevin wrote:

Sue,

He takes about 3 naps during the day, of about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.

Hmmm...by 9 months, mine were down to two naps a day (morning
and afternoon). Perhaps cutting back to two naps might help. He
might be sliding into a catnapping pattern, and getting fewer longer
sleeps during the day might encourage the same at night.

Best wishes,
Ericka