How Do I Get My Baby To Eat More During The Day, And Less At Night?
Dec.18, 2009 in
Baby
I have a 4 month old, and she is a very good and happy baby. However, she seems to go 4 hours or so between feedings during the day, and back to every 2 at night. I breastfeed, and I have started giving her a bit of rice cereal before her last feeding. But that doesn’t help. Anyone been through a similar situation and can offer advice? Only people who have children please and thanks……
December 18th, 2009 at 5:53 am
I always fed my baby when she woke up during the night assuming that she woke up because she was hungry. I have found out though, that if I just give her a little cuddle and put her back to bed she will go back to sleep without eating. Perhaps your baby isn’t actually hungry when she wakes up during the night. Try just soothing her and see if she will go back to sleep on her own. If she eats less during the night, she will have more of an appetite during the day. Hope this helps.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Good question — my son just turned 5 months and he wakes up to eat about every 2 hours at night also — I breastfeed him AND let him sleep next to me in bed, so I have to admit I usually just let him eat and since I don’t work during the day, it’s not a big problem…I hope it’s not going to be a problem for him. Just this last week I started feeding him a little rice cereal at lunch and supper time (about 7 pm)…. Then he gets a bottle at bedtime (about 9 pm)….. I’m going to keep watching this post because I’d also like to see any advice….
December 18th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Babies at this age will eat a lot and at their schedule. Don’t give
her to much rice cereal, she will gain a lots of weight. Give her
some baby food, like the Gerber food, before you give her a bottle
or breastfeed. That’s what I did for my daughters and gran-
daughters. The Dr.s would say they are chubby but in good health. The people at wic would tell my daughter that her child
is over weight. The fact is as long as they are not obesity., and you go by what the Dr. says. Then everything is alright. Your
child is growning and they need the formula or breast milk,
baby food to help them grow. I know you were hoping to hear
some at ease,but we as parents have to go with the flow.
My grandaughter is 9months old and she acts like she’s starving.
But everyone can see she is a healthy chubby infant. Not over
weight, thats what we don’t want.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I don’t think you have anything to be concerned about. This seems quite normal for a child of this age. As the baby gets older and stays awake more during the day, it will learn to eat when you eat, and will go longer between feedings. Girl, you got to get this baby off the breast feeding, that is if you are holding the baby and breast feeding. Do you use a breast pump, and store the milk or do you hold the baby? It could be more of a holding thing than it is a feeding thing. Besides, if you store the milk, someone else can get up and feed the baby! Sometimes a baby will wake up scared at night, and only needs a change or just to be held, and its back to sleep. Our son went through the same thing, and once he got more used to eating when we ate, he accepted it and slept more and more at night. Four months old is still kind of young to go all night without feeding, and this will get better, trust me! Once the baby goes on a more solid diet, you will see a rapid change in the feeding at night. Be patient, and love your baby. They are after all a gift, and well worth the effort. When they get a little older they become a lot of fun, especially when they start bonding more with daddy! I hope I have been of some help to you. Good luck, and enjoy your baby.
December 18th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I agree with another poster, give more cereal.
December 19th, 2009 at 1:17 am
Start giving her cereal in the mornings too. She will learn that it satisfies her too. It will take a while. It took my son ages to realize that since he had babyfood, he didn’t have to have 8oz of formula too! (wasn’t able to BF)
Just be patient with her, before you know it she’ll be sleeping thru the night. Ethan has been since he was 2 months.
December 19th, 2009 at 3:03 am
At 4 months your baby should be able to go at least 4 hrs without eating. I guarantee she is mostly waking for the attention and time with you, more so than just being hungry. You might have to start ignoring her a little bit more and more each night until she learns that you aren’t going to run and feed her everytime she yells. It’s very hard to do, but if you don’t try you’ll be dead on your feet.