Seeking Advice for My Four Month Old Regarding Sleep and Eating

Hi D.,
I have to disagree with the other person who responded to you. Although I hear the cereal suggestion all the time - nutritionally it is not the healthiest thing.
Babies need calories to grow. They get more calories from frequent feeding. The cereal is actually underfeeding a baby b/c they get fed less often, and the number of calories that they get in 2 or 3 bottles adds up to more - so they get more of what they need.
The only reason babies sleep is because their bodies don't know how to digest the cereal so it sits in their system longer while the body attempts to break it down. Nutritionally they are getting less.
I know it sucks to be tired but it doesn't last forever. At 4 months old he still needs frequent feedings, not just a few big meals.
This also teaches him to not overeat and gorge - babies are built with a natural knowledge of when they are full. They only eat "just enough" by "stuffing" him - you teach him to ignore the bodies natural system and set him up for overeating later in life.
Good luck with the info. Get "The Baby Book" by Dr. William Sears he's awesome and co writes the book with his wife Martha, a pediatric nurse.
-H.
P.S. I'm having my 3rd baby this June. My 18 month old went through sleeplessness when she cut each of her 8 molars. Two weeks of sleeplessness per tooth. She cut them back to back so we were up 5 or 6 times a night for 4 months. Then we moved. She couldn't sleep in the new house. She was up most of the night for nearly a week. Then she got an upper respitory infection. We were up 3 or 4 times a night for nearly a week.
Some kids simply don't sleep all the time when you need them to. My girlfriends kids are great sleepers. Hang in there, it won't last forever. My 8 year old sleeps like a rock :o)

I absolutely agree with Heidi, cereal is not good for baby's digestive system. Letting him cry because he's hungry is even worse. He is still very young and does need nighttime feedings. you can't "break" anything with the baby, you can't make him sleep if he's hungry. put yourself in his shoes: if you are hungry but somebody is letting you cry b/c they are too tired to get up and feed you? it doesn't matter how big he is. it does suck to get up at night and you will be sleep-deprived for a long time yet. but he's a baby and he's hungry. he will stop eating when he's ready. trust me. just be sure that it will pass and he will sleep longer.

Hi D.,
I started solids - barley cereal - with both of kids at 4 months of age. I felt they needed the cereal for growing and calories. Some people may not agree with this, but I felt it was right at the time and they are totally okay now - ages 5 and 2.5 years old. So, I think you should begin a cereal- just a tablespoon to start - in the morning for 4 days and if all goes well, then move it to the evening meal - as late as you can make it - like 7pm for a 7:30pm bedtime.
You don't mention how much your son eats - nursing or formula but at his age and weight, try for at least a 6-7oz bottle or a long nursing time. Give him this about 15 mins. after he finishes his cereal - very close to bedtime. Then put him to bed. He should not wake at 3 hours out of hunger. Say his last feeding was at 7:30pm. You are going to go into him around 11:30pm and in his sleep, pick him up and feed him. Try for a full 8oz. Then gently lay him back down and leave - do not spend time. The goal is to get him to sleep for 5 hours. So, you hopefully won't hear from him again until at least the 4 am hour. This has worked for a lot of people I know and for my own son.
My daughter was another story. And I had to do cry it out at 4 months to get rid of her 3am hour feeding. She was fed at 9pm, 12am and then not until 5am. The way I did it was to simply not go in. The first night she cried for 40 mins, the next for 20 mins. and the night after that not at all. She started waking up between 5-6am for the feeding. Some people do not like the not going in at all method but I felt that by going in, I was only teasing her and possibly creating a new habit - that mommy would come in if she yelled. I think your son may be crying more because you go in every five mins. and he expects that. So, he continues to cry for you to come back in. Just my opinion - you need to do what you are comfortable with. This is what worked for me.

J.

Hi D.,
I too had a big baby that everyone said should have been sleeping through the night sooner than he did. Even though people say this is an old wive's tale, my son didn't make it through the night until I gave him a bowl (I think I started with a tablespoon) of rice cereal. I didn't believe in spiking his bottle with it or anything like that - I just fed it to him with a spoon when he was 17 weeks old and lo and behold he slept 7 hours. I heard him wake up according to his internal clock, but he put himself back to sleep with no crying - just a little noise. I think people expect a lot from bigger babies, but they're still so incredibly young that their bodies need frequent fuel. However, the rice sticks to their ribs. Ask your doctor if you can start solids. GOOD LUCK!

At 4 months (check with the pediatrician) they can have some Rice, oatmeal or barley cereals (in a bowl or bottle mixed with his formula or breast milk) which will help them stay full for longer periods of time, so they shouldn’t be waking up as often for meal time. Having a full stomach will make a big difference in sleeping longer and eventually being able to sleep through the night. If you think he's ready for solid foods, check with your pediatrician or another pediatrician. If your baby's drooling alot, maybe's he's at the stage of teething, some start at 4 months.

If he's hungry he's hungry, there ha sto be some reason it takes him so long to get back down. Try giving him a bowl of cereal for dinner(I never bothered putting cereal in bottles, but you can do it thsi way if you choose) and see if that sticks longer than bottles. If that doesn't do teh trick try just a few ounces when he wakes, it may be enough to satisfy him but not a full middle of the night meal.

I love my daughter's pediatrician, but i do feel with her and many others they stick to what is expected of the "average baby" (if there is such a thing, lol), so maybe your baby is not average and needs more, I alwasy use what my pediatrician says in matters like this for guidelines, but in the end, do what is best for you and your baby.

Yep, being tired is one of those little things no one preps you for when you become a mom. From the moment baby is born, you will be tired. It doesn't stop here....just wait 'til he's 18 and out with his friends, then you'll be tired because he's not home yet and you're waiting up for him. Which is my case (smiles). Just make sure your son is hungry. He could be teething. My daughter started teething at 3 1/2 mos. My son at 3 mos. The sucking of the bottle might feel good to him and this is why you might think he's hungry. Try a binky at this time and see if it works. try it for a couple of nights. If he's hungry, the binky will fly out of his mouth within seconds because he will be expecting food. But as I said try it a couple of nights because he just might be accustommed to getting food when he may just need to be soothed. There is something definitely going on though, because he's crying too long in between. Feel around with your finger on his bottom gumline and check. Swollen, sensitive, extra pink?...he just might be teething. Good luck!
PS.....If you are very tired, nap when baby naps. Catch yourself a few z's.