Is this a Sign She's Wanting Food?

[Charlie:-)]

Maia's sleep pattern has totally gone to pot this week.

Sunday she wouldn't go down for her afternoon nap despite giving me all the sleep signals, yawning, sucking thumb, rubbing ears, same yesterday afternoon then last night she woke at 9:50pm, 3am, then 4:30am and then again at 6am. First time she has woken during the night for 2 months I'm knackered I so got used to her sleeping through.

I fed her both times and changed her and she fed for a bit first time but then started to be her usual nosey self and look round the room, 2nd time she woke she fell asleep on me within about 5 mins of feeding so I don't think she took much milk on both occasions.

Maybe she had a bad dream??? Could it be her teeth, but then surely she would be crying in pain for a while but she stopped crying as soon as I picked her up??? Im clutching at straws cause I really wanted to hold out till 6 months for food, but if she wants it then I will start to wean but im just not sure. She does watch me eat but only cause shes sat in her highchair at the table with me and she will watch me for a minute or so then get back to playing. Those are the only signs though. Going to see how she goes on the rest of the week, but anyone got any advice, suggestions, similar experiences?

 

[Jynann]

Hi Charlie,
Kayleigh was like this at around 4.5 months and I started to give her fromage frai little stars things....not to really fill her but to just give her a taste and get her used to different tastes. The HV said to me tho, that if she is waking in the night and was previously sleeping through she may be ready for food but I would spk to your hv first if your worried. I was told off by another hv for giving her food to early - although she has been fine. It could be teeth or bad dreams cos Kayleigh does the same every now and again........she usually wakes up crying mamamamamamam and I pick her up and give her a bit of a cuddle then put her back down and stay at the side of the cot until she settles back down and looks really sleepy then turn off the light.

I think the best thing to rely on is your instincts, if you think she is ready, try her with little bits and see how she goes....if it seems to be upsetting her tummy just wait a little longer xxxxx

Sorry i'm not much help

 

[Charlie:-)]

Thanks Jynann, I go to a breastfeeding group on Thursdays where I have access to a HV so will speak with them and see what they say. I have some samples of baby rice that I got in my bounty pack so I might try her with that one day this week if she continues to wake up and not sleep.

 

[IsaB]

Hi Charlie,

I've had exactly the same thing happen with Isabella in the last couple of weeks, but we've just been away on holiday and put it down to disrupted routine although I have wondered about the solids thing too as sometimes she does want a feed. Most times though she's just waking then goes back to sleep again pretty quickly (although I've been resorting to rocking her back to sleep - previously if she woke she'd soothe herself back to sleep but that seems to have gone west as well ).

Is there a growth spurt at 5 months?

 

[Charlie:-)]

Maia is usually pretty good at settling herself too but she just hasn't been able to manage it the last few days. I know there's a 4 month growth spurt but not sure about a 5 month. Maybe ours are having a 5 month instead of a 4 month???

 

[Sherlock]

Galen started doing this around 5 months. A bit before iirc. And its still ongoing. I don't think starting weaning really makes any difference tbh. Galen started weaning about a week ago now and its not made a jot of difference to his sleeping.

I think its something lots of babies go through. You can try intorducing some foods now if you want to though.

We started weaning Galen as he was trying to grab our food and seemed to be taking a big interest in it. Was the right thing to do for him in that respect.

 

[beanie]

Its up to you. Cally went through this stage and it was tiring. She showed the signs that she was ready for weaning for a while but her weight was following the centile perfectly and I knew she was fine on just milk (even if it was very frequent). She has been weaned now for 2 months and she is still waking up in the night despite having three meals and snacks.

 

[purple13]

connor was always a rubbish sleeper and lots of people told me it would get better when i weaned him.

i waited til 6 months nearasdamnit and has it made a difference? no.

at the moment, he's feeding at least 3 times during the night.

my advice - if your LO is gaining weight on milk and seems generally content, despite the night waking - hold out as close to 6 months as you can get.

 

[Charlie:-)]

Thanks for all your replies. Thankfully she slept through last night so hopefully it is all back to normal now and I can wait till 6 months for food.

 

[IsaB]

Isabella too! 2 nights running now, so for 3 in a row. Babies...honestly - always keeping us guessing!

 

[Charlie:-)]

Isabella too! 2 nights running now, so for 3 in a row. Babies...honestly - always keeping us guessing!

Yea same here im too!

 

[IsaB]

How did it go? Had an early start here today, but at least it was a solid night's sleep!

 

[Charlie:-)]

How did it go? Had an early start here today, but at least it was a solid night's sleep!

She woke at about 10pm but then slept till 7am, which is a little earlier than normal but glad it wasnt 6am like it was yesterday!

Touch wood it was just the clocks going back or just a very small phase they were both going through.