Still Not Sleeping Through The Night

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Still Not Sleeping Through The Night

by Kiana
(USA)

My son is 13 months old now and still not sleeping through the night. He's up about every 2 hours until about 5 a.m. and then he'll sleep through until about 9 a.m. I'm still coping with this situation, but my main issue is his eating habits… or lack thereof.

I'm told that by now he should be more like 90% regular food and 10% breastmilk, but it's just the opposite. He's 90% breastmilk and 10% foods (which are baby cereal mixed with bananas).

He's very finicky and doesn't like a lot of foods. I try to introduce him to different finger foods, but all he does is play with them and nibble, but never really eating. To make a long story short: what can I do to help reverse that ratio so that he is getting more of his nutrients from solid foods and not 'just' breastmilk?

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Still Not Sleeping Through The Night

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Baby's Eating Habits
by: Jacadebra

Try not to panic about your baby's eating habits too much. Baby can often pick up on your tension if you are stressed about something. What I would suggest is letting your baby sit with the family and all eating together.

Does he have a high chair? I am not sure if you are currently doing this - but I've found that including my boy in mealtimes really makes him enjoy the eating process more. I give him bits of whatever we are eating, but without any sugar/ salt or pepper. If baby sees that you are eating something at the same time - it will make him keener on eating something.

I usually offer a plate of food with a few new items and at least 1/2 items I know he will eat just in case he doesn't try any of the other foods. I think the key is just to keep offering a variety of foods. It also used to help if I carry my baby whilst I'm snacking on something - often then he would want to try it too. Once he tries it, he is more likely to eat it when in his high chair.

I don't know what all you have tried with baby - but mine loves toast with cream cheese, yogurt, crackerbread maize, peas, carrots, corn on cob (cut into smaller cobs) pasta pieces and cheddar cheese, soft pears, watermelon - these are some of his favorites. He eats almost anything though.

Regarding his 2 hourly waking - perhaps your baby is uncomfortable in some way? hot and bothered. I know my baby automatically breastfeeds if he wakes up, but found that recently he was waking up more frequently due to the heat. I took away his blankets and his night waking reduced by more than half. Perhaps he is teething or perhaps it is just because he isn't getting enough calories in during the day.

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Submitted by: Jacadebra

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Try not to panic about your baby's eating habits too much. Baby can often pick up on your tension if you are stressed about something. What I would suggest is letting your baby sit with the family and all eating together. Does he have a high chair? I am not sure if you are currently doing this - but I've found that including my boy in mealtimes really makes him enjoy the eating process more. I give him bits of whatever we are eating, but without any sugar/ salt or pepper. If baby sees that you are eating something at the same time - it will make him keener on eating something. I usually offer a plate of food with a few new items and at least 1/2 items I know he will eat just in case he doesn't try any of the other foods. I think the key is just to keep offering a variety of foods. It also used to help if I carry my baby whilst I'm snacking on something - often then he would want to try it too. Once he tries it, he is more likely to eat it when in his high chair. I don't know what all you have tried with baby - but mine loves toast with cream cheese, yogurt, crackerbread maize, peas, carrots, corn on cob (cut into smaller cobs) pasta pieces and cheddar cheese, soft pears, watermelon - these are some of his favorites. He eats almost anything though. Regarding his 2 hourly waking - perhaps your baby is uncomfortable in some way? hot and bothered. I know my baby automatically breastfeeds if he wakes up, but found that recently he was waking up more frequently due to the heat. I took away his blankets and his night waking reduced by more than half. Perhaps he is teething or perhaps it is just because he isn't getting enough calories in during the day.

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Bedtime Bath Pattern
by: Anonymous

I have a set bedtime bath pattern that works very well. My son is fairly picky about which baby foods he likes, so rather than fight it I give him the ones he likes and we just try new ones. If he doesn't like them we don't force it.

However, every night we have a set bedtime pattern... we eat fruit juice mixed with rice cereal, a warm bottle to wash it down (sometimes with rice cereal in it too), then we take a bath in the bedtime bath with lavender and then we're off to the bedroom when we get a massage with baby lotion and read a book.

That routine gets him to sleep for about 6-7 hours. I do breastfeed, but at night it's all that will get him to sleep. Breastfeeding at night means he was still getting up every 2-3 hours. Hope that helps... I swear by the bedtime bath - it relaxes both of us.

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Still Not Sleeping Through The Night

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Still Not Sleeping Through The Night