Question

My baby is 7 months old and still wakes up to eat every three hours. What can I do to get some rest?

Answer

Many babies do sleep through the night by 7 months, but every baby is different. The first step to helping your baby and yourself toward better sleeping habits is to understand why your baby wakes up at night. Is your baby really hungry? If so, your baby will feed vigorously, perhaps more than 4 oz. of formula or five to 10 minutes on the breast. If the baby really feeds vigorously each time he wakes up at night, then his body may really need the extra calories. You may stretch out the sleeping periods by feeding him well just before bed. If your baby is not really hungry, he may eat less, then want to play or snuggle with you. He may not be able to go back to sleep without your embrace and soothing voice. In this case, your baby needs to learn how to put himself back to sleep when he wakes up at night. You'll find many tips on how to accomplish this, but the key is making a bedtime routine that ends with putting your baby down in his crib awake. Help him attach to a "lovey," such as a blanket or soft toy. At night, he can put himself back to sleep by hugging the lovey.