https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:46:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207139 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:47:23 +0000 loveisstrange 1207139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@QBbride: My daughter was born at 10lbs8oz and STTN in 7-8 hour stretches by 2 weeks old and doing 12 hours straight (not every night, but pretty regularly) by 3 months. I think the weight thing is pretty true, personally. But yeah, every baby is different, that is true also.</p> <p>I will say that we fought C to eat the recommended amount right up until a year. She is distractable and never wanted to sit and eat very much at a time. We fought and fought her and there were many days where she didn't even come close to eating what she was supposed to. She night weaned herself but I do remember her just gradually taking in more during the day. This happened around 6 months old. Before that, she was clearly hungry when she woke up at night. I do think it's just something to wait out, unfortunately. Hope she figures it out soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207091 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:02:22 +0000 Cherrybee 1207091@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I don't need to fix it (because it's not broken. she's only 4 months old) and I'm certainly not planning to night wean or lie there and let her cry in the night! I just thought that if I could ensure she was getting enough calories during the day she might be able to move towards longer stretches in the night, by herself, when she's ready. But at the moment, she does her best eating during the night! It will never happen while that is still the case! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207070 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:40:17 +0000 ladybee 1207070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I've been told the same and am counting down the ounces till DS is ten pounds. I'd kill for 5 hours right now :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207054 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:33:34 +0000 MsLipGloss 1207054@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: Yeah, I stay in there, because (1) I don't want her to come back to bed with me (we co-bedded until she was 9 months . . . and we are equally disruptive to each other now), (2) I can still snooze in the glider (and frequently do), and (3) I just fully expect to be awake then. I go to bed as early as I can in preparation for this. :P Sleep has always been a difficult area for us, so I try to take it one day at a time. I am hopeful we will return to pre-DLS sleep soon (she was averaging 11 hours and had hit 12 hours two nights in a row!), but we've had a little set back after the time change.</p> <p>Not to depress you or make you pessimistic, but there are just some things that can't be *fixed* . . . it just takes time. Not that this is your fate, by any means, but coming to peace with that idea has made the sleep issue less stressful for me. And there's only so much I am willing to do, only so long I am willing to let her cry . . . it won't last forever, and neither will her being small. So I try to focus on the good stuff, even when it's hard to deal with . . . less sleep, but more cuddles. That works for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207045 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:28:38 +0000 Cherrybee 1207045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: You stay in there, holding her while she sleeps? Do you not need to sleep?? *gasp!* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207026 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:12:05 +0000 MsLipGloss 1207026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She usually errs on the side of 10 hours, and it usually looks like 6:30-4:30 (ish). When she wakes, I go in after I know she isn't going back to bed on her own (about 15 minutes or so), and then nurse her while I rock her in the glider. If she goes back to sleep, I will stay there until at least 6, which is when I usually hand her off to hubs. Otherwise, if she wakes up again around 5:30, I will go ahead and give her a bottle (I am in the process of weaning, so she can't nurse a full meal from me at this point). </p> <p>My point of view is a little skewed though, because she woke, on average, 10 times a night until she was 9 months. So this is wonderful progress for us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207014 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:06:14 +0000 Cherrybee 1207014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: What times to and from? And what do you do when she wakes? Get her up for the day or feed and and put her back down? E goes 7-12, 12.10-5 and then 5.10-7.30am. I was hoping she would drop the two "night feeds" at some point....?? 5am is still NIGHT!!!!! Oh god, please don't tell me that E is already STTN?? What fresh hell have I unearthed now?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1207004 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 13:55:21 +0000 MsLipGloss 1207004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: My LO is 14 months and has only ever slept 12 hours in a row a few times. She generally sleeps 9.5-10hours. And yeah, STTN is 5-6 hours. </p> <p>Fwiw, my LO weighed 18lbs 11oz at an appointment a few weeks ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206983 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 13:39:54 +0000 Cherrybee 1206983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I looked it up and, yeah, you're right - they do say that. She is 13lb now. Mind, the sane guidelines say that STTN is going 5 hours. Say whaaaat??? She does that! I am waiting for 7pm until 7am..... that does happen, right?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206884 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 12:14:55 +0000 immabeetoo 1206884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@QBbride: yep, I took the exact same approach. it worked out well for us :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206800 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 10:51:37 +0000 looch 1206800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@QBbride: it is a guideline, nothing more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206785 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 10:26:29 +0000 QBbride 1206785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I don't think a weight should dictate whether a baby can sleep through the night. I mean some babies are born at 10 pounds (or close to 10 pounds) and certainly nobody would expect them to sleep through the night right away. Plus it's hard to say when a baby "should" do something, every baby is soo different! Just my thoughts :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206762 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 10:04:16 +0000 looch 1206762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The reason why I asked is in the US the common guideline is that once a baby is 10 pounds, they should be able to sleep the night...but mine didn't at that age/weight. It was more like 15-18 pounds for my son. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206691 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:01:36 +0000 MoonMoon 1206691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@QBbride: yes! My baby is very distractible during the day and doesn't nurse as often, so it's clear to me that he's making up calories at night. And just like @Cherrybee: I've wondered if there's any way to get him to eat more during the day, but this seems to be our new normal.<br /> @scg00387: that really does help, just to know there's probably an end in sight!<br /> @Sapphiresun: not necessarily, I've seen a lot of people here whose babies started sttn and kept it up. I'm sending you good vibes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206675 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 08:46:26 +0000 Cherrybee 1206675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: She is 6kg, keeping to her curve around the 25th centile. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206655 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 08:14:13 +0000 looch 1206655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How many kgs is your baby? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206574 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 01:47:31 +0000 Sapphiresun 1206574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dang you guys are scaring me. My 3 month old just started sleeping 8 hours straight through the night for the last two weeks and I'm JUST starting to feel human again and thinking this mom gig isn't THAT bad. To think its probably going to be ripped away after I've had a taste of uninterrupted sleep again, an remembering how good it feels... Ugh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206555 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 00:59:00 +0000 QBbride 1206555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: Thanks, that does give me hope! He is really distractable right now so I wouldn't be surprised if he has to make up the extra calories at night. For now I'm just going to let him eat (I don't want to not feed him unless I'm positive he's not hungry - it's difficult to sleep when you're hungry!) and hope he eventually outgrows it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206545 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 00:42:52 +0000 immabeetoo 1206545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@QBbride: @MoonMoon: If it's any hope, my LO went from one feed prob months 3-7ish to two for a while, which really threw me, and then to none around 9m all on his own terms. He has always been super active and busy, and I think once he got more mobile he was just too distracted to eat much during the day. It got better though :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206511 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 23:28:55 +0000 QBbride 1206511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MoonMoon: my baby is the same! He was sttn and now he wakes up 2-3 times a night, and takes a full feed. It started at 3.5 months. He goes 4 hours between feeds during the day but for some reason has decided he needs to eat every 3 hours at night. Ughh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206311 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:44:15 +0000 MoonMoon 1206311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: it's almost as if they don't want us to sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206290 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:28:46 +0000 Kemma 1206290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: what can I say? My boobs are just that awesome!! And it's not all bad because some nights A sleeps almost all night (till 0530!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206285 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:25:19 +0000 Cherrybee 1206285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MoonMoon: What is their problem?! Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206284 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:24:10 +0000 Cherrybee 1206284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: Noooo!!! Haha! Its blatently because you're breastfeeding. I mean, look at my formula fed baby sleeping through t....no, shes not at all is she?! I've been misled here! Ive been screwed!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206267 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:14:35 +0000 MoonMoon 1206267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice, because I'm right there with you! My baby used to sleep through the night, or just get up once but then right before 4 months-boom! 2, 3, 4, 5 wake ups a night, and he's always hungry during those times. I want my magical sleeper back but like you, am not keen to wean yet. Haha, that rhymes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206257 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:03:59 +0000 Kemma 1206257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not to scare you but Miss A is still having 1-2 night feeds at almost thirteen months! My understanding is that some babies will need their calories on a 24 hour basis to fuel all the brain development that occurs in the first year or so.</p> <p>Maybe try gradually reducing the volume during the night feeds (10-20 mL at a time) and adding it to the day feeds? You could also try pushing out the night feeds by fifteen minutes every couple of days to get her down to one feed a night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206246 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:53:41 +0000 Cherrybee 1206246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: I wonder if this is something else she will just do in her own time?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206229 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:37:36 +0000 immabeetoo 1206229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I tried and tried when LO was younger and he never would "tank up" or eat more often, no matter what. So I gave up. Eventually stretching his feeds out actually helped, because he ate more each time (or so I thought, I EBF so dunno about actual oz numbers). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-help-your-baby-to-eat-enough-during-the-day-so-that-they-can-go-longer-at-night#post-1206187 Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:03:24 +0000 Cherrybee 1206187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I realised today that my 4 month old gets more than half of her daily calories from her night time feeds (including bedtime)!! Agh! </p> <p>At 4 months, she should be getting approx 1000ml of formula per day. She currently eats every 3 hours during the daytime (7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm) and takes around 80 - 110ml at each feeding. I just can't seem to get her to take any more. She will happily go longer between feeds, too, but still only takes just over 100ml. It's like she just isn't that bothered. </p> <p>Then at 7pm she has her bedtime bottle in the nursery and drains her bottle. During the night, she wakes twice (usually 1am and 5am) and, again, takes a good 180ml each time. This adds up to exactly the right amount - clever girl!! But I want her to get most of her calories during the day!!!! </p> <p>She used to be a great eater, draining her bottles happily. Coincidentally - perhaps? - she went much longer at night then, too. But it all changed around the 12 week mark.....</p> <p>Is she getting distracted, perhaps? What can I do to get her to eat more during the day? I'm not going to actively "night wean" until she is eating a good amount of solids (perhaps 6-7 months) - I'm hoping she will give the night feeds up of her own accord before then. But, if I can help her along the way, that would be great! </p> <p>Today, I tried feeding her every 2 hours instead of every 3. My plan failed miserably - she just wasn't interested, in fact she ate less overall today than she usually does because she wasn't *very* hungry at any of her feeds. It's like she needs to be ravenous to eat!!</p> <p>Has anyone else encountered this? </p>