How do I get baby girl (6 months) to eat more during the day? She hardly eats in the morning, only has 8 oz from 7am-3pm, eats very little (keeps popping off) at 3:30pm and 6:30 feeds (6:30 is a little better,) but then wakes up every 3 hours at night. She has solids at 12:30pm and at dinner. She eats for a LONG time (like 30 minutes.) I have gone back to work and am so tired. I fall asleep with the baby in my arms all the time. 
I've thought about doing a "tank bottle," but I am only pumping enough for the next day.
We've made huge strides in terms of our schedule (THANK YOU @sweetiepie) but this one aspect needs help.
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This probably isn't what you want to hear but we did our tank bottle with formula (so one bottle of formula a day and the rest with breast milk). Using formula for the tank bottle really saved my sanity.
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Same as @Shantuck, the tank bottle is now formula for us since about a month ago. DS is also 6 months and while we have had some crap nights lately, his naps are improving and night sleep usually is only 1 wake (but eaaaaarly wake up for the day sometimes before 6 ughhh) We have a strict bedtime routine: solids, bath, Jammie’s, white noise, 6 oz formula bottle, 2 songs and into bed by 7:30 at the latest. He will mostly make it from then to at least midnight/1am, a great night is hopefully 2:30 or 3.
Also want to add that we’ve had the same issue as you with him not wanting to eat as much during the morning especially. Haven’t figured out how to solve it unfortunately but at least a tank up allows these babes to get a bunch that’s measurable before bed and fingers crossed.
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We used formula for the tank up bottle before bed, too......
Is LO in their own room? That helped a lot too. Less little wakenings and my husband would usually take care of any wake ups before 1am with cuddles, songs, paci, etc
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@Shantuck: @DesertDreams88: @muffinsmuffins: I totally hear you and I have absolutely nothing against formula except that I am worried it would hurt my supply. If I try to shorten feeds during the night, will she try to make it up during the day?
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I have no answers as both my children were polar opposites and I have only a knowledge of what (occasionally) worked for each (*Note - my DS was amazing and DD woke every 2 hours and nursed for nearly 45 minutes each time until 6 mos) ... I am offering commiseration in posting. It DOES get better (* please, remember that). It is so hard to be an educator (with long hours and limited sleep). I have been there (2x). So many hugs and I hope you and LO find your "groove."
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What if you got a little formula and mixed it with whatever you can pump in the evening?
I had to sort of work up to being able to pump the whole bottle - I used the hakaa to get some to add up also. Now I feed the tank up during roughly the two hours before bed (often she won’t take it all at once) but I don’t usually pump until right before I go to bed. I think that way I have more supply to pump since it’s been awhile since the last nursing session, and I’m not feeding 3 hours after her bedtime due to the tank up. And then I use that the next day.
Your mileage may vary of course just throwing out ideas!
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It sounds like she’s reverse cycling. Both of my girls did this once I went back to work. My doctor said it’s super normal, not that it made me feel any better.
I ended up bedsharing, which I know not everyone is okay with. In my case, the baby would start to stir, and I could nurse her back to sleep without ever fully waking up. It helped my sleep immensely. Eventually we worked on cutting out those feedings, but that was later on.
I feel for you. I know how hard it is.
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Ok how about this. I did this with my second and it saved me. I gave a bottle of formula as the last feeding session every night. About 45 min before bed. And then I would pop him on the boob just before I put him down. Some nights he would nurse, some nights he would snack. And then put him down. I’d eat, relax, do whatever, hop on the sofa and watch a show and whip out my trusty Lanisoh hand pump and pump a few ounces. I still got the stimulation of a feed (two actually counting the one as i put him down, drowsy but awake) AND I got to be assured he got a nice full tummy, AND I got to relax. I did that, no joke, for 7 months. I have the strongest grip this side of the mason Dixon
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@Kaohinani: Thanks! The most important lesson I have learned when it comes to parenting is to not get too used to anything (good or bad,) because it will change.
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@bhbee: Just curious, how does it keep them full if it's so early in the evening? I'm not sure about pumping because I leave my pump at work. Maybe a hand pump though.
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@Littlebit7: Hahahahaha! I might have to get a hand pump. I only have a hakaa.
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@crazydoglady: yes, def get a hand pump. I exclusively pumped with my first kid, and man, the hand pump just feels more relaxing. No set up, no noise, WAY more comfortable for me. I’ve had the evenflo and the Lanisoh and I greatly preferred the Lanisoh. We also used Lanisoh bottles so that helped. Get one and try it out. Plus, they are just really nice to have if you ever go out away from baby for more than 3 or 4 hours.
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@LemonJack: Thanks! She is so snacky during the evening and barely eats her 8 oz during the day. That sounds like what's going on.
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@Littlebit7: strongest grip made me lol!
@crazydoglady: I think ideally it is right before bed. What I’ve found works for us is I pump about 10-12oz and over that two hours she’ll take it all ... so it’s kind of like a cluster feed before bed plus an extra feed all lumped in ... once I got to pumping that much it just kind of worked out, but I’m not recommending it unless you also have trouble getting your LO to take it all at once.
And YES hand pump. I actually faux double pump - apply hakaa to one side (and re-up the suction as needed) and hand pump the other. That gets me 80% or so and then I switch them to get the last ounces. I agree it’s just more relaxed! And a hand pump is pretty cheap. I just brought mine for travel too, great for that. I have the medela harmony, it’s $27 on amazon.
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@bhbee: Thanks! Is there any reason to not try a dream feed when I go to bed?
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@crazydoglady: oh no I think that works great too, and can be a good starting place even if you want to drop it for full STTN eventually. honestly being on baby #3 I'm all for whatever works best for you and your sleep, I don't think there are any hard and fast rules, just ideas for what might help! I think any way you get more calories in during the day is helpful.
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@crazydoglady: I can just commiserate, because the only thing that worked for me was Co sleeping with no shirt, so he basically did self serve at night 🤷♀️
As to hand pumps lanisoh was the best by far. I tried the Medela, lanisoh, and Avent I think. Avent natural bottles also fit on the lanisoh hand pump.
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@bhbee: I hear ya! In an ideal world. I wouldn't need to, but not every baby can be the dream sleeper like my son.
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@crazydoglady: My LO would bf at night and then in addition I'd do a tank bottle. But the tank bottle in our case I think made little difference to him wanting to get up and feed at night. When I took it away because it was causing too many diaper leak issues, I didn't notice a difference in night wakings. That said, can't hurt to try, maybe my lo is just weird
My LO has always been a slow poke eater who just LOVES to be on the boob. Even at 14 months, he'll nurse for 30-45 minutes or more at wake up and bedtime. He loves it and I think it is about comfort as well as food. For middle of the night, I just gradually cut the time on the boob when I was ready to night wean. This should ultimately lead her to take more calories in the day. I know some other people do a more sudden ferber type approach to night weaning - I guess it's faster but also would probably lead to a lot of crying - or they have their partner give a bottle and more scientifically cut the ounces...
Before we were ready to night wean, we coslept, so he could take an hour to eat at 2 am and I didn't care since I just fell asleep. But I know cosleeping doesn't work for everyone... and at some point stopped working for us, which is when I started night weaning.
Good luck!
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@bhbee: I did a dream feed and it didn't seem to have any effect BUT DH got up with her at her first waking, rocked her abd put her back to sleep without a feed. She woke up again at 3am and I just feed her a little, so she woke up at 6am HUNGRY. We will see how that shapes the rest of the day.
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@periwinklebee: Thanks for the support! DH is very anti-bedsharing. I sometimes wonder if she wakes up because she wants physical touch and love. She is a very social baby and loves to be with people.
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@crazydoglady: I love my hand pump. I went away last weekend and only had 21 ounces in the freezer. For a couple days when I nursed I used the hand pump on the other and was able to leave with 36 ounces frozen.
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@crazydoglady: I hope it helps your daytime calories! And I would agree a dreamfeed may not help with wakeups to start but if it sets you up to not feed and work on self soothing hopefully you can get there. I’m still working on this too - the last two nights I haven’t fed but because she is still waking and fussing before going back to sleep with a couple pacifier replacements also we still have work to do to really get good sleep for the adults! But I feel like it’s improving and she’s learning and it hasn’t been too painful.
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@crazydoglady: my lo is exactly like this. other parents in his daycare class refer to him as the "social baby" because he *loves* people. And he'll inevitably drop whatever he is playing with to follow me around the house. He adjusted ultimately without too much pain to sleeping on his own but still needs lots of cuddles during the day, which TBH I love
even if it makes it hard to get stuff done! I hope you get more sleep soon!
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OH man I feel you on this sooo hard. DS who is TWO still does not STTN. He needs cuddles and comfort usually 1-2 times a night. When he was younger he ate every 2 hours and even if he wasn't hungry he'd still wake up for the cuddles. Obviously I am just here to commiserate and wish you LUCK
I hope you find something that works for you and DD.For what ever it's worth my LO1 (DD) was a dream sleeper and still is.. DS, lo2, just never was and still isn't. It might just be a personality difference.....
even if it makes it hard to get stuff done! I hope you get more sleep soon!
I hope you find something that works for you and DD.Reply
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