how to break night waking without being cruel

  My son is nearing 10 months of age and still awakens at least 2, usually more, times a night. The only thing that successfully gets him back to sleep is breastfeeding. We've tried to let him settle himself, but he only gets more and more awake and hysterical. My husband has tried to comfort him back to sleep, but he just wants to nurse. He won't take much solid food at this point, so I'm wondering if he's awakening from real hunger or is it entirely just a habit? Are there any ways to encourage him to sleep for longer periods of time without using the "cry it out" method? It doesn't make a difference in his sleep patterns if he sleeps in his crib or our bed. Thanks for any suggestions. Mandy

[HVM Ph.D. - KDK]

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Dear Mandy,
I think you see the root of the problem by your thought about your son's behavior possibly being a habit. When infants reach three months of age, they no longer need to be fed at bedtime and then at other times during the night. Waking over and over again and needing to be fed to resume sleep is definitely a problem if a child is ten months old. However, don't be alarmed. The solution is pretty straightforward. One of the important variables to assess is how much fluid your son is actually taking in during these nighttime feedings. Intake of certain amounts of fluid can be a problem in and of itself, in addition to whatever association your child might have developed between being nursed and falling asleep. I won't go into the details of the schedule to pursue to solve the problem, but please consult Chapter 6 of Richard Ferber's book titled Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems. He delineates in great detail the course of action you'll need to take. Rest assured that your son is, in all probability, able to consume a sufficient amount of calories/nutrients during the day that feedings during the night aren't necessary. Without meaning to, you've probably 'taught' him to be hungry on that particular schedule. Do yourself, your husband and particularly your son a great favor and try Dr. Ferber's guidance. By the way, the solution to your difficulty may involve an element of "bite the bullet" because you may have to endure some crying by your son. Of course, if you think you are being "cruel", you won't pursue such a strategy. But you are not being cruel - you are being helpful
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition.
*Keyword: Sleep Disorder