Sleeping FAQ: 4-6 months – Night Waking

My son of 20 weeks has starting to wake more in the night since starting solids

My 20-week-old has never slept through the night, but was getting to between 6 and 6.45am. I was hoping that by weaning he would get nearer to 7am. At 18 weeks he had a tummy virus with bad diarrhoea. This happened just as I was abut to wean him. He returned to “normal” for a few days and was taking full feeds (sometimes 10-12 oz), waking earlier and earlier and showing all the signs of being ready to wean, so I stared the weaning plan from Gina’s book. He has not slept through since and is waking several times a night. He often seems to have quite bad bottom wind despite having burped well and my use of gripe water. Sometimes he can be easily settled and sometimes we have to do controlled crying for up to two hours.
He is waking between 5.30 and 6am, but cooing or grizzling depending on his frame of mind until about 6.30am, but always with a dirty nappy that is of a relatively loose nature.
On top of this, having slept on his front since about 10 weeks, he has now learned to roll onto his back so often when I go in I am having to turn him back onto his front so he can return to sleep.
He is keen on the rice and pear I have tried so far and I am now worrying that he cannot tolerate them (or I have given him too much?)
When it says 1tsp of baby rice, does it mean you feed the amount of 1tsp dry rice mixed with milk to the right consistency, or does it mean just one tsp of this mixture. He was happily eating the whole amount once mixed as well as his milk feeds. Should I stop weaning and try again in a week? Could he intolerant to the foods? Is some unsettling normal? I am due to return to work in 5 weeks and am really hoping to crack the sleep thing.
During the day he will take 8oz feeds at 7am, 11am, 2.30pm, 4oz at 6pm and 8oz after his bath at 6.45pm, 10pm 6 ozs.
11am 1 cube pear puree, 6pm 1 tsp baby rice mixed with milk (I gave him this rather than the full amount). He weighs 17lbs.
He sleeps at 8.50-9.35am, 12-12.30pm, 1.05-2.20pm, 5-5.15pm.

Since your son has only just got over a stomach upset it may be sensible to slow down his weaning as his gut may be still be a little unsettled and sensitive, especially as he had not received any solid food before his virus. If the problem with bottom wind was disturbing him right from the start of weaning, then be aware that he needs a little more time to recover. Watch him carefully for any signs of reaction to any of the new tastes you offer him. During the first month of weaning it is better to increase the amounts of rice rather than the fruit.
Research has shown that fruit may not always be so well tolerated by the undeveloped guts of some babies. With his recent stomach upset, his system may be finding it difficult to fully digest anything more than milk. It can take two or three weeks after such an illness for a baby to be fully recovered.

As your son has only just recovered, he may be more unsettled with the change in diet than normal. If you are at all concerned than ask advice from your doctor.
It can be seen from his notes that he is waking from his lunchtime nap after 35 minutes: if that is with a dirty nappy or passing wind, then reduce the amount of pear you offer to him at 11am. Baby rice often has the opposite effect and can cause constipation in some babies which is why very soon in the weaning plan a very small amount of fruit is added to it.
When making baby rice use 1 tsp of dried rice mixed with milk and offer as much of this as your son would like. At first he may have only taken one or two baby spoons-full but gradually he will increase how much he wants until he is finishing the whole amount the 1 tsp makes. With the pear at lunchtime, offer him one or two baby spoons from the whole cube and see if he tolerates that amount better. By giving him slightly more rice in the evening, it may help his digestive system cope a little better.

If you continue with the weaning plan as laid out in the book, your son will be introduced to carrots by day 7-9. Vegetables are introduced early as they are mostly non-allergy forming. You may well find your son is more settled with them than fruit, although pear is a milder fruit than apple. Once pear is moved to be mixed with the rice at 6pm, introduce it in very small amounts to begin with, especially if he still has problems in the night.

With regard to his rolling, it is not advised for babies under the age of 6 months to sleep on their stomachs. Many mothers find ways to prevent their babies rolling into this position by securing them in their cot with a sheet or blanket placed lengthways across them, or by securing a longer sleeping bag under the mattress. Also encourage rolling by day so your baby learns how to roll easily from his back to his front and as well as the other way. By six months if a baby is able to roll easily in both directions they can be left to find their own favoured position. Until then it is recommended that they sleep on their backs. Leave him a few minutes before going in to allow him to resettle himself otherwise he may begin to rely on you coming in order to sleep again. If he will sleep on his back without complaint then leave him in that position. He needs to learn how to settle back to sleep again after coming into a lighter sleep. This may take some days of controlled crying but with persistence he should be able to sleep better. Once he is fully recovered from his recent virus, you will be able to do this in the knowledge that he is waking from habit rather than discomfort.