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Weaning the answer?

3 replies

misselphaba · 29/10/2013 12:02

DDs sleep went out the window nearly 4 wks ago. As she had just turned one, I assume it was WW55 and gave it two weeks (pfft the last one lasted 3 months what was I thinking) and fed her during the night as needed. Her eating was pretty rubbish aswell so I was happy she was getting something. And prior to this, she could be settled bk to sleep with a bit of belly rubbing and some ssshing. This screaming to be fed was unusual enough that I felt it must be necessary, if not for hunger than for comfort whilst the WW stuff was going on.

Then bang on 2 wks pretty much, she had 2 really good nights and I tentatively rejoiced (oh how foolish, will I never learn?!) that perhaps the sleep regression was over and I was in line for some much needed decent sleep. She cheered up loads in the day too and her eating picked up. But those two nights were a cruel trick and we are back to multiple night wakings, screamathons if the boob isn't proffered immediately and yet more screaming because why the hell not.

-Her eating has improved, she's eating more than she has in months. She's slept through on far less.

-She falls asleep in her cot with me out of the room so shouldn't need me to help her get bk to sleep during the night.

-Ive timed the feedings (with a view to gradually decreasing the length) and theyre quite short so dont think she's waking up for hunger. Each feed is down to 6 mins and will try for 5 mins tonight.

-After I feed her, I change her nappy so she's going bk into the cot awake and so I know she's not waking due to a full nappy (which has never bothered her before but in never ending sleep regression land, we clutch at many straws).

-From around 2-3am, she starts waking up more frequently. Sometimes demanding a feed an hour after the last one which is more than she woke as a newborn.

-Possibly teething but calpol and ibuprofen dont seem to have any effect.

Wtf?!

Why is she waking up?!?! I can't see how she can be genuinely hungry enough to need 4+ feedings a night especially at such short intervals. She's obviously got used to the milk at night over the last few wks so I'm not going to do anything cold turkey. But I do need to do something. I am the biggest wimp when it comes to screaming and crying though.

Im tied up in knots between being baby led and whatever the other option is. I need a plan because I can't make reasonable decisions in the middle of the night and if Im doing it I need to do it and not bottle it after 10 mins of screaming.

Help?!

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Mollusk · 09/11/2013 21:04

I don't think this answers all your questions, but: DS is 9mos and I was a wimp about cutting out night feeds too, until I started CC (this is not to say you should do CC, just part of the story). The method I was following said that an 8mo baby (as he was at the time) didn't need feeds at night, but you could do a dream feed if it made you feel more comfortable. I started doing a dream feed at 10pm and then didn't feed him for the rest of the night. I bottled CC a few times and took him into bed with me, and he then slept for 8hrs - proving that when he was waking up, it was for comfort rather than food. He eventually stopped taking much of the dream feed at all, so now I don't feed him at all after bedtime bottle. He's still not sleeping well, but I know it's not down to hunger. I think you just need to make the leap, as long as she's had a good dinner etc.

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misselphaba · 10/11/2013 12:53

Mollusk, how did the nights go once you decided to do something? How long did it take to resettle, how many wake ups?

Im now 100% sure the night wakings aren't due to hunger as the feeds are down to 2 mins and I am able to resettle without resorting to the boob for two wakings. So I think I just need to bite the bullet tonight and not feed after bedtime. Or maybe the first wake up? (Wavering already.)

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Mollusk · 10/11/2013 15:09

The first couple of days were hard work - he'd cry for between 30 and 60 minutes a time, maybe 3-4x a night including bedtime. I should note that DS is a persistent little dude. But the duration decreases rapidly, and I think it would have worked if I hadn't been such a wimp. I kept a diary and looking back realised just how many times I gave in and co-slept. Consistency and persistence are the key.

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