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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Weaning off night feeds

19 replies

Mamamia13 · 26/02/2014 15:06

Is it at all possible to wean my 10 week baby off night feeds? She has a feed between 9/10 and then 1/2 then 4/5 and then is awake at 7/7.30 and I feed her after she has been washed and dressed around 8. She then feeds every 3-4 hours through the day. She is taking 180 mls feeds each time. I am really suffering with sleep deprivation as I can't sleep well between feeds. I would love to wean her off night feeds but if it isn't possible then that's fine. Whatever is best for baby! But I'd feel so much better and happier if it is possible! Also how can it be done? Thanks!

OP posts:

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ilovepowerhoop · 26/02/2014 21:58

no I wouldnt expect a 10 week old baby to go through the night without feeding. By my reckoning she only has 2 night feeds and they will hopefully phase out as she gets bigger/older.

BonaDea · 26/02/2014 21:59

Your baby is only 10 weeks old! She needs to eat through the night.

Sorry but newborns are hard and sleep deprivation just part of it. You have to suck it up and just hang on to the fact that things will get better in the next few months.

WeeClype · 26/02/2014 22:00

I have a 3 month old and I feed her 5oz at 11pm whether she's due it or not. That can take her to between 6.30 and 8.30.

okthen · 26/02/2014 22:03

Some babies sleep through of their own accord at that age- the vast majority don't. And there's no way, IMO, you should be trying to make your LO do it. To be honest, her pattern sounds pretty good for her age. It is tough but it will get better before you know it

Mamamia13 · 27/02/2014 02:43

Thanks for your replies. I was merely querying whether it is possible/should be done. I don't truly believe it will happen naturally as I hear of plenty of babies of the same age going over 5 hours in the night. It's my first baby so I don't know what is right or wrong. It feels like she's feeding out of habit as she's taking more than recommended just in day time hours. I've read plenty about having to wean them off night feeds. I am more than happy to do them don't get me wrong but I am suffering terribly with basically no sleep so it's natural to ask when I hear of night feed weaning. I felt like she is feeding more than she should going by what I've read hence wondering. I'm not scared of the work of a baby. I'm thinking of both of us as I don't want to over feed her either.

OP posts:

chloecorey · 27/02/2014 05:06

All babies are different I think they just grow out of it, my baby by used to sleep through he was 10 week last Sunday! he slept through from about four weeks and for the past week has woke up twice for feeds in the night every night. It's very hard and VERY tiring but I just have my naps with him through the day. Hope your baby grows out of it soon

PrincessPotsie · 27/02/2014 05:13

My 9 month old is still waking for a feed in the night ggrrrrr. Let me know how you get on?!

Mamamia13 · 27/02/2014 05:23

They are so different, aren't they! My cousin's baby has slept through every night since 2 weeks. It is tough and I don't get any naps in the day which makes it worse. I knew the nights would be hard but I didn't expect to not be able to sleep hardly at all in between feeds. Obviously I get some sleep but I think I must only be getting around 4 hours a night on average. Maybe my body will adjust soon! It is making me very tearful and down and is affecting the whole family hence why I have been searching for ideas. Obviously my baby comes first though and if she needs to feed then that's totally fine but as she is getting so much in the day I imagined she wouldn't need so much at night. Also often when she wakes for a feed she stays half asleep and doesn't take a lot of milk then when I lay her down again she wakes up and usually finishes the bottle then! I hope it comes naturally. I've heard stories of babies who comfort feed at night being like that for a long time until you start weaning them off night feeds. I suppose it's hard to say whether she needs the extra milk or is just waking for comfort or out of habit. Hopefully it will all happen naturally. I have read they should definitely be sleeping through by 4 months ?! So maybe it's something to worry about after that.

OP posts:

wellieboots · 27/02/2014 05:28

mine slept through at 9 and a half months. But she was bf. As you are FFing, do you have a DH/dp who can do a feed and let you sleep?

janey1234 · 27/02/2014 05:32

All babies should be sleeping through by four months?!

I can honestly say that DS wasn't close to sleeping through at 4 months and only does it occasionally now. None of my friends had four month old babies that sleep through either. Sorry to break it to you but I wonder if you need to adjust your expectations slightly. I hope that your baby is though as you're right the lack of sleep is tough.

milkingmachine1 · 27/02/2014 05:40

Sorry to say my baby didn't sleep through until 8 months and she's bf. The sleep deprevation is so tough but I found that my baby needed feeds in the night, at one stage she was comfort eating but I used a dummy to phase those feeds out, this wasn't until 6 months. Now she just wakes when she genuinely needs a feed.
8 weeks is still so little, just try and get naps when your baby sleeps. It is hell and I feel your pain, unfortunately that's just how it is. It will get better, as someone said above, take all the help you can get from others and rest when you can.

milkingmachine1 · 27/02/2014 05:41

Sorry 10 weeks, not 8.

milkingmachine1 · 27/02/2014 05:45

Maybe you should check out the 'no cry sleep solution' book - there's a good bit about expectations in there. I found once I accepted that my baby would wake every 2-3 hours for a feed things got a lot easier.

FadBook · 27/02/2014 05:50

I've heard stories of babies who comfort feed at night being like that for a long time until you start weaning them off night feeds. I suppose it's hard to say whether she needs the extra milk or is just waking for comfort or out of habit. Hopefully it will all happen naturally. I have read they should definitely be sleeping through by 4 months

Are you reading evidence based information?
Or are you reading forums and listening to anecdotal information.

None of that paragraph has any truth in it whatsoever.

I know your tired OP, it's exhausting having a newborn, but you are focussing on the wrong area to improve the situation.

Why aren't you sleeping in the day? You have no other children, nap when baby does?

Why is your DP/DH not taking some night feeds? Sit him down and plan a night this weekend that he does. Either sleep in a spare room or go to a relatives so you get a whole nights sleep?

You've mentioned family, who helping you during the day? Can you get a break for the afternoon

You need to look after yourself. But nightweaning isn't the answer at 10 weeks, 16 weeks and I would argue not even at 12 months old (others reduce night feeds from 6 months, in conjunction with weaning on to solids)

Ill find you a link to read.

Mamamia13 · 27/02/2014 07:30

It's ok. Thanks for your reply. I understand weaning off night feeds isn't the answer.

OP posts:

ilovepowerhoop · 27/02/2014 08:18

I fully expected mine to have a night feed until at least 6 months old (dd gave up her night feed at 5½ months) and from that age (6 months) I gently encouraged ds to drop his last night feed by offering progressively less in his middle of the night feed. He finally dropped the night feed at 8 months.

It is normal for your lo to have night feeds and as she gets bigger and can take more in a feed and is better at settling back to sleep she will gradually drop the feeds. I wouldnt restrict night feeds until she is 6 months old and even then I would be doing it gradually and not dropping whole feeds at a time.

ilovepowerhoop · 27/02/2014 08:21

I agree that you will get on better by adjusting your expectations rather than expecting your baby to change they way she is feeding. Once you accept that she is going to waken a couple of times in the night you might be able to cope with it better.

malteser17 · 27/02/2014 13:09

I agree with ilovepowerhoop. I hate to report that my 1 year old DS is still waking for a night feed but as I'm still bf at night I'm certain most of it is for comfort but I've accepted that it's what he wants and for now I'm happy with that as long as it's only once or twice a night.

I would say enjoy those solitary moments you have with your DD even though you are tired. She will grow up so fast so make the most of the time to be with her, feeding her and looking after her. And as other posters have said, during the day sleep when she sleeps!

pinkr · 27/02/2014 22:02

never mind night feeds... Just wait till the four month sleep regression, colds and teething hit. At least a night feed you can throw milk at it and solve the issue. I think you need to roll with things for now. Your baby is tiny and needs what they tell you

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