When to give up 10.30pm bottle feed?

[zh202]

My daughter is 8 months old and eats and sleeps relatively well. She has 5 milk feeds a day and I am wondering whether I ought to be giving up the 10.30pm feed. She sleeps through the night so I am a bit nervous about giving it up, but at the same time I am waking her up for the last feed (she drinks somewhere between 3-5oz). Any advice welcome!

[Jojay]

She could probably go without it now - I phased it out when DS was established on solids at 6 1/2 months.

She's not taking much anyway, so it shouldn't be too difficult, but I know what you mean about being nervous about it!!

I just cut down the amount I gave him till he was only taking an ounce or two,(he was cutting back on his own devices too) and he was fine. The first night he briefly cried out in his sleep at about 11 pm, and we haven't had a peep since then. I always had to wake him anyway, so I didn't think I'd have a problem with him waking up.

A friend of mine did it the Baby Whisperer way, which means you bring the feed forward half an hour every 3 days. Towards the end their dd took very little 'cos it was only an hour or so after her tea, and it also got her out of the habit of waking up for it, as she did wake for her feed. She happily dropped the feed at 7 1/2 months after being a very hungry baby!!

Good Luck!!

[zh202]

Jojay - hugely helpful advice; thank you! I think I prefer your approach of cutting back slowly rather than moving back half hour each 3 days and interrupting my precious evenings (I have 2 children so I live for the 'alone-time' in the evenings!).

[Jojay]

Good luck with it - I'm sure it will go fine!!

[TroyMcClure]

i gave it up when i forgot to do it one night

[lisasimpson]

We also did it the Baby Whisperer way, as she might start waking at 10.30 anyway hungry or not. We reduced the amount by 1 ounce every 3 days and brought it forward half an hour. Worked well for us.

[nct73]

LO is 7 months. we started cutting back amount of milk so was only drinking 2-3 oz. we dropped the 10.30pm dream feed a few days ago but still had bottle on stand-by. Night 1 - 11pm, night 2 - 11.30pm each time a few oz then back to sleep then last night 1am but drained 4oz. was still doing her hungry flailing. luckily had made 5oz. drained last oz in bed & rolled over to sleep. phew - thought I was going to have to get my boobs out. was hoping to stop bf soon. have cut back to breakfast & mid morning & emergency night feeds. at least she went back to sleep. when she used to wake at 1am she would be awake till 3 or 4. woke up at usual time 6am happily doing her loud chatty playing until I go in 6.30am to give fresh nappy & breakfast but this morning not really hungry as had such big night time snack. should i just give water in middle of night? or keep going with milk on demand when wakes at night & hope she gradually wakes later until all way to breakfast?