BF and weaning

[Em32]

Any advice please? Ds was weaned in conjunction with formula whilst dd is exclusively bf. She is 19 weeks (yes I know she's not 6 months but she is hungry) I started weaning at 18 weeks as she was waking twice a night again and going a lot less between feeds. I would have liked to leave it longer but have a nearly 2 year old and can't breastfeed ALL day. My question is do exclusively breastfed babies ever sleep through the night and do they ever really get into a routine? I'm finding it really hard to wean as she's still waking up twice a night most nights and her day is all over the place. I would be grateful for some support or practical advice even if you don't approve - I'm so tired I feel like crying all the time. What is the best way to do it? At the moment I am doing milk first and solids afterwards.

Em32, exclusively bf do sleep through, our dd has always slept well from early on - we are very fortunate - she now goes down for around 10/11 hrs, just coming up 4 months old. The flip side is she hardly shuts her eyes during the day which can be hard for getting stuff done and is tiring too. She's our first so I'm no expert but dd has always fed more during the day which I think must top her up for the night, I always try to make sure she goes down with a full stomach at night.

Will a walk out in the pram help her to go off to sleep - I find it's one way to get dd to have a nap, just leave her in the pram to sleep once I get in again. Don't know about the routine thing as we don't really have one but there is a bit of a pattern to the day which has taken me a while to work out but helps with organising a bit. You could maybe try keeping notes for a few days as to when feeding etc see if there's a noticable pattern to what your dd gets up to in the day? Sorry can't really be of much help but wanted to post and say hi and hope it improves soon.

Twiga
Thanks for the support. Your dd sounds like my ds. He slept from 7 until about 6am from 12 weeks (after formula introduced at 11 weeks, he had reflux, long story). He didn't sleep much at all in the day to start with but when he got older started a very concrete routine. Dd goes much longer between feeds than he ever did (used to be 4 hours until recently and she will not feed if she's not really hungry even if you offer it) She's fine at sleeping in the day, it is her waking for the second feed at night that is killing me. She then doesn't want a feed when she wakes up in the morning and that messes up her (and my) whole day. I find it really hard not knowing what my day is going to be like especially when I have ds at home as he needs to get out for his toddler groups etc and I can seems to spend all day feeding one or other of them. Maybe I'm just a control freak (wry smile) I have to admit I am happier in a routine......

What sort of time is she waking for the second feed? Could your dh maybe give her a bottle of expressed at that pint to give you a break from getting up? Would she take a longer feed the first time she wakes at all or is she very routine in terms of length of feed - our dd never says no to a bit extra! I know what you mean about routine, like I said we don't really have one but it is easier now my days are more predicable and always feel run ragged if we have a day thats all over the place - jabs on Tuesday so the 48 hrs after will be fun ! Hope that someone with a bit more know how comes along soon - hopefully this will help bump you back near to the top.

Twiga Thanks unfortunately dd won't take a bottle but I'm trying various strategies... hopefully something will work. It is tough balancing the needs of a toddler with a baby, 19 1/2 month age gap will be great later on I can see but not at the moment!

Em, my ds is 23weeks and I started weaning him about two-three weeks ago - for the same reason as you, he was really hungry. I soon found that not only did the night feeds not decrease, they increased!! Finally twigged what was going on - I was giving him too much food. He just loves it, and I was following the advice to let him have as much as he wanted. Trouble was, he was dropping milk feeds left right and centre and because he has no routine (sound familiar?) it was difficult to identify, particularly as I was giving him food after a breastfeed like you are doing.

Anyway, to cut a long story short (too late! you cry), I cut out lunch, and just give him one cube of apple or pear or 1/2 banana for breakfast, and one cube of veg for his tea. He has upped his feeds again, but not back to as many as before, but - joy of joys - he is only feeding once at night now (down from 4 times!)

Gawd I go on don't I ... in essence I am saying - are you giving her too much food? Don't forget milk has more calories in it than food does.

Em - you're going to hate me...but my exclusively bf ds has slept through since 12 weeks, and is VERY happy with routine and has been since about 6 weeks and HATES any changes to the routine! So yes it is possible, but it makes you awfully unpopular with other mums!!! But I second what miaou says: babies get their calories from the milk, not the food so weaning may not help the waking. I think babies have a growth spurt at about 20 weeks, which may be why your ds is suddenly cluster feeding. HTH good luck!

Thanks Miaou and 2Happy, I have to say things are looking up as the food finally seems to have started to work. She's on 1 cube after lunch and two tsp baby rice plus 1 cube at teatime. She's definitely NOT dropping the milk down! and has gone from feeding at 12pm and 4am to 1.30am and 6.30am. She's going less than 3 hours in the morning from 6.30 though so might have to get her breakfast in soon. I'm feeling a lot more positive than a few days ago.... I know you do have to be careful with giving too much food though. This girl is hungry so I'll have to watch out. 2Happy am very happy for you but bet it doesn't last

Em; he's 7 months and still going strong

And long may it continue..... I don't do competitive mothering!