Think DD is reverse cycling due to weaning/distraction

[minipie]

DD Is 7.5 months old (6 months corrected age) and has 1 or sometimes 2 breastfeeds in the night, usually about 2/3am and then sometimes at 5am.

We started weaning 6 weeks ago and she's on 3 meals a day now, though still mainly fruit and veg, just started protein last day or two. she gets solids about an hour after breastfeeding.

I'd hoped that the night feeds would reduce and eventually drop as she weans.

however in fact she seems to be reducing her day feeds (she now only has one boob per daytime feed, if that. it used to be two) and increasing the night ones - so far just the amount not the frequency but still it's in the 'wrong' direction from a sleep perspective!

what can I do to encourage her to take more at the daytime feeds and less in the night? or will she do this herself at some point

Hi minipie . Sorry once again I have no answers, but I have exactly the same problem with DS (he's about a month older than yours, but it sounds as if they had a similar due date - and they seem to be doing similar things!).

I keep offering the breast before and after solids and at frequent intervals throughout the day - but he just doesn't want it, and then catches up on milk at night instead. I cut down his solids to one meal a day, thinking he was filling up too much on less nutritious foods, and it has made no difference at all. Perhaps it is a developmental stage, where they are processing and learning too much to be interested in food in day time? Everything is just a phase

thanks both! Gurke hello - that's reassuring to know I'm not alone and also that cutting down food (which I had considered) may not actually make any difference.

Harriet yes I thought it should be gradual too. I asked HV and she said not to worry as only 2 BFs needed at this stage...I'm not convinced. Having said that DD is having a v big feed in the night and her bedtime feed is pretty big too, and there is some milk in her food... maybe this makes up for the morning and afternoon feeds being smaller so she's not actually cutting down ... just not the timing I'd prefer! I will try the 20 to30 minutes thing though, thank you.

I think the problem often is that at first weaning can be counter productive with sleep as the first foods (fruit/veg) are very low in calories as compared to milk. Once you start adding in proteins, carbs and fats you should find she starts waking less.

Hi minipie
DD (6.5mo) is doing similar, so don't have any advice to offer but wanted to post.
She seems to have a big feed before bed and then at least two descent feeds, sometimes three during the night now. When she wakes in the morning she doesn't have that big a feed.
She tends to have a descent feed about 11am but then isn't that bothered or just has snacky feed until her night time one again

I, like you, thought she'd start needing less at night but it seems to have gone the opposite way. I've just been trying to offer BF every couple of hours, see if it helps

During the day they tend to get a lot more distracted around this age, if we're out DS hardly eats at all as everything is so interesting, then catches up at night.

I'm hoping they grow out of it!