How long after bedtime before first feed?

[Misty9]

Dd is six months and generally goes to bed at 7ish after feeding both sides. She then often wakes at 9/10ish when I have to feed her to sleep again.

Should I be getting dh to settle her this first wake up though? Surely she should last longer before needing milk after bedtime? It's not a growth spurt as this has been the pattern for a while now. She then wakes around 2.30 for another feed and sometimes sleeps until 6ish, sometimes wakes again at 5.

Ideas?

I don't think there's a "should" - it's up to you.

It sounds like the 9/10 feed could be out of habit, but it's entirely what works best for you and your family. If you're finding you're wanting dd to sleep longer I would maybe try and get her to wait until the 2am feed. You don't necessarily have to let her cry it out if that's not your style, you can always just cuddle her back to sleep instead of feed? Every family is different so find what works for you

My 6 mo DS has a very similar pattern. I'm giving a full feed at 10ish, but trying to cut out the 2am wake up as of yesterday. I feel, as you seem to, that he should be sleeping longer at this age. My DD was only a couple of weeks older when she started sleeping 7-7 pretty reliably. (I know they're all different, but it is a bit depressing!) Anyway, last night I held his hand in the cot while he arsed about for an hour and a half! I'm going to do it for another 2 nights, and reassess then. I will get DH to do it at the weekend!

Thanks. I just wondered what other people did after a friend said dd was a cheeky monkey having a night feed that soon! Coincidentally, I'm feeding again now...but she' was a bit too sleepy to have the second side pproperly at bedtime. And she's ill, so all bets are off for now!

Ds slept through when he stopped feeding at 15 months so I certainly don't expect that yet, but a bit longer in the evenings would be nice.

Good luck dropping the 2am feed shatter ! I can't cope with handling that sort of thing in the middle of the night, hat off to you :)

Thanks Misty. I'm going back to work part time in a few weeks, so I thought I'd try to nail it now, if at all possible. But yes, it would be way easier just to feed him! Thing is, I know he's not hungry, because he doesn't really cry, just chats... Argh!

Ah, dd definitely cries. A really high pitched scream to wake her brother which cannot be ignored. Good luck with work return :)

DS is 8 months. Feeds both sides to sleep at 7pm then into cot. Wakes at 8-830 for s feed. Usually at 12,2,4,7 after that .

Oh dear toads that sounds exhausting. Well I'm feeding again. Slightly taking the piss but as she's ill I'm not doing anything drastic. I am worrying that she's starting to fill up at night and have less in the daytimes though...

Just did five minutes of screaming before giving in and feeding. Poor thing is really coughing :(

That was exactly my worry- filling up at night and not being interested in feeding in the day. No idea how that could be reversed once it's established itself...

I think that's our problem, now I'm back at work full time. If I find a way out I'll let you all know

my 6mo DD is the same, bed around 7.15ish and wakes at 10.30/11 then 1.30/2 and 4.30/5 before getting up for the day at around 7.30. It's exhausting and I really thought she'd be going longer by now. She was doing 5-6hr stretches at 3-4 months but hasn't pulled one of those out the bag in a while Sometimes I think I should try re-settling without feeding, but so far any attempts to do so take ages and means she is awake again in 30 mins or so and is therefore more tiring for me to keep getting up.

She too has a cold and was awake more than she was asleep last night. I am totally shattered and will be dosing her up well tonight! At least she usually goes straight back off after a feed...

I give up. Night Before last we all went to bed at 7.30 and had a brilliant sleep with one feed at 11.30! Up for the day at 6 but I could cope with that after 9 hours sleep.

Last night? Up down up down until 8.30 finally asleep. Feed at 10.30, 12, and 3 when I was so tired I fed her in bed and consequently have had shite sleep until now :(

My baby laughs in the face of routine.