How do you night wean an EBF baby.

32 replies

ANiceSliceOfCake · 13/05/2016 21:01

Hi. My boy is 9 months, weaning was slow to start but now going ok. I'm wondering how you start night weaning? He has last feed after his bath at 7pm then wakes up once in the night for a feed then up at 6am for the day.

I just don't know when or how to start?

Thanks.

OP posts:

FurryGiraffe · 19/05/2016 20:21

Are your friends EBF? It does make a difference I think. As others have said, one night feed at 9 months totally normal, though none equally normal (DS1 dropped spontaneously at 9 months). Totally up to you if you want to try and encourage dropping.

I'd consider two things though. First the possibility of increased BF when you go back to work- personally I think I'd be annoyed if I worked hard to drop the night feeds then demand for them came back a few weeks later! The second is that in my experience night time BF is a bloody useful tool to settle them quickly when they're teething/ill and you're working the next day. Keep in mind that you may appreciate it having it in the armoury

CutYourHairAndGetAJob · 19/05/2016 20:36

My DD still had a night feed at that age but dropped it naturally at just over one. So you might not have to do it for much longer even if you do nothing.

villainousbroodmare · 19/05/2016 20:44

Exactly, Furry Giraffe.

DS is now 10 mo and what we've done is to bf at 10 or 11pm, shush night wakings in the confidence that he really cannot be hungry, and bf at 6am. It took about 2 weeks.

But when I went back to work at 6mo there was a lot of night feeding. Like newborn days for a few weeks. I didn't mind. Night feeding was easier than night wailing.

CityDweller · 19/05/2016 21:44

You might find he just stops of his own accord. DD went from at least one night feed to sleeping through just like that - she just did it one night (at 8.5 months old) and carried on from then. It was seriously like a miracle as I too was wondering about night weaning and worrying about being knackered back at work. Although I didn't do anything particularly to make it happen, I think things like her properly crawling (i.e. being more tired) and being on three full meals a day happened around the same time.

gruber · 19/05/2016 21:54

With difficulty. Great difficulty. Didn't successfully night wean until 18 months (possibly nearer 2) when he was able to understand "boobies go nights" and got the understanding. I didn't push it before then. He was waking 3-4 times between 10 and 7 so I would have been overjoyed with 1 wake up and feed!! I really wouldn't force it at 9 months especially if he isn't eating loads in the day, there may be a disconnect between food, getting enough energy and calories in the day so might be making up the shortfall at night still.

Gizzygizmo · 02/10/2018 07:31

It wasn’t intentional like messing around, he was rubbing his eyes and stretched which meant he clenched his teeth down. It took me a good few seconds to move his arms so I could get him off... ouch ouch ouch

Gizzygizmo · 02/10/2018 07:32

Sorry i was posting on my own thread but also had this one up as well lol

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