Night feeds

[Bex107]

My DS is 6 months old and EBF, although we've just started BLW he isn't actually getting any solids down him as yet! He isn't going more than 4-5 hours between feeds at night; you read all about babies sleeping through (!) and starting to wean them off night feeds and I wondered if this frequency is 'normal'?

He is hungry when he feeds, so he's not just comfort nursing. I'm starting to wonder how long the frequent waking will continue - I don't mind if it's just normal at this age, but just wondering if I should be thinking about proactively trying to encourage him to go longer between feeds? I'm knackered but coping, so if this is just normal then so be it, but any advice appreciated!

I think it's quite normal. I read that at 9 months 70% of babies are sleeping through consistently. My 8 month old still wakes once or twice (usually twice). They say they are ready to start sleep training/night weaning from 6 months if that is the route you want to take.

I was just thinking about starting a new thread in Sleep as my 9 month old might have one good stretch of sleep but then wants to feed every two hours or even more frequently... I think at 6 months that's definitely normal and 4/5 hours actually sounds quite good. You'll get people telling you that at 6 months they don't need a night feed but others saying don't night wean before 1. As usual I fear it's a case of every baby is different!! Not sure if that was helpful, sorry, but my point is yes it sounds normal and how long he will carry on needing/wanting night feeds is impossible to answer!

Also should have said my DD eats well in the day now, 3 meals and sometimes snacks, but still wants her milk, especially at night! It took a month or so though for her to get the hang of weaning properly and start swallowing what she sucked off.

Until 3 nights ago 10.5mo DS was waking to feed every 2 hours. You could set your watch by him.

3 nights go I started night weaning - he gets a feed at 11ish then nothing until 6.30, he's taking to it well so far.

DS2 is six months too. Also EBF and BLW. He goes down 7-7.30 but his night feeds are erratic. Might wake at 12- might be 4. He rarely goes more than 3 hours after the first night feed.

I kept a really detailed diary when DS1 was a baby and I had the time. I was looking at the entries for when he was 6-7 months earlier today. He too was pretty erratic at this age: sometimes 3 feeds over night but occasionally sleeping through. I think there's a huge range of normal. He was sleeping through fairly reliably by 9 months. So you might see some rapid improvement soon. Certainly hoping I will!

Bex107 I think this is totally normal at this age, DD was still waking up every hour or two and was EBF/just starting solids...it naturally gets better as they get older, bit by bit - DD is 3 and now sleeps for 12 hours straight and has done for about a year and a half! Hang in there, it will get easier.

My HV told me they wouldn't expect sleeping through until they are fully weaned- 8 or 9 months- so maybe things will improve once he is taking proper meals during the day. You can try to cut down the amount of milk he is taking during the night and see if he settles back ok without quite so much. Then he may up the calories during the day so he doesn't need so much at night.

My DS2 is 6 months and wakes once/twice a night for milk. DS1 woke up every two hours until he was 1. They are all so different but there is certainly nothing unusual about a baby still needing night feeds. I personally wouldn't night wean until they were about 1 but it's up to you. I did try and resettle DS1 without milk so he dropped to having less milk with some success but it didn't really help his sleep!