Eliminating night feed?

[bellabingbong]

Just had the health visitor here and as boys are now 6 months old apparently don't need a feed at night. They go down at 7 (8oz) and generally both wake at between 2-3 ish for a feed - I give them 4 Oz) and go back until 7am. They never take a full bottle here though - maybe only 5oz.

So she said I should settle then without feeding...

So here is my question - isn't that abit generic saying they shouldn't feed by a date? My boys are big boys so I presumed that until fully weaned they needed more calories? They take 6oz throughout the day at each feed and won't take any more

Thoughts? I have no issue feeding them at night if they're hungry but now questioning what to do!!!!

I don't want them screaming the place down hungry at night but equally if I'm feeding them pointlessly then happy to stop!

I didn't formula feed so I may be totally wrong but it seems to me that if they're waking up and actually eating a decent amount then they are not ready to sleep though.

Remember your HV doesn't know YOUR dc,!! Nor will she be the one trying to get them back to sleep during the night without milk. When my ds was night weaned at 9 months he had an ounce then back to sleep. If they are still taking quite a bit milk imo it's because they need it still!!

I'd try to do the night feed at 11pm rather than 3am so at least you can sleep through, but ime my babies were more like 8-9 months and on 3 good meals a day before they could go 12 hours at night.

My son was older when he stopped night feeds. Probably closer to nine months. But I do remember reading at one point that if babies wake at the same time every night then it's likely habit rather than hunger.

I night weaned at 13 months - mainly because it tied in with dh being home for 10 and therefore he could look after ds so I could lie-in and disturbed nights not impacting dh work.

You know your children, you could try settling without food at see if it works. I switched to offering water. Personally I'd try a dream feed when you go to bed to see if you can get a longer block of sleep yourself

If they’re not taking a full bottle then this could well be a sign they no longer need the night feed. Have you tried a 10/11pm dreamfeed? Keep the lights low, no nappy change (unless smelly) and let them have as much as they’ll take, ideally without fully waking. This should eliminate any need for a 2am feed and if they do wake, you can be sure it’s habit and not hunger.

My kids slept through the night without a feed from 8 weeks. But in those days (28 years ago), we weaned early. My two were on solids at 8 weeks and 9 weeks respectively, plus bottle fed. Formula milk contains more protein, which forms a curd and stays in the baby’s stomach longer, so they don’t feel hungry again so soon.
I honestly don’t know how modern mothers can satisfy a baby with exclusive breast feeding to 6 months - they must be feeding round the clock to deliver enough calories! Mind you, friends with babies all said they lied to the health visitor or GP and started solids earlier anyway...!

My LO is just 6 months but i have been weaning since about 5 months, now on 2 meals a day but still EBF. Since her 3rd lot of jabs she has taken to waking in the night most of the time for a feed. Usually between 2-3 and then about 5. But after a feed she goes straight back down to sleep.

She has started to crawl in the last 2 weeks and has always been on the move so I know she is using loads of energy, her bottom teeth have appeared in the last few weeks as well, but I am wondering if she is just waking for a comfort feed rather than hunger

After reading thoughts above I may try stop trying to feed her as it may be more for comfort and instead introduce lunch to fill her up during the day

Your baby will drop feeds themselves in my experience, when they no longer need them-although I've ebf all 3 of mine on demand. My youngest has just turned 1 and now only has 1 feed a day and some days not even that although its always offered. Some nights he'll sleep through others he wakes for some milk. He's on 3 meals a day plus a small snack mid morning and mid afternoon, he has water available and easily accessible at all times. You may find OP that your baby is thirsty rather than hungry and leaving a drink of water close at hand might be enough for him. At 6 months though you've only just started weaning in the majority of cases so its unlikely they're getting enough calories other than milk to make dropping a feed a necessary.

My LO is also a big baby and at 5 months as he was feeding 7oz every three hours in the day and we’d already started weaning we decided if he woke before 5am we would offer water instead of formula. Within a week he stopped waking at 1/2am for a feed and started waking at 5/5.30. He feeds then goes back to sleep til 7.30. Can’t seem to get him to sleep through yet tho!

I was too scared to do anything about weaning night feeds so my DD wasn't weaned until 15 months.... turns out I should of asked for help months ago as it seems the norm is somewhere between 6-12 months!! Everyone is different and it depends on how you feel they are eating in the day

Mine is 10 months and still has a dream feed at 11pm. Tried to stop a couple of times but woke early and doesn’t bother us so carrying on for now. I guess you balance the hassle of doing the night feed against the hassle of getting them off it. When we dropped our early morning feed we did it by offering a bottle of water at the same time and trying to get more in during the day. It worked and within a few days she didn’t wake up at that time anymore. I guess they just get used to a feed then so wake for it.

I swore by the 10.30/11pm “dream feed” which kept my DS topped up until morning. I wasn’t able to drop this feed until he was about 11 months. If they need a feed, they need a feed. No should or shouldn’t argument IMHO.