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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

keen breastfeeder, 6 months, overnight stomach capacity??

10 replies

spots · 14/11/2004 09:26

Hello! Dd 6 months old and not that keen on solids. I have decided to try and relax about it. She is a madkeen breastfeeder, which can be rather tiring: still demand feeding and for all sorts of reasons at all sorts of times in all sorts of places. Can't see for myself how she's ever going to come round to the idea of big girl food... but as I say, decided to relax, so...

My question is actually regarding her sleeping. She's never slept through, and now that she's older I want to try and stop feeding her at nights. Am making a little headway with this, giving water and ...letting her cry a bit... (she's never got really distressed, just "you f*ckers" type crying)

ANYWAY is it fair to ask a 6 month old not to feed at night if she's not taking much solid matter during the day? will she have sufficient reservoir of milk only between 7-7? she is a bit over 75th centile, if that maks a difference...

Thank you in advance...

OP posts:

zebra · 14/11/2004 09:49

I'm curious too if the Ferber/etc. brigade all assume baby is on solids when they recommend 6 months for CC too. I always thought it was supposed to be a back of envelope calculation about how many calories a baby could get in during a 12 hour day, compared to maximum expected growth rate at age 6 months.

TracyK · 14/11/2004 10:08

I used to feed ds from bottle during the night (well still do sometimes!) - that way I'd know how much he was actually taking. Seemingly whatever they take during the night you have to force into them during the day as extra. Maybe an odd ounce here and there.
Plus as ds got older - I just gave him the bottle and he drank it himself - so I could just go back to bed and leave him to it.

Twiglett · 14/11/2004 10:30

have been wondering the same

love, and recognise, that type of cry

beansmum · 14/11/2004 10:39

i think a 6 month old can go through the night, bean is 5.5months and sleeps from 8-7 most nights. he is totally breastfed and hasn't started solids yet. But on the nights when he does wake I just feed him, not much help sorry!

zebra · 14/11/2004 12:11

BTW, spots, I found it easier to stop night feeds around 1yo, when they were eating a lot of solids, too, and occsionally slept thru on their own, anyway. My periods both came back as soon as I stopped night feeds with DS1 (12 months). I was so keen on keeping my periods away that I didn't stop night feeds with DD until my periods came back.

Sympathies on the nights...I know it's tough, DS2 is still on 3 night feeds (blech).

Original poster

spots · 14/11/2004 12:25

Actually a part of me doesn't mind night feeds that much... am resigned to it anyway, and don't feel too horrendously sleep deprived (must be the hormones). I just feel that if she's not actually hungry then I'm sort of misleading her... leading her to believe that feeding during the night is normal and desirable. If she's actually hungry it's a different matter.

Zebra, when you say it was 'easier', you mean you didn't find they expected night feeds as a matter of course? You trusted their hunger and found that once that was satisfied the night feeds stopped? Or did you have to 'train' them in some way?

OP posts:

zebra · 14/11/2004 13:01

What I mean by "easier" is that you feel more confident that they really can't be that hungry, esp. if they start sleeping thru the night occasionally on their own, anyway. I just don't trust back-of-envelope calculations to describe my baby's needs as an individual. It's not like magically at 6 months their growth rate changes.

With DS I left DH to "settle" him, I think I cuddled DD while she cried until she gave up the idea I was going to feed her. It still felt awful, but not as bad because I knew they were old enough to sometimes let my needs be more important than theirs. Also, it feels like they're old enough to understand -- a little.

pupuce · 14/11/2004 13:43

I think it depends on the child... for what it's worth both mine stop feeding in the night after 6 and 9 weeks (i.e. no breastfeed between 10 or 11PM to 7AM).... so it is possible (and I never had to let them cry at all - maybe I was lucky) but quite controversially maybe they slept from 3 or 4 weeks onwards in their own room... all doors open.... very small house so can easily hear anytthing resembling a cry but interstingly when DD was 5 months old (solely BF) we stayed at my in-laws and she slept with us... we realised that she was awake but not all upset, angry or hungry for that matter.... I think if she had always been in our room I am sure she would have been breastfed in the night for much longer.
DD was not keen on solids until she was 8 months old and eats absolutely anything now.
I do notice as a doula that co-bedding and to a degree co-sleeping does make babies feed in the night longer.... I think it is not a problem at all if you don't mind but some parents do mind (especially when they ahve to go back to work).

I think feeding on demand is definitely ther best way to establish a good milk supply but at 6 months a lot of what people call feeding on demand is comfort feeding and feeding.... snacking all day on breastmilk is not brilliant for appetite and at least if you snack all day on solids (as kids and adults do) it is not good for your digestive system which never gets a break.

You could distract her and feed her a bit less in the day (not quantity if milk but quantity of breast times) so as to increase her stomach capacity.
DO you think she is hungry in the night ???

Don't know if this helps.

Original poster

spots · 14/11/2004 19:19

Pupuce, no I don't think she is hungry in the night. Or, to make use of the bold function, more accurately I don't think she is hungry during the night. That's why I want to reduce the night feeds. But as she is bigger (older) than your average breastfed baby I want to make sure before I start laying down the law.

She is in her own room; think it would be unbearable if she was in with us still, particularly if co-sleeping!

As far as the day feeds go, I find that even if I offer her solids when I know she's hungry she sort of shies away. And she always asks for a breastfeed after a few mouthfuls. I have to admit I feel rather cornered.

OP posts:

sweetkitty · 15/11/2004 11:40

DD 16 weeks goes from 11.30pm to about 7am without a feed. She co-sleeps with us and during the day I offer her a boob every 3 hours or so unless she's asleep. I don't know if that helps any but she's quite a small baby 25th centile and she's happy to go that long without a feed. She's doesn't comfort feed though, she takes a feed very quickly them turns her head away when she's had enough.

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