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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Is it possible to night wean and continue on to extended bf?

21 replies

wastingmyeducation · 24/02/2009 10:55

DS is 9.5 months, and wakes at least once a night.
We've never co-slept and since 6 months old he's been in his own room.
We're going to start DH going to him when he wakes soon, as I'm not doing so well with the continually broken sleep AND early mornings.

Will this lead to weaning? I'd like to continue bf til at least 18 months.

OP posts:
Jackstini · 24/02/2009 10:58

Definitely. I night weaned at about a year but gave her a big feed just before I went to bed.
Continued bfing dd until 2.6 when she self weaned (was only on 1 feed a day then)

luvaduck · 24/02/2009 10:58

a big fat bump! if only i could night wean...zzzzz

luvaduck · 24/02/2009 10:58

jackstini - how exactly did you do it???

Original poster
wastingmyeducation · 24/02/2009 11:54

There's quite a difference between a 9 month old and a 12 month old though isn't there? That's what concerned me really, trying at this age.

OP posts:
roomforthree · 24/02/2009 12:07

Yes, absolutely possible. I night weaned at 9 months - I was pregnant and didn't want to be feeding 2 at night! DD is 21 months, and is still going strong alongside DS2.

lljkk · 24/02/2009 12:08

It didn't work for me; total weaning from nursing has always followed on from night weaning. I think my supply was reduced by night weaning, or baby just spent so much time day feeding that I got fed up and weaned entirely.
My 12month old still wakes me several times a night, and a main reason I am still letting him feed at night is because I want him to continue overall.
Just my experience.

stickylittlefingers · 24/02/2009 12:28

I found it possible - I used to do a long feed in the evening before they went to bed, and I carried on feeding dd1 to 17m and dd2 to 15m (I stopped with dd1 because I had to go on to meds and with dd2 she just got a bit ragey with the whole sitting still thing, so weaned herself). My mum does call me her little jersey cow, tho - supply was never an issue for me at any stage, so I guess that would account for it.

giantkatestacks · 24/02/2009 12:32

I found it possible as well - I night weaned both of mine at 7-8 months and we still fed/are going to feed past 12 months. From my experience with ds I ran into difficulties when I reduced the number of feeds overall - for me the dodgy number is under 4 and it doesnt seem to matter when they are iyswim.

Original poster
wastingmyeducation · 24/02/2009 12:48

This is reassuring, thanks all.

OP posts:
LeonieSoSleepy · 24/02/2009 13:33

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littlefrog · 24/02/2009 13:41

I night weaned DS around 8 months, I think, but kept on with 4 daytime feeds for bit, then cut back to 3, then to 2 when I went back to work (12m). I'm now 31 weeks pg (DS 23m) and still sort-of feeding - not every day, and am sort-of trying to stop, so I definitely found it possible to continue. What I did was banish DH for a week or so to the spare room, and then when DS woke wanting a feed I'd bring him into bed with me, turn on some music and cuddle and shush him till he went back to sleep. Then I'd feed him when he woke up next time round. Getting him to go back to sleep without a feed seemed to be the turning point - he started sleeping through 'properly' soon afterwards.
(and, incidentally, after he was well-established doing that I went straight back to the old feed-if-he-wakes routine - I knew he didn't need it, but it's SO much the easiest way of getting him calm and happy again!)

Loopymumsy · 24/02/2009 14:20

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Original poster
wastingmyeducation · 24/02/2009 14:36

So how did you all do it?

OP posts:
Loopymumsy · 24/02/2009 14:38

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luvaduck · 24/02/2009 16:56

sorry to hijack but would love to hear how you all did the nightweaning - details please...

roomforthree · 24/02/2009 18:14

I did pick up / put down. Not strong enough for cry it out or controlled crying. Took all night, for 3 nights but DD has slept through ever since.

Jackstini · 24/02/2009 18:29

I did a long feed before bedtime (mine not dds,) say about 11ish, with both breasts. First 2 nights she woke up but we did controlled crying. If you find this too hard (I did) you could use dh or a friend - the first time, I went outside so I couldn't hear and my sister called me back in when she'd stopped - about 7 mins.
After 2 nights, no more waking.
The morning feed did then take longer so allow for this.
Good luck!

francesrivis · 24/02/2009 18:32

I night weaned at 6 mths by offering bottle of diluted ebm rather than breast - she was unimpressed and slept through after two nights of this. Seem to remember I carried on with a 'dream feed' until she was about 7 or 8 months though. I continued to bf until she was nearly 2 and a half so it's definitely possible, but judging from this thread everyones experience is different.

princessmel · 24/02/2009 18:34

Definately. I stopped feeding dd in the night not long before she was 2. But carried on with her bedtime feed till 2.6

SnowlightMcKenzie · 24/02/2009 18:41

Yes, I dropped to morning and evening feeds at 7 months and continued until 15 months

giantkatestacks · 24/02/2009 18:56

I sent dp in to comfort dd - pick up and shh etc - by then she was only on one night waking anyway.

ds is so long ago its hard to remember - think that was more controlled crying though.

We did continue with a 10.30/11.00pm feed until she was reliably sleeping through though - and by that I mean sleeping past 5.30am cos thats counts in our house

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