Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

BOTTLE FEEDNG - DROPPING THE LATE NIGHT FEED?

10 replies

Merlin · 13/06/2005 18:13

Hope someone can help me out on this one please!!! DS is 9 weeks and we have changed his 8pm feed to the hungrier formula, which seems to have had the effect that he no longer wakes at 11pm and goes through to about 2/3am.

I think we should not wake him at 11pm for a feed in the hope that may get him through the night - stick with the 8pm - maybe stretch it to 9pm if poss and hopefully eventually he will go longer.

What does anyone think? DH thinks we should wake him at 11pm and give him the hungrier formula then, but my instinct tells me that DS has found his own sleep/feed pattern so leave it at that for now. Did think about maybe making the first feed of the day hungrier formuala too which may have a knock on effect for the night?

ANy comments/thoughts welcome. Thanks.

OP posts:

Gobbledigook · 13/06/2005 18:22

I think you should drop the 2/3am one first. Can you 'dream feed' at 11pm. We did this with all 3 of ours and it worked really well. If you have a chair in the nursery, just creep in, no lights, no eye contact, no noise and just try to feed your ds. Ours all used to drain a bottle without even waking up and we just put them back down straight away, no fuss and they were fine.

As time goes on, they take less and less of that bottle until you can start to drop it altogether.

HTH.

SenoraPostrophe · 13/06/2005 18:24

I'd leave it.

I woke dd up at 11pm for a week or so, then tried leaving her and she woke up at 2/3am either way.

If he's had a good feed of hungy baby milk at 8pm then feeding at 11 might give him tummy troubles.

Original poster

Merlin · 13/06/2005 18:29

GDG - we have 'tried' to feed him a couple of times at 11pm but he is barely awake and manages a couple of ozs and then is zonked, which is why I'm thinking it's not worth it for such a small amount!

OP posts:

ambrosia · 13/06/2005 18:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Merlin · 13/06/2005 18:42

ambrosia - we have changed his nappy and he doesn't even stir a tiny bit!!!

OP posts:

Kittypickle · 13/06/2005 18:43

I personally would leave him as I found that waking for a feed made no difference to my DS waking up at 2/3am, but I guess they are all different. He gradually pushed 2/3am feed later by his own accord over the next few weeks. Hope you are both well btw.

Original poster

Merlin · 13/06/2005 18:45

Thanks KP - that's what I'm going to try for a few days but with the addition of another hungrier formula feed at breakfast time which should push the feeds a bit longer hopefully!

We're both fine - must get him weighed this week! How are you feeling?

OP posts:

Kittypickle · 13/06/2005 18:52

Fine thanks Merlin. I shall keep my fingers crossed that he spaces the feeds out a bit more very soon, I remember the sleep deprivation bit all to well- seems like no time at all that we were at that stage with DS. Now I can hear him causing havoc over the house, I have shut myself away and am letting DH deal with it !

jambot · 21/06/2005 19:21

I never woke my dd for a 'dream feed'. All the midwives at the clinic I go to said you shouldn't wake them at night - let them wake you when they are ready to feed. DD used to wake anytime between 1 and 3, feed and go back to sleep. Never heard from her again till morning. At 10 weeks she started going till 4 and then at 12 weeks, she slept through till morning.
DD was also a hungry baby and I had her on 'hungry baby' formula from 4 weeks - at every feed. Have you tried every feed? May help her sleep through more quickly. How much are you giving her?

tamula · 21/06/2005 19:51

In my personal experience I believe that if you fill them up through the day it encourages less feeds during the night.

My baby has slept 7am- 5/6am for about 3/4 weeks now, she is 11 weeks today. Some nights she wakes at about 2ish for a feed but more times not. If I see a pattern of waking at night developing I just up her intake during the day.

I have never used the waking them up system, but I agree that it works for lots of people, my sister included, her daughter is 6 months and has slept through from about 2 months.

My dd is not one of those babies that no matter what you do they just wont wake up, if and when I change her at night she is fully awake, after she babbles to herself and then goes back to sleep without any bother, thats why I wouldnt dream of waking her, she'd think its a party and i brought the drinks. That and the fact I prefer baby to lead its sleep routine and i simply fine tune it and encourage consistency.

Good luck with what you choose

Flip