dropping night feeds for 7 mth old?

[AuldAlliance]

DS2 is 7 mths old, weighs over 9 kilos, and is still feeding at night (11pm, 1am and 4am). Weaning is not going v fast as he isn't enthusiastic at all. I have been back at work for two months and am utterly exhausted.

It seems to me that at least one of the night feeds is not necessary from a strictly hunger point of view, but that he is using the breast to get back to sleep. He does feed, though, rather than just latching on and drifting off. So maybe I am wrong.

Based on the idea that the feeds were to get back to sleep, for the last couple of nights I've tried to drop one feed, which has led to DS2 crying for about an hour while I rock and shush him, before finally going back to sleep.

I wonder whether I should carry on with this, or whether he really needs the feeds.

And if I drop one feed, should I drop more than one?

I think the 11pm feed should be the last to go, but is it harder for him to be refused the breast sometimes at night if he is given it at other times?

Not sure this makes much sense, due to my advanced state of exhaustion, but would welcome any advice or ideas.

Hello, my son is 6 months old and I have been thinking about dropping his 10pm feed! He has been on one feed only since 11 weeks, and is much smalled than your son. I think you need to be a bit stricter with him! My theory is that they will just take more milk at another feed if they're hungry. Because he is quite old it may take a couple of weeks before he gets the message he's not going to get milk - but it will be worth it for your own sanity and sleep. I don't know how you're coping being back at work with nights like that - you must be completely shattered. Does he ever fall asleep on his own without feeding to sleep? If not, then this is probably the first thing you need to do. I know it sounds really mean, but when my little one wakes up, I generally ignore him and he goes back off to sleep. It normally takes less than five mins of crying, but at the beginning it did take a bit longer and the older they are, the harder it is. Especially as their crying is so loud and you worry about waking the rest of the house up!

I used a book called 'The baby secrets' by Jo Tantum, which i would highly reccommend, you can probably get it out of the library.

HTH

Thanks,
I suppose I do need to be stricter. I don't ever pick him up straight away, but he rarely self settles. He does fall asleep without feeding, though not always. A lot depends on when I manage to get him to bed, as I am on my own with the two kids every evening in the week and juggle madly. Sometimes it works out, sometimes I give him his last feed a bit late and he conks out during it.

I am just so tired that it often seems easier for me and everyone else in the family if I pick him up after 5 minutes or so of night crying, and feed him.
Don't think I can get the book from the library, I'm not in the UK. But will try and check it out.

Ive just dropped ALL night feeds last week with my (just) 7mth old (7.6kg), He was using me to go back to sleep and at first i thought he needed the milk but then realised he prob doesn't, This for us came at same time as putting him in cot (from amby nest) so he was abit unsettled with that too.

My husband settled him for 1st few nights when woke, but not we're back to sharing and the waking is getting less.

First couple of nights he just cried in our arms for literally a few minutes hoping we'd crumble!.. We didnt and now i don't feed him until after 5.30am!!

My Ds wont self settle and still wakes once/twice for cuddles!! But now i dont feed.

WHO guidelines state that night feeds should not be limited in bf babies under 1 year.

What feeds does he have during the day?

Breastfeeding hormones are also stronger at night which encourages good milk supply.

Sorry this might not be what you wanted to hear! Could you feed lying down so it's less tiring?

DD was doing similar wake-ups and feeds at 7 months. She is a little better now at 11 months but still not sleeping through. This must be knackering for you, especially being back at work.

The only way I have found to deal with it is to just go with it, feed lying down/co-sleep if necessary. Also catching up on sleep/rest whenever possible, even if this means going to bed at 8pm a few nights a week. I've found that trying to shush without feeding has just led to less sleep for me.

Thanks everyone, didn't see all the posts.

Taramuddle, I'd rather hear those WHO guidelines than that I need to be strict with a 7 month old, as I'm not really sure about the concept of 'strictness' at that age. Where are the guidelines available? I'd like to see them.

The number of day feeds depends on whether he is at the CM's or not. On those 4 days, he usually has one feed in the morning before we go (though that depends on how late his last night feed was). Then he'll have one bottle of EBM with her, as well as a solid lunch and an afternoon 'tea' of fruit purée, sometimes with a yoghurt/fromage frais. Then he'll have one or two feeds at home before bed.

On days when he is with me he really refuses most food, so he'll have one morning feed, one late morning one, one in the afternoon and then one or two evening ones.

I am in France, where the paediatrician gave me very strict guidelines as to how many feeds he 'shoud' have and what he shd be eating. She said at his age he should sleep through. I do ignore a lot of what she says, though.

I can't really go to bed at 8pm, as I usually have work to do in the evenings when the boys are asleep. Ditto for the afternoon nap at the weekend. I'm meant to be part-time (80% workload), so I have Wednesdays with the boys, but I seem to have just as much work as before and can't really get to bed before 11pm at the earliest.

Thanks for all your input! It feels better just knowing I'm not alone.

I'm trying to find the WHO guideline again about night feeding again. Found it the other day when researching average worldwide weaning age but it's alluding me now!! I will look some more & post it when I find it.

Thanks Taramuddle.

Simply can't find the WHO thing, am 100% I read it online but just can't track it down now. Arrgh, it's annoying!
Did find this though if you are interested.
www.llli.org/FAQ/sleep.html