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Infant feeding

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

Feeding more at night than in day (6 month old baby)

3 replies

JumpingJellyfish · 18/06/2010 22:12

I have a very gorgeous DD2 who has cleverly learnt to breastfeed frequently over night (while mummy is 100% available) to make up for not feeding so much during the day. Problem is mummy has to work 20 hours a week now and is very tired, and would also like DD2 to take a little more milk while she's at work so that she isn't quite so attached to boob all night... Problem is I know why she's doing it- she's very distractable in the day even when I'm with her all day and so only has a couple of short feeds in spite of frequent offerings (have two slightly older children who add to the distractions!)- she is now taking solids well (3 meals a day) and will drink some water from a cup, but is not overly enamoured by bottles and only takes the smallest amount to tide her by when I'm at work.

Can I switch this pattern so she feeds more in the day? It has been suggested by friends she may just not be one of these babies that can combine breast and bottle well, and it's all or nothing so perhaps I should stop bfing (I don't want to, but do need more rest somehow...). She cosleeps at least half the night, and I'm trying to get her to settle in her cot more but I'm so tired I have to admit to lacking the necessary energy and motivation to see that through so too often fall asleep with her on the boob in bed...

Any advice would be much appreciated. Hadn't planned to return to work so soon but economics got in the way sadly. Grr.

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chegggersplayspop · 18/06/2010 22:18

I have to take my DS2 to the bedroom to feed him in the quiet during the day. Is this an option for you?

Or could it possibly be teething - my DS1 always fed loads at night for comfort when he was teething. Is she actually drinking or just suckling?

Other thing is maybe can you re-balance the solids and milk back towards milk so maybe cut down the solids on the days you don't work so you fill her up with (more calorific) milk?

JumpingJellyfish · 18/06/2010 22:47

thanks cheggers- good thinking about the solids, in fact that's what I did today but she still only took 2 decent feeds between 7am and 7pm, with a couple of very short sucks inbetween! Find it hard to get in a room on my own- DD1 (who's 2) tends to follow me everywhere, even putting on a DVD doesn't help keep her in one place! Really hoping it's a phase... have started using Teetha so that might help, though my other 2 DCs didn't cut their first tooth until 13 months old so not really sure if DD2 is teething or not- though she certainly wants to chew on everything atm.

Thank you for replying!

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JumpingJellyfish · 20/06/2010 07:31

any more advice out there anyone? Please?!

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