Gina Ford Mums - Dropping 10pm feed

[teepee]

Does anyone have advice on dropping the 10pm feed from the Gina Ford schedule? At 6 months my AA is a contented baby! sleeps, feeds and plays to the minute of the Gina Ford schedule by herself but will not sleep through the night unless she has had the 10pm feed. We have tried everything - feeding solids until she pops!, followed Ginas suggestion on how to drop this feed, and I worry whether its because I am not feeding her enough during the day and this is a sign she is still hungrey or whether it has become a habit to have a mid night snack. Any one got any ideas?

At age 6 months there is nothing wrong with a 10pm feed. Since everything else is OK on the Gina routine why don't you just accept your baby, as an individual, and still needs it. Excessive solids are not preferable to a milk feed.

What happens if you don't give the 10pm feed...what time does she wake in the night?

I drop this feed at about 4 1/2 months BUT only because he did it for me. He just refused the second breast at first for a couple of nights so then I decreased the time on the breast each night until I stopped it totally. He probably did have some mornings at waking about 5 for a couple of days but he resettled after a few minutes.

Sorry not much help..although I would say make sure she has enough MILK in the day ..as Mears says solids are not preferable to milk at this age.

I agree, at 6 months it is not a problem. My dd had a bit of trouble dropping this feed too, so I changed the milk to water and she soon realised that it was not worth waking up and making a fuss about a drink of water! You could also try picking her up and giving her a bit of a cuddle before putting her back again, without giving her a drink. It does seem like it has got into a habit, so I guess you either go along with it and let her drop it at her own speed, or you try a number of tactics to get her to drop it now.

If you can describe a bit more what currently happens at 10PM... happy to help

I have to wake her at 10pm - she is sound asleep. Sometimes she drinks 60mls milk, sometimes 150mls. She is drinking 700-800mls between 7am and 7pm plus solids-as I am concious she has enough milk. I agree, let her tell me when she is ready, but if I have to wake her, I feel that maybe she wants to carry on sleeping. Sounds like I should try half milk, half water next time and see if she sleeps through.

Teepee so when you say you followed GF's advice on dropping that feed, why do you not just feed her 3 oz (or just 2) at 10PM.... and then put her right back to bed ? Do this for 5 nights and that should work.... did you do that ?

What happens if you not wake her ?

Teepee, I've got the same 'problem', but don't want to risk not giving her the feed in case it screws up the wonderful routine we have. I have started reducing the feed now, but am worried, like you, that she is not getting enough in the day.

I don't know if it will re-assure both of you but I did follow GF's advice and it worked on both kids and they were 3 1/2 months and definitely not on solids yet.

I think you were just lucky Pupuce. ds1 didn't drop his 10pm feed until around 6months and ds2 at 17 weeks wakes up at 4am if I dare to reduce his bf by just 5mins (he feeds for 40mins at the moment, 10.35-11.10pm). They both follow the routine, ds2 slightly better than ds1 at settling in the early stages but otherwise spot on. They are/were both average weight for their age (at 17weeks, identical!!). ds1 dictated when he wanted to drop his 10pm feed, and he was 28weeks old. He just refused to wake up, and would shake his head from side to side if the bottle came anywhere near him. Pretty adamant then!

My daughter gradually began to drop her 10pm feed at around 3 months. I waited til she slept through til 7 then reduced it by 1oz every 3 days. The night I dropped it completly I was all prepared for an early morning waking but she slept right through. She didn't go onto solids until much later.