How to get 9 month old to sleep through the night

[Birdies]

I've never minded feeding my baby in the night, it's just the once and she's always very hungry (and goes straight back to sleep afterwards). But now I'm pregnant with my second, I know it would be helpful to have her sleep right through. It's definitely hunger, she's not seeking attention or comfort or anything else as she drinks a full bottle when she wakes.

Does anyone have any experience of things that have worked for them? I must say I don't think I could leave her to cry, so any other ideas would be great. Thanks!

No idea - both mine were still eating at night at this point. But they did give up soon after (DD at 10m and DS at 11). You could try diluting the bottle a bit but if she's really hungry then she's really hungry.

I'm with Octavia on this one, if she is hungry then she is hungry. DS gave up the night time bottle just before 13 months, he is now 14 months and still has some milk at night once a week maybe. She will change a lot before the baby comes.

I know everyone says they "should" not have milk at night after 6 months, as if this was set in stone. I'm sometimes hungry at night, and I'm 31. Obviously if at any time you feel her feeding at night has become a habit then you can try to tackle it, but IMO she still needs that milk from what you're saying.

Yes, I don't know where this 'shouldn't have milk at night after 6 months' comes from - given that I don't know a single (real) baby who's not eating at night at that point and often for long after. IMO it's yet another health visitor myth (like the one about a big evening meal meaning they sleep for longer).

Hi
I give my DD a 'dream feed' who is 9.5 months - just before we go to bed ourselves about 10pm. She generally stirs about this point, but I leave her in her cot and give her a botttle there so as not to fully wake her. (I stay with her while she drinks it) - she literally drinks with her eyes closed and goes straight back to sleep until about 6:30am. She tanks the whole bottle still so I know she still needs it.

I know this doesn't work for everyone, but we've been doing it since about 4 months and it has worked well for us. Agree with the others though, most babies still need a feed between bedtime and morning!

Thanks everyone. I've been thinking sleeping through the night is a myth for a while but as I started to hear of more and more babies who do I was starting to think I was doing something wrong. I will try the dream feed but otherwise will stick to what we're doing!

It's not a myth! Both DD and DS1 slept through from 10 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. DS2 started sleeping through at 10 weeks but then at 4.5 months started waking in the night again and has done pretty much ever since (now 9.5 months). I think it's one of those nature and nurture things. There are things that you can do to help the baby know it's night time, like not turning on the lights or changing nappies unless dirty, and so on. If they're naturally inclined to wake they still will though. It just stops creating habits for those babies that can sleep through. Personally I find it easier all round just to keep feeding the baby when they wake. Any attempt to avoid doing that just ends in nobody getting enough sleep. If you can feed and go back to sleep fairly quickly it's not so bad.

Could your OH take over the night feeds if you're pg again now?

Love that idea, I will tell him hehe! I guess he may do at weekends but with him getting up so early for work I'd feel mean if he did more than that.

All the lights are dim, very quiet etc so I think the little mite is just hungry. Will carry on and see if her routine naturally changes over time. Maybe the next one will sleep through!