Can I do anything to make 8 month old sleep through and not need night feeds?

[Chattycat78]

Just that really. Ds2 is 8 months old. He was prem though and is still tiny so really 7 months I guess. Wakes every night to feed once (breastfeeding). Also wakes up other times crying and can be settled often - maybe teething. He's recently been moved to his own room. Hasn't changed the night feeds.

I had hoped he would sleep through by now(as in not want feeding). . Ds1 slept through at 6 months but he was a big bruiser of a boy. Ds2 is tiny, but he does eat 3 meals a day, including water, he also gets fed by me 3 times during the day (morning, lunch, mid afternoon) and gets a bottle of formula at 7pm for bed.

TBH I would like to stop breastfeeding really but as he's still waking at night I'm not sure...I also feel like he's getting too many milk feeds for his age.....

Anything I can do?

I really want a full night sleep soon. Am knackered.

Only one wake up a night....sounds heavenly

My BF son, up until the age of 9 months, would wake up at least rheee times overnight for a breast feed and would be up for an hour each time. I was exhausted and it was horrible

As my return to work date approached I realised that I couldn't go on with so little sleep so with the help of a Sleep Consultant and lots of changes to his bedtime routine, including going cold turkey when it came to night feeds, we managed to solve the problem.

Even at 9 months of age, he was having three meals a day, snacks, drinks of water and about 4 (maybe 5) breast feeds and still waking up theee times a night for his feeds.

Up until the age of 1 the majority of a babies nourishment and calories should come from their milk and so if your baby was Prem and is still small I really wouldn't worry about how much milk he's having. I imagine at 7 months old (as your son is corrected) formula fed babies are still having loads of milk!!

Is his weight gain good? Have you discussed your concerns about his milk volume with your HV as she may be able to reassure you that he's not having too much.

In terms of his overnight feed, I actually think that only waking once is good for his age. What volume of formula does he have before bed?

If you do decide to cut out his night time feed then I would try and add in another feed during the day to make up for it to make sure he's not missing out on calories that he seems to need.

Or could he not gave formula when he wakes at night instead of toy breast feeding him as at least then you and his dad can take turns in getting up and you will get more sleep that way?

You have my sympathies though about feeling exhausted - it's really horrible.

My 6 month old currently wakes every two hours from 10pm for a feed, he is formula fed and I'm on my knees. I would give anything for one wake up lol

Sorry people. I seem to know only people whose babies slept through from 8 weeks(apparently), so it seems like a lot in comparison....

If your baby is eating solids well, I don't think there is such a thing as too much milk with breastfed babies, especially as you can't always tell how much milk they are having (my 10 month old has breastfed 3 times today already and he also has three meals a day and an afternoon snack)
His formula fed friends all seem to have between 2 and 4 bottles of formula a day so even then I think 3 feeds a day sounds perfectly normal.
Mine wakes up maybe twice, usually around 11 and 5ish, but he only usually wants a feed at 5.

Maybe try keeping one of those ready made mini bottles of formula by the side of the bed and alternate between you and DH/DP who gets up in the night?
It may sound silly but I've found not looking at the clock when I get up during the night really helps!

Stop feeding him at night?
I appreciate you said your baby is premmie, but adjusted you say he is 7 months? At that age babies dont need the sustenance. just the comfort and possibly the fluids. I would recommend going hard core and giving baby only water at night, and not much in the way of cuddles.
10pm and 6am feeds are not night feeds in my opinion,
Moving to own room is a bit pointless if it just means you ahve to get up and go further at night time.

I don't think big babies necessarily sleep any better - 10mo DD2 is 99th centile and wakes countless times for milk despite eating well and drinking water. Milk quality is better at night so I'm putting up with it for now.

He definitely doesn't need food at night at that age. He's doing it out of habit so don't feel guilty about stopping. You can either gradually reduce the length of feed or just have your husband so a few nights offering only waster. He'll be fine.

Oops. Heteronormative post. Have your DP offer water if you have one.

At that age I just my husband in to cuddle DS back to sleep. We did try water initially but he refused it and he was waking for comfort/ out of habit rather than thirst. It took about 3 nights - he wasn't impressed at first but we didn't leave him alone, just rocked or patted him and after a few days he stopped waking.

At 8 months, both of mine still fed once during the night. It's hard, I get that. One feed a night is good though!

Some people have mentioned that babies don't 'need' a feed at that age, but to be honest I think some do and some don't. Some days we're hungrier after all.

I was told that sleeping through is technically from midnight until 5am. When I decided to stop feeding at night, I stopped feeding between midnight and 5am. Literally, I'd feed at just before midnight and just after 5. It took a bit of work but I had babies who slept (sometimes) for a 5 hour chunk. Then we worked it from there.

Knackering though - neither of my children are great sleepers so I fully sympathise.

DS2 is 17 months and still has a feed over night, not every night but quite often. So no tips here, I've read to offer water but with a feed he's back to sleep in 5 mins so not keen to change that yet.

"Heteronormative"

Nice word. I had to Google to find its meaning.

Every day is a school day 📚

My 9mo has 5-6 breastfeeds a day. (2 of which are overnight). I think that's quite good.

She also eats shit loads a lot.