Night weaning ?

[Willrunforgin]

I feel like I'm being completely stupid but first time mum so 😬
My DD now six months is BF and generally still wakes 2-3 times a night to feed.
I've heard a lot of people talking about night weaning, but what exactly is this and how do you do it?
I'm planning to wean her onto formula anyway at around eight months hopefully for my return to work.
Hope someone can help me!
Xxxxxxx

As far as i know, it's not really recommended before 1yo

It’s so so normal for babies to need milk in the night, their tummies are so tiny and they’re growing so much. Yes some babies don’t feed overnight but the majority do! As far as I know it’s really really not recommended to night wean so early.

When I said wean her onto formula at 8 months I meant generally as in day time and overall onto bottles by the way 😊

As others have said, they still need night feeds. However, you know your baby best...is she taking in much solids? Is she genuinely hungry when she feeds or just comfort? My 8 month old still wakes 2 times a night, one is definitely for a good feed. I wouldn’t consider night weening until he’s nearly one probably - when I’m more desperate as back to work is looming! How do you plan to stop breastfeeding? I would like to but he doesn’t take a bottle. I feel like I can’t stop, even if I wanted to.

@LittleJack18 she takes a bottle now of expressed breast milk as her 7-7.30om feed so my plan is to replace this feed with formula and then gradually throughout the day over the space of a few weeks/month replace each BF with a formula feed so in theory supply will dwindle and won't be such a big shock for her- well this is my plan!
Also can I just say I am happy with our wakes up and feed through the night I was just curious as to how people do 'night wean' and how to!
I do think she needs her feeds in the nights so I totally don't mind 😊

I with my DS would take a bottle, I try everyday!

From what I’m gathered online, you tackle one feed at a time and I think just stop feeding and try and settle other ways or reduce the total feed time gradually.

@LittleJack18 oh keep trying, what bottles do you use? We been through LOADS but DD took to Mam ones- the same brand as her dummies.
Thanks for your help by the way- interesting to know. Xx

@LittleJack18 also she wouldn't take one for ages but I found lying her down not in mine or DH arms helped, she just lies on the sofa or bed to have a bottle x

I have tried to go straight to beaker rather than bottle but have tried them too. I’ve decided to persevere with a nuby beaker after trying a few different types like straw, 360, tomee tipee free flow. I’m sure he’ll take it eventually but I’m worried when he starts biting me, I’ll want to stop straight away but won’t be able too 😫.

I’ll try the lying down thing though, thanks!

Sorry OP I thought you wanted to night wean your LO! I like the look of Jay Gordon’s night weaning approach personally, I haven’t tried it myself but it was what I had considered.
DD is 14 months and what I did was for her first wake up of the night (approx 30 minutes after going to sleep ) i started settling with her dummy and a cuddle instead at around 11 months, not intentionally to night wean just to try and break that habit of waking so soon! Since then she’s gradually stopped wanting feeds much overnight and will usually now have 1 feed lasting less than 5 minutes through the night. She still wakes 3+ times for a cuddle just doesn’t want milkshe has a molar coming through but I’m hoping once that’s cut through that she may stop wanting any milk at all at night not very hopeful though

I night weaned by just seeing if my baby would settle without a feed so I would try to settle her and if she continued to cry I would offer her a feed.
I think with breastfeeding you can also try reducing the length of a feed.
I waited until my DD was eating at least 2 meals a day so I felt confident she was eating enough.