Need reassurance that this is fine!

[Rosebud1302]

Hi everyone :)

So before anyone thinks I am moaning or complaining I absolutely am NOT. I simply want reassurance for my own peace of mind.

DS is now 6 months and is EBF. My friend has an 8 month old DD and has discussed with her HV that she isn't making enough breastmilk for baby as she is still waking so frequently throughout the night. Therefore she has had to switch to formula.

My boy is waking two or three times a night for food so I am now worrying that the milk I am producing also isn't enough to fill him. Not helped by being surrounded by people and social media etc saying how their baby sleeps 12 hours through the night blah blah.

Like I said I don't care about him waking up it doesn't bother me. But I would hate to think I am preventing him sleeping better because I am not satisfying his hunger properly.

Can someone give me a slap and tell me that a 6 month old waking a few times a night is perfectly normal and not out of the ordinary please?! 😁 Or do I need to be worrying?

TIA!

The HV was wrong and very irresponsible to dole out such crap! Babies wake up because they wake up! Nothing to do with milk supply! Only worry if they are losing weight and stop down by two centiles.
Some HV are great and some are utter shite! Ignore!

Drop

I don't know where the hv got that from but it's shocking!! Babies feed through the night for a number of reasons. Building up your supply for a growth spurt or incoming illness. Comfort, hungry, thirsty, to help get back to sleep, lonley.
Many many reasons and it's perfectly normal! My 9 month old still feeds three times during the night. I'd recommend picking up a copy of Boobin all day Boobin all night by Meg Nagel
It's a book on sleep for breastfeeding families.
She talks a lot of sense!

Good bloody grief. That HV needs retraining, her role there was to support the mum to continue breastfeeding not to get her to stop!
OP it’s perfectly normal for babies to wake several times a night at 6 months. Indeed, my 19 month old still feeds a couple of times overnight!

That HV is wrong.

Mine all woke through the night for a feed (most of the time for comfort). Please don't worry OP.

That HV needs some training, your friend has been badly advised. It is completely normal for some 6 month olds to wake several times a night whether they be breast or bottle fed.

My lo is 9 months and formula fed and still wakes up 3 or 4 times a night I think for some babies it's just normal xx

I imagine most of you have been following the now outdated WHO advice to not wean before 6 months. Of course these mothers should continue breast feeding . I imagine some might also want unbroken nights, dont read any further if you like night feeding. Six months is an age where patterns of sleep can and do change. Babies in developed countries often need more than milk.(breast or formula) and they also need to start developing healthy sleep patterns . Older children who have never learned this are actually very tired and it reflects in their behaviour. Paents also get very tired and it shows in their ability to cope with tired children. It is sad the HV apparentlt advised formula, if indeed she did. The baby should be starting to eat solid foods, and also learn to go down for a nap without suckling to sleep. I dont know what is actually going on with this baby and no one else does either. By 8 months old few babies need nutrition in the night unless they are not getting enough in the day. They breast feed to soothe , because they associate it with dropping back asleep, and because mothers like it. Thats all fine, but be aware of how it is. In addition your baby has a reduced iron stores and needsto get this from food, breast milk has less although it is very bio available. No, you should not be worrying, and your breast milk is fine, but it is time to move a long a little with weaning during the day. Toddlers feeding in the night have a habit. Neither wrong nor right but you do have a choice

Mine eojevthtough the night long after weaning.

I think the HV is talking rubbish and babies wake up hungry whether breast or bottle fed! Also if your friend’s baby is 8months they are probably weaning which some people say makes a difference? So surely breastmilk should deffo be enough as they are also getting food as well!

You only have your friends word that she was advised to switch to formula. In my experience mothers make this choice because they want to give up breast feeding. Thats ok but many feel they have to make an excuse. The breast feeding lobby can be very judgmental. Most healt professionals are committed to breast feeding but also to parental choice and autonomy. Women can be womens woerst enemies, a little tolerance please mn

5 people condemning the HV on hearsay?

Totally normal, my breastfed 14 month old still wakes up several times at night for milk. I'm 33 and I still need to keep a bottle of water by my bed in case I get thirsty. DD eats loads of food and just likes milk at night, that's all.
The only thing I wonder is where you say ebf 6 month old it's probably time to think about starting solids now. It's unlikely to stop the night feeds though.

The hv is wrong. Babies waking to feed in the night is normal and absolutely not a sign that not enough milk is being made.

Confused pp are amazed that such advice could be given, no one is being intolerant. It is flat wrong is all. Perhaps mum is making an excuse but the health visitors job is to tell her if she wants to stop she can, not make up reasons.

My 7 MTH old feeds whenever he can and still chows down all his solids - 3 meals a day plus snacks. He's very active and learning to crawl/drag himself to standing which I suspect is why

I'm up all night too with him! He goes to sleep on his own in day but at night fights me all the way

Your friend's milk supply will be different from yours, and her HV's advice will be based on her circumstances. It won't necessarily be the best advice for you, or for other people.

I started a thread yesterday where I made a statement that I'd rather shit on my hands and clap than take advice from any of the hv's I've met. I stand by that

I don't think anyone should be criticising the HV at this point, I doubt your friend has given you the whole story? As this is an absurd thing to say! Definitely do not stop breastfeeding if the only reason you have is the night waking.

Are you sure your friend isn't just telling you this because she wants to stop and feels that she needs a reason? She might have got this advice from somewhere but I can't imagine it's come from anyone professional.

I know HV aren't always as clued up as they perhaps should be, but this isn't believable at all.

Your HV is talking bollocks!

My boy twin wakes every two hours to breastfeed at six months! He’s gaining weight and is perfectly healthy.

Some (most) babies wake at night. It’s totally normal!

Thanks everyone I knew what I was thinking was correct but nice to have it backed up!

For those mentioning about my friend not giving the whole story I can absolutely categorically say without a shadow of the doubt that she is not looking for an excuse to give up bf. She is absolutely devastated because she now believes she can't give baby enough. She has always been 1000% adamant she wants to bf which is why I was so shocked by her stopping. I should say she doesn't plan to quite altogether. Just at night. Which also goes along with the fact she isn't trying to make an excuse to stop.

Sorry I also wasn't clear that yes indeed we are now weaning so he is getting solids too! I am so used to saying EBF haha!

Anyway thank you for the reassurance everyone

At 8 months old DD had just dropped to two bottles a night but she was having 11oz at a time. Bottles don’t go as big as 11oz so she was having the equivalent of 3 bottles of formula a night. Breast feeding it not just a hunger though.

Jackshouse yes you are right. I watch him on the monitor and he isn't crying when he wakes up a lot of the time like he does when he is actually hungry. It is like he wakes up and wants the comfort to get back to sleep which must be normal. Bless him ❤️

Mine is 8 months (but was born two months early, so more like six months old developmentally) and exclusively formula fed.

He's just started waking up 2-4x a night, every night, for no reason. Isn't hungry, doesn't want a bottle. I think it's just something they do and I'm waiting him out.

That HV sounds like crap. My friend breastfed her three for a few years and they all fed at night without issue.