Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Cutting out night feeding, should we give water,cuddles, what do you think???

13 replies

pevie · 01/01/2008 20:13

Just posting on here as well as sleep section for as many answeres as possible. So please give your opinion, We're finally deciding to try and cut out night feeding as she is now getting up more and more and it also causes her wind so doesnt help her to sleep. She takes a good diet in day so dont think she physically needs it. My question to you is how to handle it when she wakes. am going to send in DH so she doesnt expect a feed. Will we pick her up for brief time and offer her boiled water or just pick her up and cuddle or keep in cot and reassure. We are thinking of cuddling and offering little drink but problem is she can get really upset when DH picks her up.. So maybe just get him to pick her up briefly and put back down just so she knows we're still there. What do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Pitchounette · 01/01/2008 20:20

Message withdrawn

lulumama · 01/01/2008 20:20

a lot depends on the age of the baby i think

SenoraParsnip · 01/01/2008 20:22

how old is she and how often do you feed at night?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Original poster

pevie · 01/01/2008 20:26

She is 8 months and is bf so reducing amount not really an option!!! Was thinking of offering water but if she doesnt want it just giving cuddles. When you say didnt work pitchounette, do you mean that he cried a lot. Am expecting some crying but feel that as long as we keep reassuring until goes back to sleep then she'll know we are still there for her. Dont think its an option to keep feeding really as it makes her so uncomfortable and she is a poor soul when has had no sleep. On odd occaison when she hasnt woken much or had bad wind is like different baby so really feel this will help her ultimately, but obviously still feel bad about it!!!!!

OP posts:

Alambil · 01/01/2008 20:29

My ds got a bottle of water instead - he soon learnt that there was no point in waking up!

I can't recall much protesting about it - they soon realise to eat more during the day and will be hungrier anyway

CarGirl · 01/01/2008 20:29

get her a cuddly (mothercare do machine washable ones that are suitable from birth - buy 2, take one back if dd doesn't take to it) let the cuddly sleep with you for a bit but her to bed with it, when she wakes I'd go in and try the hushing and patting. Do you feed her to sleep in the evenings or does she go down in her cot awake?

Original poster

pevie · 01/01/2008 20:40

I was feeding her twice in night. No I never fed her to sleep in evening cos needed to bring wind up before she went to sleep. She did get rocked to sleep but we have managed to put her down when she is sleepy but not sound asleep, that was quite a long process as well and involved a little bit of crying. I also manage to rock her back to sleep in night sometimes as I dont want to feed her every time she wakes..Problem is if you dont feed her will wake about an hour later after rocking as obviously still wants fed. So reckon that she needs to learn that we will cuddle her and give water but hopefully not feed her. We did get a cuddly for her as this works well for DD1, but I forgot to give it my smell a bit, may try this.

OP posts:

Pitchounette · 01/01/2008 20:47

Message withdrawn

Original poster

pevie · 01/01/2008 20:53

Thanks, not sure I have months as not only does she need the sleep I'm going back to work soon. So think that maybe DH going in will speed it up hopefully and she'll realise theres no feeding!!!!! We did this a bit with DD1 although she wasnt fed in night she still wanted lots of cuddles from me, so when DH went in she cried a bit but settled much quicker. Not nice for him but at least you know that someone they love is going to them and reassuring them!!!!

OP posts:

Pitchounette · 01/01/2008 20:57

Message withdrawn

lulumama · 01/01/2008 20:58

8 months old quite often do need a feed in the middle of the night......

Original poster

pevie · 01/01/2008 21:40

Thanks pitchounette. My DD2 does seem more sensitive than DD1 so not sure how she will respond!!! She is v.clingy which I think is partly to do with her being quite uncomfortable when young although I think she's a lot better now!!! Lulumama, I havent really read anything that says they will still need to feed in night at this age. Surely it depends on how well established the solids are, I can imagine that an 8 month old who doesnt eat v.much in day and still relies quite a lot on milk feeds would definately need a milk feed in night!!!! Or maybe I am just thinking of DD1 who never fed in night after 6 months!!!

OP posts:

lulumama · 01/01/2008 22:29

a lot of babies do need and want feeding in the night, for the first year.. even if it is not in books , anecdotally, it is true.

solids should not really be replacing milk at this age, milk is still the main source of nourishment.. so like you say, it can depend on how much food and milk they are having in the day

guess the only way to see is to try it and if she will not be soothed or settled with anything otehr than a feed, you have your answer!

Flip