Gentle Night weaning - advice please

[ilovetosleep]

dS2 is 11.5 months. I started nightweaning about 10 days ago by making sure he went down awake at bedtime and cutting short night feeds so he went down awake. He went from feeding every 2 hrs to waking at 1 and 5 am - amazing. Then I started to shorten the feeds by 30seconds each night. Again it started to go well but when I got to 2 mins he started waking up more frequently. Tonight I tried 1min 30 and I've given up now at 5 am and am feeding him back to sleep - he had 1.5 mins at 12 and 3am. I always said that anything after 5 am I would do whatever it takes to get him back to sleep as I don't want 5 am starts, but the an was to completely phase out night feeds and it doesn't seem to be working. What next? Do I go cold turkey and stop them altogether (at weekend with dh's help!) or make them longer again and settle for 2 feeds a night for now? I struggle to get more solids in during the day but I'm working on that too.,,

No advice from me I am afraid, but I am watching this thread with interest. I am in the same boat with my 10 month old DS who wakes at least twice a night and is then up at 5:30am.
It is sooo exhausting isn't it? I could cope with night waking or an early start but not both!
I haven't started trying to night wean but tonight is the night. I wasn't sure how to go about it but after reading your post I think I will try cutting down the minutes. Can I ask how long your DS was originally feeding for? My DS can be quite quick so I am not sure if it will work.

Watching with interest too!

Well at least it's not just me!

DS was feeding really frequently before for about 10mins. It felt quick but when I began to time it I realised I was so sleepy (and often woke up an hour later holding him...) that I didn't realise that he was taking so much milk.

Anyway now I don't know if he actually really needs that milk as he's started waking up more again. Or maybe it's teeth...

Tips on this on FB family sleep consultant

cant afford a sleep consultant and don't really want to!

So we have now settled into a routine of 2 min feeds at 12 and 3 am, followed by a longer one around 5 to get him sleeping til 630am. I want to get it down to just one night feed. I'd be happy with oe feed around 4-5ish.

Now its the weekend I have DH on board - which feed shall I start by dropping? I'm guessing the 12am one...

any tips?

My DS is almost seven months and in a pattern of bed at seven, feed at half eleven and half three and then awake anywhere between 6 and 8. I've been trying to cut the half three feed for just over a week now. I use the dummy and also offer a cuddle. I make sure he is laying in my arms in a position that I can get him into his cot without too much disturbance. A few nights it's taken under fifteen minutes to settle him, other nights it's been an hour. And then some nights he'll got through to seven without the feed and others he wakes hourly until I give in around six and feed him back to sleep. I'm hoping he will give up with the three am wake up once he fully realises he's not getting milk. I haven't been trying too long yet so I'm hoping it will come with time. Not sure if any of that helps!