Does an 8.5 month old need a night feed?

[Mandraki]

My little girl is 8.5 months and wakes for a feed once per night. Sometimes when she wakes and we give her the milk she definitely wants it, she cries until we’ve changed her nappy and she can have it. Other night she’s isn’t so insistent but is happy to have some milk. In both instances she goes straight back to sleep.
I’m worried about creating a habit and as she doesn’t seem too bothered for it sometimes I’m wondering if now is a good time to start thinking about dropping the feed? Or will she do this on her own? I did worry when she was younger how would she drop her night feeds (when she was having 3-4) but she just did in her own time so maybe that’s the answer.

Any ideas?

No.
We offered a bottle of warm water at that age and the habit was dropped v quickly.

In your position, I would try your resettle without feeding at every wake up. Be prepared to spend 10 mins resetting and of that doesn't look like it's going to work, then I would feed. But try to resettle first every time.

While doing this, also completely separate the last (bedtime) bottle from sleep. So give the bottle downstairs, before bath or getting into night clothes etc.

I disagree OP. Its totally normal for an 8.5 month old to still wake for a night feed. Their stomachs are still tiny and they are still so little. If she’s only waking one and goes straight back to sleep I’d say that’s fantastic sleep. My DS had a feed untill about 10 months and now sleeps through like a dream. I never did anything and let him lead.

Totally normal.. keep feeding. You don't need to worry about creating this terrible sleep association. Like you say follow her Iead when she's ready or when your instinct says she's ready then push her to go without. Your uncertainty on here indicates now is not the time.

Depends.

If my dc hadn’t eaten much that day and woke up and struggled to get back off of always offer a bottle and it was greatly received.

I’m on my third and last toddler now and she still wakes up the odd night. Last night I slept on the floor by the cot as I was adamant she was not getting in my bed!

It doesn’t last forever

My DS is nearly one and is gradually dropping night feeds. We always give milk if he wakes after 10pm (having gone to bed at 6.30) and i would say that 4/5 nights out of 7 he is not waking at all now.

I think it's normal. My first stopped bang on 6 months but my second only stopped at 21 months. I think as with all things baby it's individual.

We did try stop it but it just meant more crying and waking in the night which didn't ease so we decided to just let her have it and get more sleep!

It sounds like she might be self weaning from it anyway if she takes it some nights and not others. You may find that she drops it naturally soon.

I weaned my DD1 from night feeds and she was reliably sleeping 12 hours by 9mo.

I can't do the same with dd2 though as any crying wakes DD1 and she got too shattered. I did reduce the amount of milk I gave and she was ok about it, less than half and she didn't fall back asleep so stuck to half.

Dd2 has started in the last week sleeping til 6.30 without a feed of her own volition.

I think by 8.5 months she could go without milk but as she's used to it, you'll need to gradually reduce the amount. It's v possible she'll self wean.