Reducing night feeds - hints, tips, support needed . Thank you!

[Bea1985]

Hi all,

My baby is 7mo and has just gone into her own room. I'm so shattered I can barely write in coherent sentences but will really try not to drip feed.

She has been FF since 3months and has always woken 4-5 times a night and I have been feeding her (until 2 nights ago) back to sleep each time.

I figured she was so small and was drinking 5-7oz each night feed so I figured she must really need it and will just naturally start feeding less at night.

This hasn't happened! She still wakes on average 4 times. She consumes at least 20oz overnight. I started earning her at 5months and have just put her in her own room- neither have helped.

I'm starting to get really quite ill with prolonged sleep deprivation and have decided 2 days ago that I must try and redress the balance, encourage her to consume more during the day and both space out and reduce the volumes of night feeds.

I have no idea what I'm doing really but my plan is-

-Offer 4oz per feed this week, 3oz per feed next week, and when she is having under 2oz per feed try and start dropping feeds.

-Trying to space out feeds gradually, offering funny water and shushing to sleep.

• Not feeding her to sleep in the evening , feeding her in a chair in the bedroom and putter her in cot awake (still have to go and shush / put sunny in 5-6 times before she drops off, but trying not to go into the room unless she is properly crying.

• encouraging her to eat and drink as much as possible during the day. Difficult as she is often not interested !!!

I feel cruel but I haven't slept for more than 3 hours in a row in such a long time. Hubby often works away, he has done 3 waking nights since she was born and let me sleep.... but other than that I've been surviving in no sleep. Feeling constantly nauseas (even did a pregnancy test today as was so queasy - thankfully negative)!

Has anyone else done similar gradual reduction in milk feeds at night? Anything I need to change? Thanks so much !!

When she has gone consistently through to 7am ish for 5 nights, then start reducing the 2:30 am feed (as that will make your life so much better) cut half to 1 oz every 2 nights until she is at 2oz, then cross you fingers and dont wake her up. If she gets to 5:30 ish, you can probably spin her along to 6:30 and then just do an early breakfast, then once that is firmly established, push breakfast back to 7 am. Then pat yourself on the back and enjoy it for a week before you start working on the 10:30 feed

Thanks seatosky ! Well she woke at 2230 last night demanding her feed, and I dream fed her at 0230.

She then woke babbling at 0530 and left her till 0600 till she started crying. (Might be able to eek that out to 0630-0700 in coming days).

I don't want want to tempt fate but could her little body clock be learning already? She woke at almost exactly 2230 and 0530 and didn't wake up willy nilly throughout the night......

Sounds like you are on your way. I think that they do learn a routine easily, if you guide them. I know my body gets hungry at approx the same times each day, so why not babies.