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Original poster

When did you night wean?

29 replies

EmmaInParis · 26/08/2021 14:36

Just that really... struggling to find a reliable source of info on what age it’s appropriate. My health visitor says my nearly 7 month old should be able to do without night feeds but I’m not sure. I’d always thought I’d wait for her to drop them naturally but most people I know seem to have night weaned at some point.

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Tempusfudgeit · 26/08/2021 14:38

When you find out, please tell my co-sleeping 21-month old who still helps herself several times through the night 🙂

Betsyboo87 · 26/08/2021 20:05

If you’re happy to continue then it’ll do no harm to keep going as long as you want. DS was waking up once a night at that point and it only took about 15mins to feed him and put him back down so I continued. As he approached a year we started to wean.

Original poster
EmmaInParis · 26/08/2021 21:30

@Betsyboo87 we’ve had pretty much hourly wakes for weeks, fed back to sleep... it’d be no problem at all once a night! I can only dream of that at the minute

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MattyGroves · 26/08/2021 21:31

6 months. Because he was up every 1-2 hours. I just couldn't do it any more.

And, to preempt the inevitable MN question, cosleeping did not help

Original poster
EmmaInParis · 26/08/2021 21:39

@MattyGroves yep co-sleeping is no silver bullet for us either sadly...

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SpicyJalfrezi · 26/08/2021 21:41

I hate the way co sleeping gets pushed on here, drives me bananas.

Flowers @EmmaInParis. I had this with DS and it nearly killed me. He is suddenly only waking up once again (8 months) which is totally manageable so I really hope this happens for you!

Does she feed every time she wakes?

Bluntness100 · 26/08/2021 21:43

11 weeks she went through the night, but she was formula fed, so fuller and slept longer.

gardennewb · 26/08/2021 21:46

@Tempusfudgeit

When you find out, please tell my co-sleeping 21-month old who still helps herself several times through the night 🙂
Then pass it on to me and my 2 and a bit year old who still demands it a few times a night... please!!
Amammai · 26/08/2021 21:49

Lucy Webber (LMJ feeding support on Facebook) has some good articles on this. Might give you some guidance. She is a lactation consultant. Her social media posts always feel well balanced and very considerate of mum’s needs as well as baby. Worth a look.

CaMePlaitPas · 26/08/2021 21:52

Two! My daughter damn near nearly killed me!

TerrificTeapot · 26/08/2021 21:57

Somewhere between 1 and 2. It's a foggy haze of sleepless night so I can't really remember when.
I do remember the children not wanting to wean and crying about it and me just being fed up with it all and refusing to feed them at night. I also remember caving in a few times especially when they were poorly. Fun times... it didn't last long. Long being a few weeks I think. Definitely wasn't days...

Concestor · 26/08/2021 21:59

I night weaned my eldest at 18 months but always felt I'd done it too soon and referred it, so my son was nightweaned around 2.5. I coslept with both of them.

LaTomatina · 26/08/2021 22:07

First one was about 14 months (co-sleeper)

2 & 3 were both around 10 months (they were always OK sleeping in the cot, so it was relatively easy...)

Number 4 was around a year, also a co-sleeper but I did a 2 stage thing of getting him used to the cot and then night weaning.... took a lot of determination, I only managed because he was my 4th one.

GLTM · 26/08/2021 22:09

I met an NHS dietician today as my youngest has an allergy. She said from a year old she only needs 2 feeds a day from me (would be 3 if she didn't have calcium from her porridge on a morning). She said too much calcium inhibits iron take up. It doesn't matter when those two feeds are. I'm looking forward to feeding less and being able to wear non breastfeeding clothes :)! Good luck. Xx

Stigofthedump40 · 26/08/2021 22:10

Just started weaning now.. he's 8 months. I had hell with my last and i messed up by feeding him every time he woke.. so he never could settle without milk, even just a sip Sad until around 2 when he started sleeping through! Like hell im doing that again

Betsyboo87 · 27/08/2021 05:26

[quote EmmaInParis]@Betsyboo87 we’ve had pretty much hourly wakes for weeks, fed back to sleep... it’d be no problem at all once a night! I can only dream of that at the minute[/quote]
Ah I’m sorry I didn’t realise that was the issue! Mine woke pretty much hourly until 5mths. It nearly broke me so I promise I’m not being smug. Formula feeding fixed it for us, it’s a contentious one though as I know the evidence indicates that it’s a myth.

Original poster
EmmaInParis · 27/08/2021 07:23

@Betsyboo87 oh I didn’t think you were being smug at all! Glad to know things improved for you, gives me hope x

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3WildOnes · 27/08/2021 07:34

I dropped the middle of the night feed at 8 weeks with my first and just kept an 11pm dream feed. He was combi fed though do think it was easier. My others I night weaned between 6 and 12 months.

BerthaYoung · 31/08/2021 08:40

OP I just posted a similar question on another thread - no magic answers but you might find some solace that you’re not alone! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/4319679-Night-weaning-7-month-old

@Stigofthedump40 I’ve done exactly as you did and am worrying I’ve ruined my baby (9 MO) 🙈 Is it too late?! What would you do differently looking back?

stargirl1701 · 31/08/2021 08:50

I fed on demand until 24 months. Night weaned the week she turned 2! 😄

Stigofthedump40 · 31/08/2021 08:58

@BerthaYoung im just trying to cut down the milk this time.. i give 6oz at the mo and soon ill try 5oz.. and so on. I hope it works.. pls god lol

FTEngineerM · 31/08/2021 08:59

7.5m and he instantly slept longer at night.

loafcake · 31/08/2021 09:13

@Tempusfudgeit

When you find out, please tell my co-sleeping 21-month old who still helps herself several times through the night 🙂
We were the same 😅 the only reason I was forced to night wean was because pregnant again and the PAIN was too much through the night 😂 She's still in the bed with me though! It's gonna get crowded come March
Original poster
EmmaInParis · 31/08/2021 21:33

Thank you @BerthaYoung just read that thread with interest. So with support of HV and a sleep consultant we’ve been trying to gradually stretch out night feeds - initially two a night, one not before midnight and the other not sooner than 3 hours later. I’ve just sent my husband in to settle her any other wakings. Well last night we made it til 5am without a feed and she only woke twice before then and settled herself both times before we had to go in... so clearly she’s not hungry! Not even sure she needed it at 5am as she didn’t take much but I didn’t want to push her too far too soon. We didn’t offer water just tried to see if she’d settle first and was prepared to feed if not. Could be just one lucky night here but it’s given me hope! Hope it works out for you too x

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Original poster
EmmaInParis · 31/08/2021 21:38

Ps @BerthaYoung I see from other thread you have the Lucy Wolfe book. I have that book and we are doing a very similar gradual retreat method of sleep training. It’s not been easy but also not as bad as I expected and things have improved a lot in a week. A long way to go still but things suddenly feel more manageable. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you want any encouragement! X

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