Quick Poll Please Answer: DS 6mths I am stopping night feeds...how many nights shall I sit with him while he cries?

[theprecious]

He's fine - not hungry, just likes a bit of boobie in the night.

I've sat with him for three nights, while he's cried for 1-.30hr to 45mins. I have been singing and rocking him so he knows I am there. He's more angry at not being picked up than anything else.

How long would you do this for until I leave put the earplugs in and leave him to it?

I have 3 boys and ds3 really should be going through at 8 months but have yet been brave enough to go for it - so am going to lurk here!

Can someone else take over instead of you doing it? That worked for us and it took 3 nights.

However, I think 6 months old is too young to go all night without a feed and that is probably why he is still waking 3 nights on. I would wait until he is established on solids so I could be sure that he is not hungry.

I'm always surprised at how anyone can really know the baby ins't hungry

he's still tiny
feed him when he asks for it

he is on solids (3 meals a day) and has a dream feed at 10.30pm

I think I know he's not hungry as in the morning he isn't terribly fussed about feeding.

Dp has taken his turns too but in the week I said I would do it as he works.

I think your reasoning for knowing he isn't hungry in the night is terribly flawed

I would feed him, he is very small, his tummy is still very small and as Trinity says, how can you really be sure he is not hungry?

Agree with Trinity, sorry if its not what you want to hear.

i would never leave him to it. He obviously wants something, if you're sure he's not hungry, then try distracting him. the rocking obviously isn't working if he's still screaming 45 minutes later.

I'd pick him up rather than leave him crying for any length of time. Do you know he's not feeding when he feeds iyswim? Sorry, DS is not breastfed so I have no idea if you can tell if they are taking anything/much or not. Presumably if he is taking it then he is still hungry I'd say. 6 months isn't very old to still need a nightfeed.

Sorry that's not very helpful is it?!

I would also feed him. He is very young to be doing any kind of controlled crying. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear.

again i would feed him. Most babies will drop this feed by themselves in the second 6 months anyway

I also would feed him

if you feel you absolutely must stop night feeds, then sit and hold him while he cries

he is very small and has no idea what is going on

Agree with the majority - too young to give up night feed - dd was 10 months.
At 6 months how big are his 3 meals anyway? Don't forget once you start weaning they are less calorific than bm
Anyway - why rock for 45 mins when you could feed for 20 and get both of you back to bed?!

Sorry but I have to add my voice to the feed him lobby. He's just a baby, so what if it's just comfort he needs, give it to him.

Good god,he is a baby.He needs the comfort and security if nothing else.
Try it-if you want to fuck his head up completely-by all means.

It might be worth leaving him for 2,3,5,10 minutes,
i.e. doing straight CC instead of CC with PP (parental presence).

You are right, some babies/toddlers find the parent's
presence at night time more of a distraction/annoyance than reassuring.

How many times does he wake up during the night?
Does he settle himself ok when you put him down
at 7/8pm and after the night feed?

Your timing is good (6 months for dropping night feeds is fine) and
you seem to know what you are doing.

Best of luck, a few more nights and you and your ds should be there

Moondog - that was a bit harsh blimey poor lady didn;t deserve that at all.

Neither does the poor kid.

Agree with Moondog, he's a baby, feed him. He will be hungry at only 6 MONTHS of age. Fgs don't leave the poor little thing to cry at his age.

Please don't do that to your poor little baby, he's barely been in the world 5 mins and won't understand. What if he's hungry? Being left for over an hour being hungry isn't nice for a baby

Did I read the OP right, does it say 1.5 hours?
Cannot understand how you could let him cry for that long.

It was how you said it Moondog.

I was lurking as was interested in the advice but am now not going to bother as find comments like that quite unnecessary.

Suit yerself.

You forgot to stick out your tongue.

CC will work eventually but do you really want your baby to think nobody cares enough to respond to his cries?

I totally understand the desperate feeling of sleep depravation but is it so bad that you really need to leave your baby crying and scared in the dark for so long?