Does he need a night-time feed?

[amberj]

DS has just turned one, and we are thinking its time to try to drop his middle of the night feed. He goes to bed about 7pm, and is up anywhere from 1-4am for a small feed, then back to sleep until about 7am. My MCHN says he is developmentally capable of sleeping the full 12 hours without a feed, and this seems to hold true for most of the other kids in mothers group. They all think I'm wierd for still being up at night!

But I would hate the starve the poor kid! I am just after others experiences of when a 12 hour block was achievable- I know every child is different, but hoping I can get a general trend from replies!

Thanks!

[KatieRabbit]

Maybe you could see what he does when you attend to him but not offer milk? Try a cuddle or a few sips of water to see if he is hungry or just in a habit. As long as you are ok doing it, there is no problem with it, despite what people say! It suits you and suits him! If you want it to stop then that is different. Is he breastfed or on formula? You're not weird- you're just attending to your baby!

[babywannabe]

hi,
Both my children began 12 hour blocks around 6 months. It didn't happen straight away, but their night sleep stretched longer and longer till they reached 12hours straight. And then some night's they got thru without a feed and other times they would wake up after 8 or 10 hours for a feed and go back to sleep. All babies are diff, my friend's baby is 18 months and still gets up for a night feed.

[Visitor8]

if your breastfeeding I would say let him have that feed for as long as he wants, that is if your comfortable doing it.

Bottle feeding I don't know. Mine slept through very early when I started the bottle

Ashton is still up for a night feed and i'll continue to give it to him as long as he wants because he's still BFing

[kelebek]

My DS is 15 mnths, goes to bed between 7.30 - 8.30, wakes most nights between 11.30pm to 1 and anytime after 4am for a feed. With the odd wakeup anytime in between. I am currently feeding him at these times. Can't really answer if he 'needs' it or if it just habit but you are definitely not the only one.

[JordieC]

It depends on whether you want to stop because you're tired or because you're worried about what others thinks. We felt around 12 months that DD really didn't need that middle of night feed so weaned her off it but in saying that there were still random night for the next 6 months where she would have one. Just do what works for you but your health nurse it prob right, he prob physically doesn't need it.

[MantaRay]

I think babies are all different. DS1 was sleeping through very early, but DS2 needed a feed in the night until he was 12 months. I think it's because he seems to have a high metabolism - eats heaps but doesn't put on weight. There was no point trying to stop DS2 night feeding because he was clearly hungry and needed it, and he did stop in his own time, luckily at 12 months so it wasn't too bad.

As Jordie says, something is only a problem if it's a problem for you. If you don't mind a quick feed in the night, then it's all good. If you are really hating it then you might need to try and cut it out. There really is no right answer here.

In truth I didn't actually find DS2 sleeping through to be the end of my night wakings - I still woke up most nights anyway, and still often have a child (or DH) or a need to go to the loo waking me in the night. I am not sure that night weaning is the be all and end all for a good nights' sleep!