The time has come...

[Ryatha]

To wean I think, and I am devistated.

Fred is 8.5 months old and we have had a great journey. I have fed though surgery on my left nipple when she was 4 weeks old, and didn't loose supply. I have kept BFing even though I have returned to full time work but that is where the problem is. She is waking for so many night feeds that I am not getting enough sleep. It is really important for me to be alert at work cause I am a teacher and have a duty of care to my students.

Fred is feeding at 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, 10pm, 2am, 6am, 8am and gets a BF at 1pm when DH can bring her to work. I have tried to increase the feeds she gets when I am at work (at 10am and 3pmish) but that doesn't reduce the number of night feeds. I am soooo tired all the time and forgetting things and making big mistakes. To top it all off I am home sick today cause I have vertigo, and I think it is caused because I am exhausted.

So does anyone have any idea of how to reduce the number of night feeds, otherwise if you can let me know how to start weaning I would be very grateful, thanks

[Snowy Love]

No advice, just

[Kmn]

Night weaning is pretty simple, but not very pleasant. Feed her more before bed, both solids and bf - then when she wakes in the night give her a drink of water and a cuddle and walk around for a while and somehow get her to go back to sleep without bf. Much better if you are not the one doing this, as the smell will make her want it more.
This might be an easter holiday plan - for a few nights at least you will get even less sleep than you currently do!

[Ellibam]

to be the bearer of bad news i doubt that by weaning or night weaning will change your nocturnal bub. you have only been back for a short period of time so she is getting used to the only "quality" time with you is at night. so until she adjusts to seeing you from 4 ish til bed time she may wake to be sure mum is still around and to have some extra comfort.

do you co sleep? i found when my DD was going through this that I/she slept better when she slept with me and had free access as i would go to sleep as soon as she was attached.

[Ryatha]

Night weaning is pretty simple, but not very pleasant. Feed her more before bed, both solids and bf - then when she wakes in the night give her a drink of water and a cuddle and walk around for a while and somehow get her to go back to sleep without bf. Much better if you are not the one doing this, as the smell will make her want it more.
This might be an easter holiday plan - for a few nights at least you will get even less sleep than you currently do!

that sounds like a great plan, if DH was able to help at night. I used to try and wake him for help but he seriously is like zombie - and a bad tempered one at that. we are away at easter with the IL's so maybe MIL will help me out...

to be the bearer of bad news i doubt that by weaning or night weaning will change your nocturnal bub. you have only been back for a short period of time so she is getting used to the only "quality" time with you is at night. so until she adjusts to seeing you from 4 ish til bed time she may wake to be sure mum is still around and to have some extra comfort.

do you co sleep? i found when my DD was going through this that I/she slept better when she slept with me and had free access as i would go to sleep as soon as she was attached.

I thought that might be the case, yep co-slept with her last night and I got so much more sleep. We co-slept with DD1 at about the same age as well cause she was the same.

No advice, just

Thanks for the hugs, hopefully i get more sleep tonight, I might co-sleep again

[MantaRay]

Ryatha, returning to work can be a difficult time. Often babies do start to wake more often at night when mum returns to work, as this is their way of making up the time they miss with mum during the day. I know from experience how hard this is - just when you need your sleep more than ever you are not getting it.

Sometimes mums in this situation find that weaning doesn't help, as the waking is more about comfort than food. I hope for you this doesn't happen and that you are able to get some more rest. You have done such an amazing job of bfing for so long with the hurdles you have had. I hope you are really proud of yourself, you have done so well.

Weaning a baby that age isn't easy, but the best approach would be to replace one feed at a time with formula. I am not sure of the timeframe you have given yourself, but if you drop one feed a week then that is a good pace. Obviously as you are working, the daytime feeds are probably the easiest ones to start with, but there is no right order - it's whatever works for you.

All the best with it hun. Working without enough sleep is very hard going

[Ryatha]

Just thought I would put in a bit of an update.

Fred has just reached 10.5 months and we are still BF both day and night. Night feeds are now 4-6 hours apart which is so much nicer and feeds during the day are only first thing in the morning and before sleeps.

I am not expressing at work any more and by the end of the day I am soooo full, but it has only been a few days so I am expecting that the supply will eventually go down.

So overall I'm happy that we are still feeding and there will be a chance that we will make it to 12 months after all.

[Fleur]

I missed this thread the first time around Cat, but I am so pleased to read your update, sounds like it's all working well for you now

[*Ash*]

I also missed it the first time round.
I am so happy to hear that you are still bf and that you are not feeling as exhausted as you were 2 months ago. That's great news!

[Ryatha]

Just wanted to add a quick update:

Fred is 11 months old and I am still breastfeeding only one month and I will have acheived my goal of 12 months

night feeds are still pretty regular but only feeding once during the day other than her morning feed and before bed time

[BekZ]

Good on you WTG