My now almost 7 month old is still feeding 3-4 hourly during the day and at an absolute minimum 6 times overnight. Normal is more like 8-10 times between 7pm and 7am with 45 odd minute feeds all night not being out of the question. I haven't weighed her since her 4 month CHN check but she's obviously healthy, alert, growing etc.

We've started solids and they're going ok, albeit slowly. I've tried so many times to give her a bottle so I can express and DH can give me a break but she just won't take one. She won't take milk from a cup or use a straw.

Her day feeds have been really distracted for ages now, but for the past week solid we have been home and I have been feeding her in either her room or mine with curtains drawn, absolutely no distractions etc so daylight hours have brought much better feeds, but if anything she is feeding even more frequently during the day and it hasn't had ANY positive impact on her night feeding at all. She is definitely feeding at night - I can hear her swallowing and as soon as she seems to finish I take her off. If she's not finished (or if she's wanting comfort) she'll attach right back on. If she continues to feed I'll leave her there to feed but if she is just grabbing hold then I'll take her off again.

Surely at her age she doesn't need all these feeds. What do I do? I use feeding as a way to settle her to sleep, but I'm trying to stop doing that so long as she's calm and happy. Should I try to hold out from feeding her during the night and accept that she's going to be seriously grumbly and I'm going to get even less sleep for a while? Please someone help. I can't keep doing this. I'm so far beyond exhausted and I have two other little girls to care for so it just can't all be about my baby. I'm doing stupid things and making stupid decisions. I've talked to my local CHN and let's just say that her ideas of parenting don't gel with mine. I've got an appt with my GP for her next week and this is on my list of things to discuss, but again I'm concerned I'm going to get the tough love line from her as well. I guess I'm at the point where I'm almost there with trying anything, but if there is something better for Lex I can do first, I'd rather try it.