How do I drop a night feed or two??

[KatieRabbit]

My DD is 6 months and has been tasting solids for 2 days. However she goes some nights and days with feeding every 4 hours without a break! She usually feeds 7/8am, 11am/12pm, 3.30pm, 6.30pm, dreamfeed 10pm (or she is awake anyway!!) then always wakes well before 6am, usually 3am or 4am and even waking at 1am, then again at 4am and then at 7am. So she is not really getting full stretches of sleep. She feeds well at each feed, wees lots, has excellent weight gain and is happy and healthy. But this waking in the night is getting to me. The only way I seem to get her to settle from these wakings is a feed. I am too tired/dazed to try new strategies but have tried patting and dummy to get her back to sleep to no avail. So I am looking at what to do so we can both get a bigger stretch of sleep. Any help would be appreciated!

[Lolli]

*sigh* deidre wish i could help but we are in the same boat, except we are every two hours or so. Solids are starting to help a bit, but it's taken three weeks for them to make any difference and we've only really dropped one night feed and taken up an extra day feed to make up for it.

[StrawberryMumma]

I hope you find the answer to your question because I know how hard it is.

I must admit I didn't find the answer with my DD unfortunately! But with a lot of patience and just accepting what will be will be!, we finally got through it. As in, slowly she cut her night feeds down all by herself, without cc and with me not restricting her feeds amazingly!

Hopefully she will at least cut out one very soon for you when the solids get up and running.

Hang in there.

[~clover~]

I can't remember who said it, but I was told to give DD1 some water instead of feeding her through the night to drop a feed. Just one to start with.Keep up with all the other feeds though.
I can't remember if it worked for us or not - sorry. It was 6 years ago & I only just remembered then. I think I will try it.

It's the only thing I've ever heard might help. Hope it does.

[sneakysparkle]

My DD did exactly the same thing at 6mths - apparently it can be a developmental thing, as they start to do so much more around that time.
They sleep more restlessly because they are thinking about and 'practicing' all the new things they are learning, and so wake more often. You could try just giving her one milk feed overnight and give her water for the rest - and maybe even drop the dreamfeed?
It won't last forever, hang in there - you are doing a fab job

[KatieRabbit]

Thanks ladies for your words of encouragement. I would drop the dreamfeed although it is no longer really a dreamfeed 'cos DD wakes up for it or is awake anyway at that time! Thing is, she has never really slept through since birth. The best we have done is a 10pm feed and then a 4am feed for about a month when she was about 4 months. She has slept from 9pm to 7am twice in her life and that was about 6 weeks ago.

[Barb Glare]

Hi, Deidre,

What your little one is doing is completely normal! Much is made about "sleeping through the night" but most babies (about 85%) continue to wake at least once during the night until they are well over 6mnths old. 6 feeds per day is pretty minimal really, although she is tasting solids - it won't be having much of a "filling" effect just yet.
I always think that, with any group of babies there is sort of a bell curve. There are a few babies (one or two percent) down the low end of scle who sleep through at a ubelievably early age. Society applauds this, so the mothers of these babies subconsiously believe it is a badge that they are a "good mother" Everyone else sits there gritting their teeth in silence - fearing they might be judged a "bad mother". so, we hear a lot about babies who sleep through and mothers of normal babies who don't sleep through are effectively silenced.
She sounds like a healthy and happy girl, and you should be really proud of yourself. If she feeds at 10pm and then 6am she has, for my money, slept through the night. Brag madly to your family and friends. If she wakes earlier, pop he in your bed and you will both get a bit more sleep.
Regards
Barb

[Spring Angel]

Deirdre: My DS was doing the same thing at 6 months, waking 3/4 hourly and only now at 9 months is having one longish stretch at night. He is still feeding once at night and doesn't look like stopping any time soon. So although it is really tiring, just keep doing what you are doing as it is perfect for your bub.

[Willow]

Me too! My DS is exactly the same. I've been struggling with it again the last few days, that 'pressure' for him to sleep through filters in every now and then and I go off on a tangent about 'making' him sleep through the night, only to have it fail and me feel even worse. Man, do I know how to wear that 'bad mum' badge...

I spoke to a fantastic LC today who reassured me that what we were doing was perfectly fine and age appropriate and to just keep following my instincts about what was best for my son.

Barb - you are worth your weight in gold in this forum. The voice of reason and calm to so many of us who need it.

[mbear]

My DD#3 is nearly 9 months old and i still wake up once during the night to feed her. Never did this happen with my other two. Infact i was working when my DD#2 was this age - something i could never imagine with DD#3. Somedays i too question 'why, what am i doing wrong'? and like Willow, wear the 'bad mother' badge.
I hate that i do this to myself, i really do. DH reasurres me it wont be forever, and i am only up for 15mins max at any one time, but still, its broken sleep isnt it?

I agree with Barb, 10pm - 6am is a champion stretch of sleep.....yes Willow, Barb is FANTASTIC !!!

[Willow]

Never did this happen with my other two. Infact i was working when my DD#2 was this age - something i could never imagine with DD#3. Somedays i too question 'why, what am i doing wrong'? ...I hate that i do this to myself, i really do.

We're like two peas in a pod! I feel exactly the same way, and think exactly the same thing.

Unfortunately, I am heading back to work soon and this is also playing on my mind.

[jackrose]

I would like to add a big meee tooo to this thread!!!

My girl is the same age 6 months and recently has begun waking either at best every 3 hours to at worst every 1/2 hour for feeds during the night. (after being a pretty good night sleeper up to this point)

I am just rolling with it as she appears in every way to be happy and healthy.

I am grateful for your question though, and all of the responses in support as it does help to strengthen my resolve to keep on rolling.... and tonight when she wakes throughout I will think of you all and know I am not alone!!

[Kmn]

I'm not sure if this is any use. My 3 month old has just started sleeping through. For a few weeks before this he changed how he fed to every 1-2 hours during the afternoon and evening. Maybe adding/offering frequent afternoon/evening feeds would increase the time between night feeds - it's what he did for himself though, rather than anything I imposed on him - and I have no idea how long it will last (only a week or so so far).

[KatieRabbit]

Kmn- I have tried increasing feeds in the evening but it has no effect! I really don't think it is hunger that DD is waking from- more out of habit and perhaps comfort. I just don't want to let her cry at night so I feed her. I would love a 10pm to 6am sleep but that is so very rare! And we are just not co-sleepers (the three of us) even though we have tried. DH is uncomfy, I am uncomfy and DD thinks it is all a big playtime!

[MrsFabuloso]

Hun, sorry to say, but in my house, my DD is still waking at 14mths. She wakes once or twice for a bottle, then sometimes a few other times, just for some snuggles. I have never tried to stop feeding her though, I just think that's why I'm at home- to focus on her and her needs. I'm pretty sure it's just comfort and habbit that she's waking from, but both are pretty good reasons for a little one. I am hoping she starts to sleep better before no 2 comes along, though I'm not so sure that's going to happen anymore, LOL...I only have 9 or so wks to go!! We have had several nights that she sleeps through, but not anything regular. I do live in hope though!

[MamaPan]

my DS is the same - he needs feeding in the night (and i am back at work 3 days a week!!).
At the moment he is going thru a 'good' patch and wakes at about 11 and 4
normal for him is about 10.30, 2 and 5 - i just go with what he wants and needs - i dont have the energy to 'make' him drop a feed and i figure i dont know any adults who wake up and eat all night so he will eventually drop them himself and grow out of it. it doesnt feel like it now, but they are so young in the scheme of things so dotn feel pressured to train her to do something different if you can cope with how it is. if you do need to stop getting up so much maybe your DP could do one feed with an expressed bottle? i have heard the water thing may work if they are just doing it for comfort as they soon realise it isnt worth it - but i have not tried it myself. good luck!
ps i also feel like a falure when i hear of all the bubs sleeping through so i just dont engage in those convos anymore if i can helpo it - i figure i woudl rather expend my energy with DS nurturing him than worrying about how we compare to others and feeling bad about it.
pps also meant to add my DS is 9 months!

[Lewis's Mummy]

Exactly the same happening here... and until this week it wasn't bothering me but then at his 6 mnth check up I was told he doesn't need night feeds and should be sleeping longer than 4 hours at a time. So glad I'm not the only one going through this.