7 month old Night Waking. How long do I do BW for?

[hembree]

My 7 month old is NWing. How long do I do BW (Shh-Pat & PU/PD) for? All night? (I am cutting out a habitual night feed.) We were so exhausted that I gave in after 1.5 hours and fed her.  But then she was still so upset and it took another 30-45 minutes to get her to sleep!  Any thoughts?

[bug_blues70]

If she is hungry, you should feed her IMO. The best way to cut out a night feed is to do it gradually, especially if you don't think you can BW all night if that's what's needed (I know I couldn't!!) because she will just learn that you will give in if she cries long enough, and it's not fair to make her suffer that long and then give in... you and she did all that hard work for nothing. Does she wake at the same time every night or is it random? If it's random then it's probably truly hunger. Also, does she take in a full feed or is it just lazy suckling? If she's taking a full feed and then goes right back to sleep, it's also probably true hunger.

If she's bottle fed, try taking out an ounce at night for 3 nights and adding that ounce to the day time food. Then take out another ounce and do that for three nights, and so on.

If she's breast fed, you can try shortening the length of time for three nights before shortening it again for another three nights, and so on. For example, let her feed for 6 minutes instead of 7. Add in more food during the day.

Once you get down to 1-2 oz or 1-2 minutes breastfeeding, then you can do sh/pat or pu/pd.

Hope that helps and good luck!!

[~ Vik ~]

Great advice from pp!

What does your routine look like through the day?  When does she tend to wake at night?  Do you dream feed?  Is she breast or bottle fed?

[hembree]

My LO is breastfed.  No solids yet as she was sick and teething so I did not want to throw solids into the mix too. She wakes anywhere from 1145pm-130am and will take a full feed.  We have never done a dreamfeed, but wonder if we should start.
Here is our routine:
E  7 Wake & 715 breastfeed
A  745-9
S  9-1030 or 11

E  1115 Breastfeed
A  1135-1
S  1-3

E  315 Breastfeed
A  330-5
S  attempt a catnap which happens maybe half the time.

A  645 Bath (every 2nd day as she has dry skin)
E  715 Breastfeed (both sides twice)
A  745 Read books and mellow time
S  815/830

E full breastfeed anywhere from 1145 to 130am

She stirs anywhere from 4-6am and goes back to sleep til we wake her at 7am.

Before BW, which we have only been doing for 10 days, she was STTN until she got sick and then started teething. Naps got shorter and more difficult - we were walking, rocking and just holding her til she fell asleep.  She took to BW for naps so well, thank goodness!  But I am still trying to work out this NW & feed that she never needed before.

[bug_blues70]

Could she be waking from hunger now where she didn't before b/c she is ready for solids and needs more food during the day? It sounds like hunger to me if it's not at the same time every night and she takes a full feed.

[~ Vik ~]

I think Megan is spot on.

FWIW, it's perfectly normal for a breastfed baby to still be taking a night feed at this age.  And that would be normal even if solids were getting established - so even more so if you haven't begun yet.  I agree that if she's not waking at the exact same time every night and is taking a full feed that it's definitely hunger that's driving the waking.  Even though she hadn't needed this feed before, keep in mind that a lot of things can change very quickly in these los!  She's growing, and so is her appetite, every single day.  I don't think that you can begin to eliminate that night feed until you establish a solid food routine and really get her taking sufficient calories during the day.