Gentle Night Weaning?

[JennVanessa1083]

Hello!

My 7 month old still wakes up about 3-4 times a night however, I only feed if it's been around 3 hours since he last has eaten. I am wondering if this is common? He does eat one meal a day of solids. He did eat twice a day but got constipated and it did not affect the NW. He takes full feeds during NW; however, it's starting to affect the morning feed to the point where he spits up. Should I consider night weaning? What is a gentle approach to doing this?

I should mention he is growing in his two bottom teeth. Thank you!

[ENMS]

My DD2 is 7.5 months old and she still wakes to feed 2 times a night. I am being told this is normal at this age, but once established on solids, feeds should reduce.

There was a post recently about methods to reduce feeds at night, you may find some helpful info there:

I'm forgetting best methods for reducing NFs (6 mo)

[JennVanessa1083]

Ok great! The most he nurses is 3 times a night. I'll check out the link. Thank you so much!

[ENMS]

Yeah we get 3 times a night also exceptionnally. So tiring isn't it?

Good luck!

[JennVanessa1083]

Yes it is! Last night it was 4 times!! I also think it was for comfort since he's growing his two bottom teeth 

[*Ali*]

It probably will settle down when the teething eases but if not I'd look at how he goes to sleep at bedtime and for naps. If he is not used to going to sleep independently in the daytime then it will mean he looks for you each time he wakes at night. If this applies then teaching independent sleep in  the daytime should help.

[JennVanessa1083]

Ok I do hope so...for naps he usually self settles while I sing a lullaby; the most I do is shh pat.

Bedtime I have nursed him to sleep so I could start to move it up in the bedtime routine so that he doesn't associate nursing with night sleep...is that possible? He has resettled himself before (he just did last night)

[*Ali*]

Yes, it's normal for them to look for whatever way they fall asleep at the start of the night to be replicated whenever they wake at night. Tracy likened it to you falling asleep in bed in your bedroom and then waking up and your bed is in the garden. You'd come round realising you weren't where you fell asleep. So if baby falls asleep nursing they will often wonder where mum has gone and seek that warm breast to settle back to sleep

[JennVanessa1083]

I started moving nursing to earlier in the bedtime routine. Now I just have to get the sweet spot of him falling asleep without screaming. I have another forum around my EASY.

i do wonder though, at what point do I start considering night weaning? I plan to wean him completely from nursing when he is 12 months old. I want it to be as gentle as can be which I know means a gradual process. How would that work?

[*Ali*]

Have a look at our FAQ Weaning to see some of the various methods you can use to wean and which one you think would suit you guys. 12 months is a long way off yet though so his nursing habits will probably change a lot between now and then.