Help! Baby takes big percentage of breastfeeds at night - need to change to day

[Rimma - Mommy to Solomon]

Help! My guy eats 23% of his breastfeeding ounces at night. I'm afraid to cut out night feeds.

He's 7.75 months old and VERY active. Been crawling since 6.5 months and pulling himself up to stand since 7. He's on the low side for weight 5-10 %. At 7 months, he was 15 lbs. 12 oz.
He averages only 23 ounces of breastmilk (via breastfeeding) per 24 hour period/day. I did weigh-feed-weighs and count gulps/swallows.
I had him on EASY before and he wasn't gaining weight, so I found that he eats more when he's sleepy. So, I used sleep to eat rather than the other way around.
I don't know how to get him to take more during the day.
I tried before to do the dreamfeeds... he wouldn't take, just kept moving his face away.
He doesn't go for the cluster feeds... he won't come onto breast.
He never has taken a bottle.
He likes sippy cups, but just to drink a .5 oz. of water here and there.
He wakes up on average 3 x per night. I try to feed him only 1x, but sometime I do 2x.
Otherwise he wouldn't grow enough.
It's not just that he gets distracted (I tried dark rooms, dangling things while feed), it's just he's had enough and won't go back, not even 10 min. later.
He's on solids, but doesn't eat that much there either, but seems to enjoy the finger foods.

Any ideas?!?!!?

Our schedule looks like this...

7 a.m. Wake
7:45'ish BF 2.5/3 oz.
(solids don't work in the morning, because then he gets so little in Breastmilk)
8:45'ish BF 2.5/3.5 oz
9 Sleep (falls asleep on breast, I take him off as soon as he is not gulping)
10:30 Wake
11 Solids (2-3 oz of yogurt/cereal)
1'ish - 2 'ish try to BF (usually only 3 oz. or so)
2-3 attempt getting down for nap (which only lasts 45 min. - been working on PU/PD for 5 days now)
5:00/5:30 try to BF (usually only 2.5 oz)
6:00 Dinner - Solids (veggie/cereal - 2-3 oz.) sometimes only 1 oz.
7:15 BF 4-5 oz.
7:30 Sleep for night
Feed 2 x at night (the time varies as he wakes at different hours... sometimes 12:30 a.m., sometimes 1:45 a.m., and the 2nd time sometimes 3:40 and sometimes closer to 5a.m.) which total about 5 oz.

[CaedensMama]

My first thought is that one or two nights of less milk won't hurt him, if you feed only once at night - maybe try the 3-5ish feed is that it would force him to eat better during the day. DF didn't work for us till about 6 months so maybe if you haven't tried it recently try it again and see if that can be your one feed. I just did it before I went to bed so it varied from 8:30-10ish - keep it up for at least a full week before deciding it doesn't work, it doesn take them some time to catch on.
Have you tried nursing him again maybe 15-30 minutes after a feed and seeing if he will nurse again, that sometimes helps as they may hve thought they were done but if you offer again, he may eat more and help increase those day time feeds.
How does he do with solids if you feed them after nursing? I noticed that  you do solids after he wakes and then nurse - maybe try switching them? I often still ( ) nurse Caeden shortly before and then again after his naps. He doesn't nurse to sleep, but I think it helps him sleep better if his tummy is full - works for us anyway! Not totally pure EASY, but we are happy with it.

Hope that helps - let us know how you get on!

[daisymelan]

I think it would be rather difficult to figure out exactly how much your lo is getting by counting swallows.  Also, your milk changes day by day, so just because on one day the weigh in resulted in a certain amount, it won't always be the same.  So #1, relax and be rest assured your breasts are doing what they are supposed to do.   

I agree with Caedens mom.  Offer breast milk, then solids.  Also, by offering a breast so close together (one hour) you aren't encouraging a full feed.  Your lo gets into the habit of snacking.  By spreading it out more, he will take larger feeds. 

Also, I would try to implement a dreamfeed.  Mine wouldn't take it until older.  But give it a full week to try and work.  At that age, they need a little longer to catch on. 

It will take awhile to spread out feeds, start small and work your way up.  Start maybe with a 3 hour EASY and work from there.  Maybe try breast compressions to ensure he receives more milk, also, 10 minutes is ample time for a full feed so if he stays on that long, that's fine. 

I hope this has given you some ideas and some help.

[daisymelan]

Sorry, I wanted to add, at night is it possible for Dad to go in and try and soothe your son?  That way he won't be able to smell your milk and maybe won't need to be nursed.

[Rimma - Mommy to Solomon]

Thanks ladies!

Probably, right. I’m trying to drop the night feeds to 1 and was able to do so in the past, but he doesn’t take anymore during the day.

I tried the DF last night and it worked – he took about 3 oz.
I’ll keep at it and see if it helps. He still woke a few hours later. He has a cold right now and is teething. So, I cleared his congestion and settled him back down and then fed him again at 4:20 a.m., when he woke. He woke up 20 min. after that though. Right now his waking is cause he can’t breath well – I think!

Yes, I try nursing him 15-30 min. later, but he won’t take unless he’s sleepy.

I try to space out solids about 1-2 hrs. after BFs.

Are you suggesting, I do solids first and then BF? How much time apart?
What do you recommend with a solid and BF schedule?


Milk changes day by day, eh? I wish I could relax, but the Dr. and I were both concerned about lack of weight gain for himself until month 6-7, when I threw all routines out the window. Now, I want to implement again.

In my experience, he can go 5 hours without eating and still doesn’t take more at the breast or solids. Go figure!

Do you do breast compressions while he’s sucking? He’s not on for 10 min…. rather around 6 (sometimes 10 – only if really sleepy).

Again, I sooooo appreciate your help.

p.s. on a side note, how do I add a picture and my name etc.?

[daisymelan]

I see you figured out the picture and name!  What a cutie!!!!

I would suggest the breast compressions while he is on the breast.  Just try to squeeze a little more into his mouth, but at his age, 6 minutes is just fine for a feed.  Do you offer both breasts or just one?  Try offering the second if he drains the first.

I may have confused you.  Solids, in this case, I think should come one hour after you offer breastmilk. 

My lo has not gained more than 2 lbs since he was 7 months and he is now 10, so as long as your lo is not losing weight and seems to be thriving, try to relax. 

Happy to hear the df worked last night.  That's very encouraging.... and he did it with a cold!  Good for you.  Stick with it. 

If a little one has feeds every two hours then they take enough to get them to last two hours.  If a lo has feeds every 4 hours, they take enough to last them four hours.  Of course, that is a general rule and not meant for newborns, etc.  But if your lo can go 4 hours, I would try to stick with something along these lines.  Of course, adjust as necessary, and take a few days to work it out, because 4 hours may be a shock to his system.

This routine is similar to what I had my son on at that age and he wasn't a big solids eater until after 8 months.

7 a.m. Wake
7:30 BF
8:30 solids...  just try a few tsps of cereal.  He will get protein and calcium from the cereal
9:30 Sleep (falls asleep on breast, I take him off as soon as he is not gulping)
11:30 Wake
11:30 BF
12:30 Solids
1:30 - Nap
3:30 BF
5:30/6:00 Dinner - Solids (veggie/cereal - 2-3 oz.) sometimes only 1 oz.
7:15 BF
7:30 Sleep for night
10:15 Dream Feed

At this age, your little one should be getting 3-4 hours of naps during the day.  Also, you should aim for Awake time of 2 - 2.5 hours.

It's very important to break the sleep by nursing association.  It gets harder to break, the older they are.  If you have to nurse, stir your little one befor you lay him down.

I hope this helps.  Again, that is just a sample routine, but something more similar to what babies your age are more apt to be doing.