8 month old - more bf sessions at night than daytime

[MiasMama]

Hi,

I've posted on here for sleep issues but not for bf issues (with great success!). I looked through your FAQ's and some other boards hoping to find something that helps, but I wasn't entirely confident that it applied to our situation.

I have an 8 month old DD2 who is exclusively bf. She takes minimal solids (we're taking a pretty conservative solids route, she's had 4-6 different foods and eats 1-2 "servings" a day). My problem is she wakes a lot at night to nurse.

BF Schedule:
3am: bf
6:30am: Awake
7:3am: bf
11:30am: BF
3:30pm: bf
5:00pm: bf
6:30pm: bf
6:45pm: Bedtime
10:30pm: bf
1:30am: bf
4:30am: bf
6:3am: Awake

I feel like she is nursing too much at night but I am afraid of refusing to nurse her if she is hungry. She's on a 4 hour bf schedule during the day,but seems to be on a 3 hour schedule at night. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Lisa

[*Ali*]

How does she go to sleep for naps and at BT? Is nursing a prop?

Have you tried to resettle her without feeding at night? She should be able to go at least as long at night as she can in the day so I would resettle without feeding at any NWing that is less than 4hrs after her last BF.

Can you cut out the 5pm cluster feed and see if she takes a bigger feed at BT without it?

Any reason why she only gets 1-2 solids meals a day? Most LOs would be on 3 solid meal by now even though they may not actually eat much. Maybe she would be happy with a drink of water and some finger food instead of a BF at 5pm.

Any reflux or other medical reasons she may need to eat little and often?

[MiasMama]

Hi,

She takes great 1.5 hour naps, no nursing prop during the day. We re-settle her if it's been less than 2 hours and she wakes up using shhpat. I just needed to know I could go 4 hours during the night without feeding her.

Yes, I could try taking out the cluster feed. I know she doesn't get much calorie/nutrition from solids, so we have not been very adamant about feeding her more.

No, there shouldn't be any reason why she'd nurse more frequently.

[Fiver]

I'd also lose the 5pm feed if it was me and see how things go

[*Ali*]

Even though they get most f their nutrition from milk the solids and water can quench that immediate hunger or thirst and distract long enough to miss a BF. plus it is all about learning and gradually increasing what she takes from solids so offering 3 times a day will mean she gets more practice and soon be getting many if her nutrients from solids.

[MiasMama]

Thanks! We skipped the 5pm bf yesterday and it went really well at night. I think since she got more at 6pm, she didn't wake up until 10pm to nurse. She only nursed at 6pm, 10pm, 2am and 6am when she was up for the day! That was a relief!

Lisa

[*Ali*]

Sounds good.

[MiasMama]

Well it's been going ok lately. We've been skipping the cluster feed in the evening, but she is waking up just shy of 4 hours to nurse at night and she's been fussier lately and crying/squawking after nursing. Does that sound more like teething or a growth spurt or still hungry? She seems to have good wet and soiled diapers so I think she is getting enough food and she's still growing fine it seems. She seems to love the solids so I am glad we are doing them consistently 3 times a day now. When do we start dropping a bf? She will be 9 months on April 10th. Thank you!

[MiasMama]

Also, how will I know when to bf her more when she is going through her  9 month growth spurt? I've wondered if that's what is causing the extra fussiness and wanting to eat.

[Fiver]

It's so hard to tell what's causing issues, isn't it?  You're the person who spends most time with her and will be most likely to gauge what's up with regards to hunger/teething etc.
For what it's worth, I don't remember noticing a 9m growth spurt (perhaps I was lucky!!)

[*Ali*]

It's up to you when you want to drop a BF. I wouldn't do it if you think she is having a GS right now. I think most babies are on 4 feeds until around 12mo. We dropped to 3 feeds with my DS1 around 14mo (if I remember rightly) and then to 2 BFs a couple months later. My DS2 is still BFing 4 times a day most days even now at 19mo although sometimes only 3 times.