dropping the DF, its time, but i'm scared!!

[Jennerific]

its time for us to drop the DF... can anyone provide advice or guidance? i've read the relevant sections in tracy's books but am still really scared to start; when he took to it around 4 months its when he started STTN so to have all that work undone would be horrible.

  i get that i'm supposed to make up the oz's during the day, but if i'm BF'ing how will i know??

  how do i get him to stop drinking as much (for the DF) if my milk has let down & all he has to do is gulp??

  it generally takes 10-15 mins to DF him right now - single side only - so do i cut back on "time"?? like 8 minutes, 6 minutes, 4 minutes as i decrease the time it happends? (11 to 10:45 to 10:30)

i am just so confused and REALLY SCARED he's going to start NW'ing again...

[carly-g]

We cut back the DF by time.  Every two nights I subtracted two minutes, and it seemed to work for us.  It may be different for you, though, since we dropped the DF at 4 months (I noticed that it was actually causing NW).  You could also try to pump and offer fewer ounces each night. 

I worried about DS making up ounces during the day, so I offered the breast 30 min after each feed.  He didn't take it, though.  Guess he just figured out how to take more at each feed!

HTH and Good Luck!

[Jennerific]

he won't take a bottle - i wish!! (thats the next step after we get rid of the DF)

but i'm concerned about is the flow.. once i let down & start flowing its really strong - how would i manage that?

[carly-g]

ooo-I see what you mean.  Maybe instead of decreasing the feeding time or amount, you move the actual time of the feed.  Like if it is at 11pm now, just start moving it earlier by 15 minutes every couple days.  Once it gets with in an hour of the last feed before bed, you could just drop it. 

[Jennerific]

okay that sounds more workable, thanks!

i tried it at 10:30 last night & it went really well. he took a full feed... i'll keep track of the progress in this thread

[carly-g]

 

[Jennerific]

so its still going really well... we're down to 10 pm now & tomorrow will be 9;30 - i'm doing it in half hour increments instead of 15 mins & its working for us; he's now able to go 9 hours between feedings (amazing) & i'm not having any adverse side effects (like early or constant NW'ings...)

[carly-g]

That's great!  It's amazing how good it feels when sleep goes well! 

[ElsMom]

Just wanted to pop in and say this sounds great.  I thought about dropping the DF at 7 months, but was scared like you, because starting it was what helped E sleep through the night!  I chickened out, and then just a couple of weeks ago everything went crazy and she started waking before and after the DF, and I came here and learned it was probably the DF's fault!  We ended up going cold turkey because she was waking and eating at 2 am anyway, and it worked out fine - she woke 3 times after I dropped it, and then has been making it through ever since (6:45 pm to 7 am).  I didn't think she could do it either!  Anyway, what I wish I'd done now is what you're doing, moving up by 30 minutes every few nights and then dropping it once it got to 8 or 8:30.  Also, it was later recommended to me to offer things like yogurt, cheese, or avocado to get a bit more fat in him during the day.  I think they adapt pretty quickly, though.  Plus, I was so full in the morning the first few days after not doing the DF, I think she was getting the extra then!  Good luck!

[christiewi]

YAY!!!  Good job!!  So glad this is going so well for you! :-)

[Jennerific]

still going really well, i think its b/c we're going slow but steady. last night was at 9:45 (i was so tired i couldn't make it to 10) & he only ate for 5 mins instead of 10 mins so i know this is working

however he woke up at 6:30 & was starving & had to be fed right then (usually makes it to 7) but ended up being fine for the rest of the day b/c he stayed awake for 4 hours between morning & afternoon nap (amazing i know! 4 hours... wow, where did my little baby go??)