WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support

[beckygatt]

Hi all,

My DD2 is 9 months old. ATM she has 3BF during the day and a bottle before bed. She also wakes up for a BF 2-3 times at night. She is also having 3 solid meals a day (BLW). She has no weight gain issues so I'm pretty sure she no longer needs those NFs, and I really want to wean them now! The thing is she screams at night till I feed her; I don't know how on earth I'll manage to settle her! She knows how to self soothe; no props.

I'm also wondering about when to wean the other feeds. I had weaned DD1 at 1 year, but tbh I'm considering weaning Sophia sooner. I feel really guilty but I'm finding it so tiring.... Just the fact that I can't get a break because she needs me to feed her...  Also I'm going back to work soon so anyway she may need a bottle at lunch time...

Any thoughts? What should I do?!

[Khalam's Mama]

I think you are right she probably doesn't need those feeds at night. I would say if you want to wean you need to commit to resettlement with no feed. Maybe with shpat or Pupd if not. The worse thing you can do is try to resettlement then feed when she cries too long. I have found despite being able to soothe in the day both mine have become dependent on bf at night to resettle. I would say if she wakes less than 4hrs after a feed I would definitely not feed ad I assume she goes that long in the day? But tbh at her age it is probably worth weaning them all together.of course make sure her routine is right for her 1st to minimise the nw. Have in your head it may take 2hrs to settle and hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised. What do you think?

[beckygatt]

Yes I do want to wean the NFs altogether. I was waiting for her to recover as she was ill but she seems better now. One thing that always worries me is teething... I'm always concerned that when she cries at night it might be teething, and I wouldn't want to sleep train during teething... I know I can be firm once I make my mind up. Its just a question of deciding when to go for it!

[Khalam's Mama]

Can you give some pain meds if you think she is teething? Do you have a time that DH is around to either do it(!), help do it or let you catch up on sleep the next day? OR at least a day when you dont have much on for a few days so you can rest if you are too tired?
If it helps DS1 was 9mo when I weaned the NFs and I spent about 40mins I think resettling the 1st time and from then on I only had to play his music he has at BT and he slept without me having to get up and then after a day or two he stopped waking completely! I Thought it would be a marathon, but it wasn't so maybe it wont be as bad as you think???

[beckygatt]

Thanks KM, yes hopefully I'll have a similar experience!! I'll probably wait for a weekend so we can catch up on sleep/take it in turns. I also want to make sure she's completely recovered from her cold as she had a very inflamed throat and was on abx

[Khalam's Mama]

Good luck this weekend.

[beckygatt]

Thanks KM! First night tonight!

[*Ali*]

Fingers crossed for you Becky.

It's been a couple of weeks since cadan weaned completely. Tonight when I was feeding Colby he said "me just try some booby as well" I distracted him that colby was getting ready for bed and he could stay up for a bit and he leant forward near my breast and said "nom nom nom" and laughed. Then later he was playing with his toy kitchen and he said "me want booby time mummy" and I told him he was a big boy now and didn have booby time any more. Then I offered to snuggle up on the sofa and read a story and he literally dropped what he was doing and ran to me so excited. Bless. Note to self: must offer more one on one snuggles. Dh got home from work late tonight so I did bedtime and I spent ages reading a new book I got him so I think his mummy cup was filled for today.

[Khalam's Mama]

Ah poor Cadan. great that he liked his book. How was it Becky?

[beckygatt]

Well it wasn't too bad. First she woke up at 11 and took an hour to resettle. I just rubbed her back and talked/sang to her. No picking up. Then she slept till 4. This time she took 30mins to resettle. She woke up at about 6 but just cried for a few seconds and slept again till 7. Hoping it continues to improve!

[*Ali*]

That's great Becky. How ate the day feeds?

[beckygatt]

Day feeds are normal so far... Should they be different?

[*Ali*]

No they shouldn't be different. Although I guess she might take more on morning wake up. I just thought you were looking to wean the lunchtime one to a bottle. Wondered how you were getting on with that but I assume you haven't started with that yet.

[beckygatt]

No just doing the night ones for now. I'll try to keep the rest a little while longer.

[Khalam's Mama]

Great Becky. Good luck tonight again.