9 months, feeding questions.

[Mom-o]

DD is turing 9 months in a couple of days.

I've asked berfore about DF and felt as a bf baby she did need df for longer. Now I am feeling she isn't as hungry for all her daytime feeds. I'm wondering which should I drop? Usually we have feeds at 7, 1230, 5pm and 730pm and df at 1030ish

It seems obvious as I type that I should drop df but can a bf baby go that lenght at night? 730pm-645 usually.
If she can't make that stretch then do I work on dropping one of the day feeds? which time? and then do I resuffle when I feed to spread them out?

if that wasn't too confusing I'd love to hear what you did and how you dropped feeds around 9 months.

TIA Dani 

[Fiver]

Don't know much about DF as I've never managed to make it work, but I think they say that there comes a time where a DF actually disturbs sleep rather than helping, I'm just not sure where that stage is.

As for whether a BF LO can go from 7.30pm to 6.45am, that would depend on the baby.  (touch wood) DD usually manages from 6.15pm (start of feed, 6.45pm end) to around 5/5.30am ok, but you know your baby best.  I guess you could give it a try and see how it goes?

[Mom-o]

Should I wean it then? increments of 15 mins maybe?
DF certainly deturbs me. I couldn't imagine having my nights free again!! Actually go out with DH. See a movie or something and not race back for 1030.

[Shiv52]

I actually dropped a day feed and keep the DF at 9 months.  

So I fed at wake up, after nap 1 and bedtime and then DF.  At this stage she was getting plenty of dairy in her diet so i wasn't worried about having one less BF in the day.  

So it was something like:
8am Wake up and BF
9am Breakfast
11am Nap
12.30pm Wake up and BF
1.30pm Lunch
3pm Snack and sippy of water
3.30pm Nap
5pm Wake up
5.30pm Dinner
7.30pm BF and bed for 8/8.15
DF 11

When i did drop that DF she only ever slept through to 5am and so I fed then but she couldnt seem to make it the full 12 hours without a feed.  

[Shiv52]

If you want to wean it I would just not offer for a few nights.  Its one of those things that you won't know how it will go until you do it but its certainly worth a try xx

[Mom-o]

So do you way up 5 am wake up or df? either way your feeding at night. DD wouldn't behungry at 7 then I imagine.

I'm gonna bite the bullet this week. So if she wakes just feed. Don't try to soothe back to sleep? DD is teething too so afraid I'll be feeding when she doesn't need it. Although teeth wake up (thankfully) has been before 12am.

Throwing caution to the wind. Just told DH what I was typing and he supports the thought of trying tonight I'll do it. Go wild!!! lol. I'll finish my lovely glass of white wine

[Fiver]

Good luck!

How did it go?

[Mom-o]

Amanda I was just about to post!

It was a total bust. A disaster.

I went to bed at 1130 and by 12 she was awake. no sign of going back asleep. So I fed her.
Then at 2 she was awake screaming. DH tried for 20mins to calm her. I put her on the boob again. Then she woke again. I've no idea what time it was. I decided I'd lie in the bed in her room and she just stayed on the boob all night. She just couldn't settle again. Terrible terrible night! Reminiscent of the very early days. So I think I wait for teeth to settle a little more and try again.

Now I'm thinking I'll be feeding forever! lol dramatic I know but sometimes feel a little trapped. She has MPI so formula is just a no no.

[Fiver]

Ah, rats.  We had a bad night last night, too.  Colds and teeth and wind!  So many variables in all this.

[Mom-o]

My nipples were sore this morning with all the feeding and not being fully awake to make sure she was on right. I have a bad feeling tonight won't be great either.

[Fiver]

Fingers crossed it'll be better than you think

[Shiv52]

Yeah no point in making such a change if teething is the issue.  we'd a flipping awful night last night too.  I swear there wasn't an hour Rosa wasn't awake.  UGH!

[Mom-o]

That's how I felt too! I fed at 11 last night and she slept through. That same feed seems to be give or take. Around 12. I have a wedding on the 9th. Have you any tips for expressing plenty of milk? I was guessing 6pas per feed. Is that right?

[Shiv52]

I'm at a wedding on the 18th!!!  And i hadn't even thought of milk yet!  THanks for reminder!!

I have only given R a bottle once when i went to a concert a while back and DH said she wasn't having any of it!  I left 6 oz for that feed.  I was able to express that on the morning of the concert but i was surprised I got so much.  i would start now and just express in the morning (thats when most people get most from pumping) and just keep storing and freezing your
milk.  Do you single side feed?  i would have fed from one breast and pumped the other.   

How many feeds are you missing? 

[Mom-o]

I never switched to one side. That was my next question!

I am missing 4 feeds. I pumped from one side and fed from other the last two mornings but am only getting 2 ounces. Maybe it'll increase as I keep going.  I feed her after and she drinks as if nothings missing! I'm using an ameda. I got a bigger fit and am starting to think its not big enough. it's in the genes!