NW or hunger (continues) need advice

[shirat]

my lo is 9 months now and still wakes twice to eat at night- around 10:30 and again between 3-4ish a.m.
I started reducing ounces in order to wean the feed, but i am starting to think maybe she actually is hungry, not just habitual waking and needing a feed to get back to sleep. i offer 7 ounces through out day. Last night we got to 4 ounces for the night feed(decreasing slowly for about 2 weeks now) when she finished the bottle she screamed for more, BUT she did settle back to sleep fairly quickly without more. same happened by her next feed, which was very early- 1:45 am- i guess because it was a small bottle? so i fed her and she cried when it was finished but did go straight back to sleep after i put her down until the morning. Do you think maybe she is still hungry at night? or u think she is just use to more in a bottle so she got upset at me? she finishes all her bottles during the day and has 3 solid meals. she is a big kid and likes to eat!
im just so confused and sleep deprived, that i feed her as soon as i hear her wake and get right back to sleep, but boy i wish i can get more then 4 hours of sleep!

[goldmom]

Even during the day, if I tried to put less milk in DS's bottle, he would cry that it finished too early (was trying to start cutting back on his milk intake at that time, was probably close to 11/12 months at the time, but I don't remember).

I would say she's probably crying b/c she's used to bigger bottles, and I would continue decreasing it. At 9 months she doesn't need 2 night feeds - especially if she's on 3 solid meals a day. Though if you'be been decreasing both bottles at the same time, I would step back and just concentrate on getting rid of 1 bottle at a time (say the one in middle of your night). Easy resettling probably means she doesn't really need to eat more.

[shirat]

so u think for now i shoudl give her a full "dreamfeed" bottle and a smaller bottle at 3 am?

[goldmom]

If you already reduced it, keep it where it is, and just continue to reduce the second bottle. I'm guessing she's ready to stop eating at night completely, and it's just a matter of getting her used to stop waking to eat. So first continue to reduce the second bottle, and then work on the first bottle.

[nozzel]

Hi, you may also think about looking at how much solids you feed during the day and try increasing it. 

[shirat]

this monrning she work covered in poop! all over her crib and herself! gross! i think she is eating way too much as it is- she poops after every feed and bottle. i canto fit anymore into her day. has anyone tried offering water at night instead of a bottle? she always wakes with a huge dirty and wt diaper..

[goldmom]

No experience with water, but you may want to consider just stopping the bottle(s) cold turkey. It may take a few nights, but she'll get used to it.

[Layla]

I think DD2 was around 11 months when all night feeds were weaned and by that time she was on bottles. I watered down her feeds and she just stopped waking for it. You could try the watered down method.

[*Kara*]

Hello

Could you post a list of times that she is eating and what/how much at each time?  It's hard to see if there are issues with food totals not knowing exactly how much she is having   Not all babies are able to stop NFs completely at this age... most do, but not all.

Just something like this:

E: 7am, 7 oz bottle of formula
E: 8am, 1/4 cup baby cereal made with 3 oz formula etc...

[*Liz*]

I was going to suggest diluting as well.

[shirat]

i started with the diluting but then someone on a different board said i should try lessening the amounts instead
She has 3 bottles and drinks about 6-7 ounces each time. i then offer a bedtime bottle which she usually only takes 4- 5 ounces
breakfast and dinner: 2ounces of formula mixed with baby cereal and some pureed vegis
lunch: yogurt
it hard to give an exact schedule with times bec it changes daily depending on when she woke last in the middle of  night, so her first am bottle could be very early(6) or as late as 8am

[*Kara*]

If that is all she eats, i would be fairly certain she is waking from hunger. 

At 9 months, you really want to be expanding what she eats to include protein, fruit/veg/ and carbs at each meal.  Granted, it will be in small amounts but you are going for the variety really.  Also, would be a really good idea to start having some finger foods.  Baby cereal is fine when just starting out but it is generally just filling with little in terms of varied nutrition.  I certainly would limit it to once per day (breakkie).

Her formula intake would be fine to drop to 20-24 ozs in 24 hrs as well.. right now she a little higher than that during the day hours without considering night feeds on top of that.

This is a typical feeding routine for this age - think it could work for you?  Using this routine, each bottle is 7-8 ozs.

** taken from:  Sample routines for dropping bottles (daytime core hours only)

E: 7.00 wake up and feed milk and breakfast
A: 7.30
S: 10.00
Y: your choice
E: 12.00 lunch
A: 12.30
E: 1330/1400 milk *dependant on your LO’s nap time
A:
S: 2.00
Y: your choice
E: 4.30 dinner
A: 5.00
E: 7.00 milk given before or after bath
A: bath
S: 7.30 bedtime

What do you think?  As an aside, I agree with Laura (Lolly) that the best way to wean night feeds is to reduce volume not dilute what you offer - the reason is this: some babies will wake for the full feeling well beyond the need to eat... and when the case is that they don't need the extra calories, they are already waking for habit not hunger... reducing eliminates these concerns.

[shirat]

what would be good ideas for finger foods? she likes finger foods- i give her snacks through out the day- graham crackers, gerber stars, breadsticks, cheerios etc. the chicken she didnt do well with- just kept it in her mouth and chocked on it so i stopped and went back to mixed grain baby cereal

[*Kara*]

Did she choke or gag?  Choking is scary for sure but some gagging is normal while they learn to move food around their mouths - just leave her be to work it out.  It's hard to do, I know!  So long as she is making noise and can breathe, don't panic

I started with gently steamed fruits and veggies cut into small cubes (like 1/2 inch square).. things like apples, pears, peaches, carrots, sweet potato.  Bits of broccoli, cauliflower - also steamed until they are fairly soft...   For the things that you make into cubes, try coating them with crushed Cheerios to make them easier to pick up and not so slippery   Bread cubes are good too!

[shirat]

i will try to make a soup this week with loads of vegis and chicken for her.
She is still waking at 10:30 and 3:30, no change yet but i do seem to think that she only wants less ounces at the dreamfeed- she seemed to eat around 4 ounces only, and the 3:30ish feed is a diluted 4 ounce bottle. i just dont see how i can even offer less then that if i would go back to the other route with decreasing amounts, but we have been at this 4 ounces for almost 2 weeks now, as opposed to a fULL 7 ounce bottle!
so i guess thats progress? or maybe she is really now waking out of habit....