Weaning the last nf

[Kfro]

Just wondered if anyone has any pearls of wisdom regarding weaning the last night feed? My ds is 7 months and is now firmly established on 3 solid meals a day and still takes in a lot of milk during the day. He has started not wanting much of his first bottle of the day so I was thinking it may be a good time to wean. He on the other hand does not agree and is not settling after waking for his feed. We have been trying to give him a smaller feed and then some water but this isn't ding the trick as he soon realises it is water and stops drinking! Has anyone tried watering down formula? Or anything else that has worked?!

[Lolly]

What worked for me was reducing the feed by 1oz every 3 nights so they adjust to a smaller amount and then just offering water when it got down to 1-2oz. We did it when DD was about 8.5 months old, she was having an 8oz bottle so it took about 2 weeks gradually reducing, when the bottle got to 2oz she slept through one night so when she woke the following night I just offered water. She wasn't impressed and took a while to settle but I refused to go back to milk. The second night of water took a while too, but she did settle quicker and I don't think she woke again for milk/ water.

You can gradually reduce the ratio of formula to water so it becomes water but they are still getting a volume of liquid so I prefer the reducing oz way of doing it.

Are you increasing his day bottles and /or increasing his solids to compensate too?

Laura

[Kfro]

Thank you for your reply . He has a ton of milk during the day so there isn't really any way of me increasing that (I am worried he may be having a bit too much) but I am trying to increase his solids. He is a big boy and he loves his food so I am trying to give him plenty without rushing as he has only been on solids for a month.

[Bella89]

Hey, I wonder how did it go for you guys?
I'm planning on doing the same but deciding between watering down and limiting oz of milk.

[Kfro]

Hey, it went really well. We did it very slowly and reduced the feed by 10ml every three days. Once we got down to less than 100ml we offered water once he had finished the milk but he would normally take one gulp and then push the bottle of water away. My ds had nights when he wasn't waking for the feed but I still kept to the same schedule (ie I still reduced the amount of milk every three days even if on one of those days he hadn't had a nf). By the time we were down to 50ml he stopped waking for it and we haven't looked back! Hope it goes ok for you x

[Lolly]

That's great! Well done both of you!

I prefer the reducing feed method as you are training them to have less in their stomachs. The trouble with wearing down is that they are still used to having a volume of liquid, you want them to not need any liquid at night.

Laura

[Bella89]

OMG I would love that to work for us! My DS would have a normal breakfast instead of lousy 20 ml:(
We still have 1 or 2 feedings at night. Either 1 at 2:30 or 2- 11 and 3. He also sleeps with a dummy.
I need to figure out if I want to drop a dummy and feedings together or work on 1 at a time.
By the way, if my DS eats twice sometimes do I limit both feedings?
Thanks so much for the reply!

[Kfro]

I would say that you need to set a time you don't want to feed before (say 230 if he often goes until then anyway) and then work on reducing that feed. How old is your ds? Are you sure he isn't hungry if he is sometimes waking twice for a feed? We didn't wean the last nf until 8.5 months. I figured that was around the age Tracy suggested trying to wean the dream feed and as we didn't do a dream feed I applied it to our last nf. All babies are different though and if you feel he is ready and that he is waking out of habit you know him best x

[Bella89]

He is 7,5 months? I think I will wait till he does 1 feeding for good.
But then even if he does wake out of hunger, limiting the amounts will make him eat more during the day, right? Hmm I think I might be confused on that. I am aiming for that increase of appetite.He eats so little first half day:(
We used to DF, but at 6 months i was so tempted to let him sleep that it just stayed like that for good. I am not sure if it was a good way to go though.
How did you know it was time for you guys?

[Kfro]

My ds was doing really well with solids and was taking really big bottles during the day apart from for his first feed (his total amount of milk in 24 hours was way above average). He also was going without a nf fairly often. It just felt like he was wanting a bottle to help him settle back to sleep if he woke in the early hours of the morning. My plan was to start reducing it to se if he was happy to settle with less milk. If he didn't settle then I would have presumed he was waking from hunger and would have carried it on. When he was going straight back down after less than 100ml I knew there was no way he was hungry.

[Bella89]

You are right, your case was pretty straight forward. I think I will give my DS some more time and then try to teach him no feed sleep and sleeping without a paci at once. I really have to prepare myself mentally for that. I don't think I am ready for it yet and know that I will give up fast.
My DS is 7,5 months, weights 17 lb 10 oz. Eats 15 oz of milk max during the day, 1 BF (or sometimes not) and 6 oz during night time. He is now good with solids, but not big portions.Also i.e. today I BF him at 11 pm (but had little breast milk) and gave 6oz of formula at 1 am ( I assumed he was hungry because I didn't have a lot of breast milk at 11). He ate nothing at 7.30 am so I skipped solids and he ate 1 oz at 9 when I tried again. I think I am lost!

I am so greatful for your reply. It helps a lot. Thank you:)

[Kfro]

It may be that dropping down to 1 nf would help those morning feeds but, like you say, you need to be in a place where you can be consistent with it. Happy to hold your hand when you are ready

[Bella89]

Thank you so so so!

That's what I will do. I will try not to feed before 1 am, that way I will spread his sleep even for now.One step at a time

[Bella89]

Hello again,
I decided to revive the topic, because I think now is the time to drop the last night feeding.
So, I am no longer BF and DS has only 1 bottle at night.
It's a good time to drop it, because he finally started to eat well during the day. 4x6 oz +3 oz of formula, good amount of solids, half baby bowl each time 3x.
I tried today go from 6 to 5 oz. he cried. He also cries after 6, but it took longer to put him back to bed. I feel like watering down might be better for us. I will start from cutting 1 doze out of 5 oz.
But I have a question. If I take from NF where do I add? Solids, bottle? Can a 8 mo LO take more than 7oz at a time ? So do I add To breakfast or 1 oz to every feed. I am a little confused:/

[Lolly]

Is he draining the 6oz bottles that he has? If he is draining those bottles you need to add 1oz to all of his bottles, an 8 month old can certainly take more than 6oz at a feed, plenty of younger babies will take a full 9oz bottle!

If he is draining those bottles I would increase his day bottles then after a few days start reducing the night bottle again.

Laura