Author Topic: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not  (Read 1835 times)

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Offline MommyN

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Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« on: November 09, 2015, 15:53:51 pm »
Hi,

I'm not sure if I should be posting under Breastfeeding or Sleep.... We've been working on adjusting A times to extend naps for 7.5 month old DS2, while at the same time doing PU/PD for NWs between the dream feed and about 5 am. Last night I nursed him at 10 and then he slept through till about 5 when I nursed him again. That was the first time in MONTHS that he did not wake during those hours! Today we got two amazing naps, again for the first time in ages! My question now is do I feed him if he wakes at 5 or do I do PU/PD? He gets a milk feed when he wakes up, after both naps, and a top up before bed. For the past few days he hasn't been ready for his milk feeds till about 4.5 or 5 hours since the last. There were also some mornings where he was not very interested in the BF. If he's going so long during the day does he still need to eat at night?!

Thanks

Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2015, 18:03:40 pm »
I believe it's still normal to have 2 milk feeds at night at this age especially if BF. It might be worth popping over to the BF board for advice there.

You could always try a small feed at 5am just to see if that gets him through to a normal wu. It's part of what we have to do sometimes to get them waking at a normal hour. As you're currently changing up the routine as per your other thread, I would continue to do as you are doing whilst he gets used to the new A time. Hopefully by offering less at the 5am feed he'll take a decent amount on wu in the morning. I'm sure it'll phase out on it's own hun, it's probably not a prop considering he's sleeping so long through the night so I wouldn't worry xx



Offline lily_layne

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2015, 19:42:16 pm »
I agree with Kelly. Some LOs just need a bit of snack at 5 to get them through those last hours of sleep.
DD - August 2012
DS - November 2014

Offline KatyBee

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2015, 20:06:27 pm »
I would definitely feed at that age.

Offline MommyN

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2015, 20:15:43 pm »
Great thanks! Just needed that reassurance.

Is it normal for him to go that long between BFs during the day? He's not really interested in eating that much - VERY easily distracted. He took very little at his BT feed tonight. I'm concerned that he's not eating enough during the day and then catching up at night. Does that make sense? Or it's just a phase...?

Offline lily_layne

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2015, 01:07:15 am »
If he's only having the DF and the 5 am feed, I don't think he's missing out on daytime calories. If he's distracted, try feeding him in a dim/dark room. Is he having any solids?
DD - August 2012
DS - November 2014

Offline MommyN

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2015, 07:42:14 am »
I had a thread on the BF board when he was refusing to nurse and his entire night and day were a mess, always hungry but never taking a full feed... Now I nurse him in my bed with the light off. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I just don't stress about it and give him a bottle of formula if I have to. He LOVES solids, but I'm careful to limit them because he started to not take his milk feeds well. I went back to only giving him breakfast for a few days. Yesterday I gave him a small amount of pureed veggies for dinner and then he didn't take much at his BT feed. Not sure if one has to do with the other... He would eat triple what I give him if I'd let...

Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2015, 07:56:32 am »
I'd always try and limit the dinner solids. We went through a phase when DD was eating too much, too late and not having much of a BT feed. I moved dinner up to 4pm (if routine allowed) and that resulted in her taking more at BT. As long as you're offering a milk feed first then solids around an hour later you really won't be going wrong hun. It's just tricky fitting in dinner isn't it? Xx



Offline MommyN

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2015, 11:10:23 am »
TBH I'm not really focusing much in solids right now. I'm working really hard on improving his sleep and his milk feeds. I give him breakfast every day and if lunch and dinner work out - great! If not I just skip it. Once this mass exhaustion is over I'll go back to experimenting more.
Thanks everyone for your help and support!! It definitely makes things easier... He was up last night from 2:30 till after 4!

Offline lily_layne

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Re: Confused about whether to feed at NWs or not
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2015, 20:18:12 pm »
I give him breakfast every day and if lunch and dinner work out - great! If not I just skip it.
That sounds fine. At this age, it's all about offering and letting them eat as much or as little as they want.

(((hugs))) for the long NW. MY DS was good at those too. It does get better.
DD - August 2012
DS - November 2014