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Author Topic: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old  (Read 6301 times)

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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« on: February 01, 2016, 11:15:42 am »
Hello I'm back!  :)

My very near 8 month old is still nursing 3 times a night. He eats about 5 milk feeds a day (including a top up before BT) as well as two solid meals a day (breakfast and lunch). I'm about to increase to 3 meals a day to see if that helps the NF.

The following is a rough feeding routine:

7:30 BF
9 am Solids
12 pm BF
1:30 Solids
4ish BF
7:30 (top up BF)

Then he usually wakes around 4 hours later, then 3 hours, then 3 hours again! I try to resettle but it barely works. He gets upset until I nurse then he takes a full feed. We do cosleep which I'm wondering if this is the issue. He can self settle bc I have personally seen him do it in the middle of the night while I pretend to be asleep.

Any advice or thoughts? I wouldn't mind dropping just one feed (preferably 2) but I don't want to deprive him of he's really hungry.

Thank you!
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Offline becj86

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2016, 20:05:17 pm »
I managed to drop a NF or two by offering BF or EBM in a bottle (he took more that way than with a cup) with solids as a drink.
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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2016, 21:08:43 pm »
Hi Bec!

You are now helping me on two threads  ;D

Anyways, I thought about doing that but am also nervous about creating a snacking habit. Also DS never took a bottle no matter how hard I tried. Should I BF then right after a solids meal? Should I just offer one breast or both if we takes it?

I would LOVE to drop even just one NF!
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Offline Scottishmummy

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2016, 21:17:04 pm »
I weaned my DS off night feeds at about the same age and he was similar to your LO eating & feeding well in the day but upset & not resettling if not getting milk at night.

I did one feed at a time, starting with the one I found most disruptive to my sleep (for me it was the 10/11pm but lots of people start with middle of night feed).

I think I first started just offering one side for as long as he wanted but only one side.
Then I timed how long he fed for on a digital clock by the bed, then gradually took him off a minute earlier every couple of nights.
So night 1&2 10min feed; night 3&4 9mins ; night 5&6 8 mins etc. When we got to 2-3 min feeds he stopped waking for them or would resettle without milk. After he had gone without it, if he woke at that time again I never offered milk & would resettle with shh-ing.

When the 10pm feed was gone, I then repeated for 2am feed & finally 5am feed. It took a couple of months until he was STTN  but worked with least possible stress for me & him.

HTH
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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2016, 21:52:03 pm »
Thanks Scottishmummy!

That is definitely helpful ☺️ I can try upping his daytime feeds and actively eliminating his night feeds.
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Offline *Ali*

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2016, 22:44:31 pm »
So are you wanting to continue co-sleeping but not feeding at night? Do you co-sleep for naps too? Just wondering if he has any independent sleeping experience.

I've heard of some mamas wearing heavy clothing to help stop LOs helping themselves to the breast and to help dull the smell of milk.

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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2016, 00:09:28 am »
Hi Ali!

I can definitely try heavy clothing to see if it makes a difference.

He naps in his crib and knows how to settle himself as long as I'm in the room. I didn't plan to co sleep this long quite honestly so I hope to transition soon. Frankly, I'm anxious about the transition so have been procrastinating it  :-X
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Offline *Ali*

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2016, 22:24:37 pm »
I'd probably do it both at the same time then. I think it is hard to teach LO not to wake for feeds when he is sleeping right next to them!
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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2016, 00:02:29 am »
Both? As in wear heavy clothing and upping his daytime feeds with solids?

Yea I have read and heard that co sleeping can lead to more NF since they can smell the milk more.
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Offline becj86

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2016, 06:30:28 am »
I think Ali meant the transition to sleeping in the crib at night - ie. wean the NFs and the co-sleeping at the same time :)
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Offline *Ali*

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2016, 10:26:46 am »
Yes,  sorry.  I meant transition to the cot and reduce the night feeds at the same time.
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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2016, 13:07:05 pm »
Ok I'll have to make a plan with DH
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Offline weaver

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2016, 13:10:19 pm »
It will definitely be easier if DH can handle resettling on the WU you don't want to feed for!
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Offline JennVanessa1083

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2016, 13:44:44 pm »
That's hard bc it's so late at night sometimes really early when he's leaving for work.

These are the times he eats at night:

Midnight
2-4 am

Then he wants to eat at like 5-6!- that's the one I want to push back to wake up time. It's part of his recent long EMW that I'm working through on another board. The thing is I'll try to resettle for an hour and then give up at nurse.
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Offline weaver

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Re: Reducing NF for 8 mo Old
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2016, 14:08:21 pm »
Well if you absolutely can't resettle, I would wonder if he's really hungry.  Does he take a good feed at these times?
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