Dream Feed question...is this right forum?

[vthatcher]

Hi! My LO is 8 months in a few days and is eating solids like a champ and also BFing.  My question is this-her last BF is right before bed and usually only 30 minutes or so after she finally finishes her "dinner" so she often isn't very hungry for milk. She will nurse on one side but oftentimes only nurses on the other side for maybe a minute.  I've been wanting to start weaning the DF(or is it too early) but I feel like since she's not taking a full feed at 7pm she's going to wake up hungry earlier if I don't DF her.  Right now she still wakes up at least once a night to nurse. Should I be trying to wean her DF or just waiting until she's sleeping through the night? Thanks!

Her EASY looks a bit like this:
6:30 -BF
7:30ish-Solids
9:30/945- Short BF snack then sleep 5 or 10 minutes after
11:30ish-BF
1230-solids
3pm-BF snack then sleep
4:30pm-BF
6pm-Solids with us at dinner
7pm-BF
7:30 bedtime
10/10/30-DF
NF anywhere between 2am and 4am

[*Ali*]

I'd just wait tbh. You will probably find as she can take on more calories from solids she will rely less on the BT BF to get her through the night.

I'd suggest giving her dinner at 4.30pm instead of the BF then but I'm guessing you do such a late dinner as it is more convenient for you guys to eat together at that time.

The other thing to look at would be how she goes to sleep and to think about if she has a BF prop and is just wanting that NF to help her settle back to sleep.

[vthatcher]

She doesn't bf to sleep! She usually nursed then I read her a book, sing then she goes down drowsy but awake! Her nurse snacks before naps are usually 10 minutes before I put her down. I just worry that she won't nap as long if I don't give her a snack since she's staying up so long in between feeds.  Hmm so you're saying cut out the bf after her 2nd nap and do solids then instead?  We do like her to eat with us at dinner time which unfortunately can be kind of late. I've been trying to start feeding her around 530 regardless of whether that's when we actually eat or not.

[*Ali*]

Sorry for the delay in replying.
Yes, I meant cut out the 4.30 BF and do her solid food dinner then instead. As she had a BF 1.5hrs before and she I doesn't take the BF at BT anyway. That way she might take more milk at the BT BF.

Even if she is not feeding to sleep she could still be expecting a BF every time she needs to get drowsy to go (back) to sleep. Some LOs go in their cot with a lovey for example and they transition from awake to drowsy by rubbing that. Your LO could be unable to do that herself if it is normally done for her with a BF and thus she skips the independent wind down. Hope that makes sense.

Or has it all changed since you last posted anyway?