Author Topic: Waking hungry at night  (Read 1192 times)

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Offline Pats1980

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Waking hungry at night
« on: October 11, 2016, 03:28:22 am »
Hi!

My daughter is turning 7 months this week. She´s been on EASY pretty much since birth and it has worked wonders for us. The reason I am writing is she´s still waking once at night despite eating very well during the day. Her pediatrician told me she should be drinking about 24 ozs of formula a day + 3 solids feeds. She´s now on 32 ozs a day + 3 solids feeds. I´ve been reading online that she should be having between 20-24 ozs of formula.

She wakes once in the evening - genuinely hungry and some nights I can´t calm her until she´s fed. Then goes back to sleep until next morning. The wake up can happen anytime between 11pm and 5am (and it´s only once). I feel like I´m doing something wrong as feel like I´m feeding her all day (4 formula feeds + 3 solids feeds + 1 formula feed at night).  What should I do? How can I wean her nighttime feeding?

Thank you!
P

Her EASY schedule is below for reference:
7am: Wakes up, 6 oz feed
8:30: Breakfast
10am: Sleep (1.5-2 hours)
12pm: 6 oz feed
1:30: Lunch
3pm: Sleep (1-1.5 hours)
4-4:30: 6 oz feed
5:45: Dinner
7pm: 8 oz feed
730pm: Sleep

One night feeding: 6oz

Offline Lindsay27

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Re: Waking hungry at night
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2016, 12:19:04 pm »
If she truly is hungry there is nothing you can to do be honest, a baby who is genuinely hungry isn't going to going to go back to sleep and it would obviously not be recommended to refuse to feed a hungry baby.  It is still perfectly normal for a baby to have a night feed at 7 months, and if it isn't taking away from day feeds (some LOs will refuse day feeds if they've had a NF) then I wouldn't stress too much about it and just feed right away and back to bed. 



Offline Palmira78

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Re: Waking hungry at night
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2016, 20:01:12 pm »
Hi Pats!
I agree with Lindsay that once a night is not a lot. Nevertheless you have asked how to wean that night feed.
I created a post one month ago explaining my experience eliminating the night feeds, please find the link.
Eliminated breastfeeding during the nights - Our experience
My situation was very different, however if your baby is not underweight and since she is older than 6 months old you can do it. I have several friends that have eliminated those night feeds even earlier...
Perhaps the first 2 nights your husband can go instead of you. I assure you that your daughter will take any extra callories that she needs during the day time once you eliminate that night feed.
Tracy Hogg even suggested that she helped to eliminate the night feeds at 5 months for a baby, with an example in The secrets of the baby whisperer.
If you want additional detail on how I wean those night feeds, just let me know :-)

Offline creations

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Re: Waking hungry at night
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2016, 13:06:08 pm »
Tracy Hogg even suggested that she helped to eliminate the night feeds at 5 months for a baby, with an example in The secrets of the baby whisperer.
I'd just like to clarify that any night weaning Tracy did with a 5 month old will have included a DF in the routine. Tracy continued the DF until around 7 months (often on the forums we see it dropped around 8 months), being called a "dream feed" it is not classed as a "night feed" as it is usually at a time when mum has not yet gone to bed.

Some LOs are just not ready to drop that NF yet which is why many times we see a DF or NF dropped at more like 8 months.
If you feel ready to try a night wean though I wouldn't see it as a problem.  You can gently wean bu reducing the amount you offer in the night by an oz every 2-3 nights.  The process can be quicker if you also note how much she takes and not offer more than that the following night (ie she does not drain the bottle so see how much she took, that is how much to offer the next night, and also continue to reduce by 1oz every 2-3 nights).
During the day you need to be ready to increase bottles/solids as needed. She might not increase until a week has passed but you can offer more solids if she wants them to make up for the lost night calories.