Author Topic: stopping night feedings- low weight  (Read 1819 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Hilal555

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Posts: 6
  • Location:
stopping night feedings- low weight
« on: May 08, 2017, 18:32:28 pm »
hello, the forum is such a huge place, and Im a bit lost, could someone please send the link if there is and Im sure there is:) to the thread on how to start weaning of night feedings for a 5 month old?

 I'm not sure of which feeding to stop first, should I do it cold turkey or the first waking at first with pupd, and whether he might be really hungry even though its also a habitual waking..
My ds is in the 25th percentile, and Im also afraid that forcing him to cut night feeding might affect his weight even more, or my milk production, yet I feel I should lessen his wakings before he gets too big and really into the habit and I go back to work.. We used to do the EASY routine for 2-3 hours but because the pediatrition said he was low weight I got a bit scared and lessened pupd at night and started to feed him more often than the usual routine in the day. He sleeps at 7 and wakes at 7, and in between sort of wakes at 10pm, 12/1 pm, 3/4, then 6 or 7.. to feed

Offline *Ali*

  • Breast Feeding & Pregnancy/Childbirth
  • Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 373
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22302
  • Caught in the act!
  • Location: London uk
Re: stopping night feedings- low weight
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2017, 21:03:50 pm »
We wouldn't recommend actively weaning night feeds in a baby this young, especially if there are concerns over low weight. Your baby is tiny so just follow his lead.

Breastfeeding research has moved on significantly since the BW books were written so we like to think Tracy would have updated her BF advice accordingly had she still been around to do so. Regardless, Tracy said you should always feed a hungry baby.

Do you think maybe he needs help learning to fall asleep without the breast in the day? How does he fall asleep for naps and at bedtime?
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Hilal555

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Posts: 6
  • Location:
Re: stopping night feedings- low weight
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2017, 10:14:58 am »
I understand that some info on BF has changed sice Tracy's time, but what is it exactly, I mean is so there no such thing as habitual wakings either, (which I thought was what my DS did rather than being really hungry) he also seems to eat less in the day and feed more at night. Or when is it ok to start weaning from a few (I'm not planning on dropping all)of a babies night wakings, or from all of his night wakings?

For instance last night he went to sleep at 7.30, then woke at 8.50 (pupd back to sleep) then woke at 11.40, 3,5 and 7 and I had to bf him each time..

In the days he doesnt bf to sleep for his naps, I wait for him to get sleepy which is approximately 2 hours, then I swaddle, open the white noise, shh him a bit and put him to sleep with the pacifier. he cries  a bit before sleeping sometimes and I have to pupd once or twice sometimes but he does sleep for hourly naps nevertheless. so he doesnt really have a bf to sleep issue, I think its a more habitual waking in the night and needing to bf back to sleep then issue, and one of feeding more at night (ı try to feed him more in the day but it doesnt seem to be changing much)

thanks a lot!

Offline *Ali*

  • Breast Feeding & Pregnancy/Childbirth
  • Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 373
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22302
  • Caught in the act!
  • Location: London uk
Re: stopping night feedings- low weight
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2017, 14:54:02 pm »
Pupd is a technique used to teach independent sleep. This won't work if the baby has a prop such as a paci though since he'll still be looking for something to help him get back to sleep, like sucking the paci or BFing when he wakes. I'll link the FAQ on why paci and pupd don't mix. https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67675.0


If he will settle easily you can resettle him without feeding but I wouldn't try for any length of time if he is protesting. Having a DF plus 2 night feeds (or 3 NFs if you don't DF) is normal at this age.

The aspects of BFing where research has moved on is mainly around feeding intervals and the theory of making a baby wait to feed meaning they will take a bigger feed. Most EBF babies will feed at irregular intervals and sometimes might want a whole meal and other times might want just a snack or drink. This or normal and actually the healthiest way to eat. The WHO recommend breastfeeding on demand day and night  rather than going by the clock. Most EBF babies will not naturally feed on a 4hrly or 3hrly basis.

Rather than witholding feeds in the night I'd work on upping the milk taken in the day and working on independent sleep. Make sure you let him come off the breast himself and then offer the second side, perhaps after a short break for a burp and nappy change.  You could also try stretching his A time a touch as most 5mo can handle a little more than 2hrs. He might only be managing 1hr for naps because he's UT.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2017, 14:57:06 pm by *Ali* »
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011