Need help with night feeding

[Firsttimemommy]

My son is 9 months old tomorrow and a few months ago we had him sleeping through the night.  We cut the 11pm feeding and he was sleeping 7:30pm-7am.  Recently he has been waking up screaming.  I have tried everything to calm him.  It has gotten to the point we have to let him cry it out cause nothing seems to work.  The past week when he wakes we give him a bottle (around 11:30pm to midnight)  I noticed that most people cut DF off when their child is 6 months.  Well my child is 9 months and we still give it to him.  Is this okay? I was told that if the baby isn't hungry than he won't eat it, so go ahead and offer it. (he eats all 6-8oz)  Is he to old for this feeding, I thought he should be okay with what he consumes during th day.  What age should I quit the DF, or do I wait for him to tell me???  PLEASE HELP!!!!!  

[teezee]

first off if you have in fact let your lo CIO than you may have broken trust with your lo and you will have to deal with that primarily. tracy and the bw does not advocate cry it our or controlled crying in any way as it damages the relationship between the parent and child. your lo cries when he needs something and is not able to help himself..whether that need is a feeding, help being settled, pain, discomfort, etc...whatever it may be your lo needs you if he cries.

the df is suggested to be cut out at 7 months as at that age a lo is old enough to be able to sustain that belly for longer periods of time and has enough intake from bm/formula and solids at that point. at about this age lo's may start to have their sleep disrupted rather than have the df be helpful.

you could try dropping the df cold turkey - but i would suggest more of a weaning process as lo will start taking more during the day rather than at the df..slowly every few days drop and ounce of formula or a a min or two if bfing..naturally it will all balance out.

do you have baby whisperer solves all your problems? the newest book?? if not, maybe you want to see if your library carries it as it has info in it about how to build trust with your lo again if in fact CIO has been used and lo is affected by it.

[Max'sTiredMummy]

Hi x,

Well i'm not an expert but the 'waking up screaming' sounds like perhaps its a night terror, my son used to have them, they finished around ten months and were really distressing all round, i just used to sit with him until he came out of it himself, he'd be screaming his head off but when i went into his room, he wouldnt recognise me, like he was in his own little world, if i woke him he's get a real fright so i used to just sit and stroke his tummy and speak to him until he came round enough to come out of it and go back to sleep. I found the dream feeds utterly fantastic and kept them going for nearly two years lol, my reason for this was that he really went off milk, preferred water, and the only way he would entertain it was when he was sleeping! He dropped it himself just after he turned 2.

I'd also have to agree with Teezee, CIO doesnt work, neither does controlled crying, especially when they are so young, they dont understand, and they can cry till dawn!  But i admit under pressure from (now ex)MIL and my own mum, i have tried both, neither worked, made the situation worse in fact and the only thing that did the business was walk in walk out.

Hope this gives you some ideas!
Best of luck
MTM xxxx