Author Topic: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?  (Read 1550 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kycat

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 36
  • My little sweet pea
  • Location:
Hi everyone,

I'm hoping that the combined expertise on this board can help me out.  My LO is 5.5 months old.... this week I decided that I was going to stop BFing her during the night (she was down to one feed anywhere between 3:00 and 4:30am).  We've done 3 nights and I'm pleased to say that there has been very little crying, which I thought proved that she was no longer hungry and the wakings were a habit.  However, each night she has just been awake for about an hour with rare spurts of soft crying ("aheh aheh").  I soothe by plugging in the paci, retucking, and returning her to her side.

Here are some other facts to consider:
5.5 months
Breastfed
Solids now for 2 weeks
Reflux baby on prevacid
3.5 - 4 hour EASY during day
3 naps:  long one (1.5 hours) in AM, long one (1.5-2 hours) in PM, catnap (45 min) late in afternoon
Paci use to go to sleep (a Prop for sure) used only in crib or carseat

I had thought about weaning from the paci, but wanted her to have it while weaning from night feeds.  Also, we're going on a couple of car trips in the next 6 weeks and thought I would wait to wean her from the paci after those trips.

Has anyone had a similar problem?  Is there anything else I should be doing to help her get back to sleep quicker and by herself?  I had thought that if she wasn't getting fed, she wouldn't bother getting up.  I'm stumped.

TIA for any insight or help,

Jill
Jill- mom to Kate (8yo) and Sophia (textbook, born 12-12-05)

Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2006, 02:15:45 am »
Is she by chance waking at the SAME time each night?  If yes, I would recommend using wake to sleep.  If not, I'm at a loss.

What time does she go to bed?  Wake for the day?


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months


Offline kycat

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 36
  • My little sweet pea
  • Location:
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2006, 02:37:33 am »
Thanks for replying.  I had thought to try w2s, but am not sure of the technique and how far ahead to do it.  She is not waking at the same time at night, so wouldn't it be hard to pinpoint when to do it?

She goes to bed around 7:30 pm and wakes about 7:00 am.  She settles for sleep at night and for naps reasonably well with some fussing and some replugging of the paci.  I've been following the paci threads on the Props board and want to get rid of the darn thing, but love being able to use it at church (no nursery- we all sit together) and in the car.

How would I do w2s?  How long should it take to work? 

Thanks,

Jill
Jill- mom to Kate (8yo) and Sophia (textbook, born 12-12-05)

Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2006, 02:46:02 am »
w2s is tough when the night waking is not the same each night. 

If it is, you set your alarm for 1 hour before the wake up.  Go in and slightly stir your lo, enough to get the tiniest of movement, just to disrupt the sleep cycle.  You do this for 3 nights and then you pray really hard the next night  ;)

I would say your best bet is to loose the paci  :-\

Another possiblilty is that she is getting too much day sleep

Do you always go to her, or only when she is in distress?  The cry you describe sounds like a mantra cry and if left alone she may work herself out.  Of course, if it escalates into an "I need you now" cry, go to her.  What about dh?  Can he go in to her?  She may settle quicker for him (he doesn't smell like milk  ::) )

Sorry for the bunch of mish mosh there... and welcome to the Baby Whisperer site!  ;D


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months


Offline Colin Macs Mom

  • Queen B
  • Global Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 854
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 26994
  • Location: Bothell, Washington, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2006, 05:27:24 am »
You got great advice from Rachel (as always), but I also wonder if perhaps she's not ready to give up the night feed. Does the "aheh aheh" cry sounds sort of like coughing? Most los make a coughing sort of cry when they're hungry. If not, or if you don't think she's truly hungry, then what happens if you don't go in? Does the crying escalate?
Jessica
Mom to Colin Ronald, August 18, 2005
Spirited + Reflux =  :o


Offline kycat

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 36
  • My little sweet pea
  • Location:
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2006, 17:52:55 pm »
Thanks Rachel and Jessica.  Last night was nearly the same as the 3 before.  After a DF at 11:00, she woke up around 3:00.  I replugged the paci and fell asleep on the floor.  I woke up at 4:30 and I guess I woke her up, too, b/c we had some crying.  I pat/sh, replugged, retucked and she eventually fell asleep.

The "aheh aheh" thing she does does sound like a cough, and if I don't go right away, it quicky escalates.  Since last night was not really any better than the first night I stopped the night feeding, I think she might just be hungry and not be very vocal about it. I know that if I just feed her, she (and I) will go right back to sleep, but she won't be hungry at 7:00.  It's so hard to know what to do!!!  ??? 

The good things that have come from this is that:
1.  Her naps are consistently longer than the 45 minute ones she's had her whole life so far
2.  She is taking a full feed at 7:00 AM

The bad things are:
1.  I am getting less sleep than before
2.  I am questioning myself

So:
I'm going to give it another night and if there's no progress, do you think I should just feed her?  Should I give it more than one more night?

Is there an age where night feedings go from true hunger to habit?

Thank you so much!

Jill
Jill- mom to Kate (8yo) and Sophia (textbook, born 12-12-05)

Offline Colin Macs Mom

  • Queen B
  • Global Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 854
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 26994
  • Location: Bothell, Washington, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2006, 18:28:04 pm »
The "aheh aheh" thing she does does sound like a cough, and if I don't go right away, it quicky escalates.  Since last night was not really any better than the first night I stopped the night feeding, I think she might just be hungry and not be very vocal about it. I know that if I just feed her, she (and I) will go right back to sleep, but she won't be hungry at 7:00.  It's so hard to know what to do!!!  ??? 

I do think that she is truly hungry then. At 5.5 months that's not unusual. How much does she take during the night feed? I know it can be hard to tell when you're breastfeeding. If it's interfering with her 7am feed, then you could offer less at night (but not eliminate it yet) or push back the 7am feed a bit. Or try both and see what works.

The good things that have come from this is that:
1.  Her naps are consistently longer than the 45 minute ones she's had her whole life so far
2.  She is taking a full feed at 7:00 AM

The bad things are:
1.  I am getting less sleep than before
2.  I am questioning myself

That's great that her naps have improved and her feed too. Something's obviously working, but not perfectly. I do think that she still needs the night feed, and if you can figure out how much to give her so she can make it through the night and not interfere with day feeding, I think that will help you a lot.

So:
I'm going to give it another night and if there's no progress, do you think I should just feed her?  Should I give it more than one more night?

Is there an age where night feedings go from true hunger to habit?
Quote (selected)

Like I said above, I think she needs the feeding. There isn't so much an age where a lo stops needing the feed and it becomes habit. Some los truly need it until they're a year or so. It's not too hard to tell when it's not needed anymore though. My DS suddenly started eating it very slowly, and taking only a couple or three ounces and was falling asleep through it. Before he had always ravenously sucked it down. So it was clear that it wasn't needed anymore so we weaned. He was 6.5 months at that point.
Jessica
Mom to Colin Ronald, August 18, 2005
Spirited + Reflux =  :o


Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2006, 23:31:29 pm »
You can also try gradual weaning which may help her make the adjustment easier.  Therefore she can gradually increase the milk she takes during the day.  Just a thought...

When (if) you do the feed at night, take a note of how long she feeds (exactly).  The next night, lessen that time by 2 minutes and continue that length for 3 days.  The 4th night, lessen by 2 more minutes and continue that length for 3 days.  Repeat until the feed time is 3 min or so and then try cutting it out.


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months


Offline kycat

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 36
  • My little sweet pea
  • Location:
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2006, 01:38:37 am »
I will try the gradual weaning... now if only I can stay awake to see how long she vigorously sucks, then I will be in business!  At this point, it will be easier to try this than w2s since her wakes are not the same each night.

Thank you so much for your help and suggestions.   :-*  Even though I just started posting, I've been lurking since LO was 3 weeks old!  This board (and Tracy's method of course) is invaluable!

Jill- mom to Kate (8yo) and Sophia (textbook, born 12-12-05)

Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2006, 01:43:06 am »
Good Luck to you!  I do know how very hard it is to stay awake... I have a hard time at the 6:00 feeding before bed.  By the time she's done, my contacts are very sticky  ::)


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months


Offline kycat

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 36
  • My little sweet pea
  • Location:
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2006, 14:06:07 pm »
Well, I definitely think she is hungry because she vigorously sucked for about 15 minutes, then intermittently sucked for 5 more.  She pulled off just when I was about to take her off.  Normally, in the day, she nurses vigorously for 5 minutes total on one side and then she's done.

I also experimented with dropping the DF just to see how long she would sleep for.  Last nursing at 7:00, then solids, bath, and routine, and bed by 8:00.  She slept until 12:45am.  Would you keep that DF still?

Thanks again...  :)
Jill- mom to Kate (8yo) and Sophia (textbook, born 12-12-05)

Offline RachelC

  • Girl Scout Extraordinaire
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 865
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 22975
  • Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Re: Stopped the night feeds, but LO is still waking up.... anyone BTDT?
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2006, 14:21:14 pm »
What time did she sleep until this morning?

I might keep the df and gradually wean the other.  Otherwise it would seem as if you were trying to drop 2 feeds, KWIM


Proud to have breastfed for a combined total of 35 months