elim nite feed/9 mo old

[x95stocchier]

I've been working on eliminating a night feed with my 9 mo old.  I've been gradually reducing the mins he nurses and we are now down to 6 min.  How far should I go?  I don't think he'll just stop waking for it, because he usually wakes 2 or even 3 times at night, but can usually self settle in just a few mins.  I'm afraid if I just stop the feed, he might ss, but then will wake up again and again, or really early. 

Anyone done this?  How far did you reduce the mins of bf before cutting it all together?

Also, can I expect early mornings for a while, since he'll be more hungry than normal?

Thanks!  I'm ready to cut it, but afraid of the consequences!
Sarah

[Colin Macs Mom]

Sarah,

When he feeds those 6 min, does he eat enthusiastically? Or is he sort of slowly moseying?

After you are down to zero minutes (assuming that he is not waking from genuine hunger), he might still wake out of habit at that usual feeding time. If that happens, then do W2S and you should be good to go!

[Tatumsmom]

Hi,
My dd is 9 months and we just dropped the night feed last week. I went cold turkey on the feedings and it worked well for us. The first night she woke at her usual time and we let her fuss for about 1/2 hour then my husband went to her and got her to go back to sleep. She then slept to seven without a feed!! So after that night I knew that she was only waking out of habit. I was always running to her at the first little peep. So I had to learn how to ignore her fussing and only go to her when she really needed me. This was really hard on me as I felt like she was going to starve. She is still waking at night around the usual time so I've just started doing W2S. Last night she woke around 4:30 and was fussing the next thing I new it was 6:00. She must of went back to sleep. At six I had to go and rub her back and give her a kiss, she then went back to sleep till 7:20. For the last few months I tried everything to drop the nightfeed but I don't think she was ready till now. She is still wasking at night but I really think that in time that will stop. Even though she still wakes up I feel so good about not feeding her, I feel like we have made it through a major hurdle and that it is easy sailing from here.Good luck it will work one day.
Kim

[x95stocchier]

Thanks both for your reply. 

The problem is he doesn't wake at the same time every nite, so I don't know that w2s would work.  Last night it was 1 AM, the night before 3:40.  Sometimes he wakes more than once at night (but I only feed 1X)  Every night at each wake, I let him fuss and even cry a bit, but when he starts to scream, I go in and decide if I'm going to feed or if it's too early (or I already fed that night) then I p/s him back to sleep, which usually works.  If I feed (even for just the few min) he settles easily or with just a little fuss when I put him back in the crib.

he does eat vigorously.  It's actually one of his better feedings!  (daytime he's too distracted  )  Would I continue to drop 1 minute every day or two all the way down to zero?  Seems almost a moot point to feed for 1 or 2 min, kwim?

I'm scared to go cold turkey cuz I don't want him to wake 2 or 3 or 4 more times that night from hunger (but obviously that didn't happen to you Kim!--There is hope!)

[Tatumsmom]

Sarah,
It was scary to go cold turkey,but I had tried everything else. I just figured that if she really needed the feed she would keep waking up. The hardiest thing for me was trying to decided wether or not she was really hungry. Even though she hasn't been feed in the night for almost a week I still panic when she wakes up.LOL. I just set a time in my head and decided not to feed her before that time. I was just lucky she slept through the first night with only the one waking, it gave me the confidence and strength to not feed her. I think if the first night was bad I would have caved. You have to do what works for you and what you are comfortable with.
Kim

[Colin Macs Mom]

Kim is totally right, you have to do what you feel is best and what you can both live with. Cold turkey is definitely a risk but some people have had success with it. But at the same time, if you're going to give that a go you should be prepared in case it backfires. If you drop minutes, go for one minute every two days or maybe even three if LO has a hard time with it. You should see an increase in daytime intake then to compensate. Let us know how things go!

[x95stocchier]

Thanks you guys for your responses. Thought I'd let you know that 2 nights ago, DS went down at 7 (normal) and we didn't hear from him till 5:15!!!!  WOO HOO!!!  So, I fed at 5:15 and tried to put him back down, but he thought it's time to get up.  So, am I in for early wakes for a while with no nw?  Should I be feeding him at 5:15? (I know he was hungry)

Oh, and on another note....DH and I both woke at 4, and couldn't go back to sleep    ...I guess worried if he was ok or not.  He's never done that before, not ever!  And I had my longest sleep stretch in 9 months! 

[Colin Macs Mom]

That's great!!! It's yet another adjustment for everyone once they start sleeping    But a good one!

As for the 5:15 hunger, definitely feed if you know he's hungry. Some people do need to do an early feed like that but are able to then get LO to sleep longer after that.

[x95stocchier]

Will he probably work himself out of that 5:15 feed eventually (push it later and later) or will I have to help him wean it?

[Colin Macs Mom]

He will probably work it out himself, but if not you can wean.