Stopping night feeds

[oh my!]

I'm new here & looking for help. My daughter has just turned one & is breastfed. She only feeds 3-4 times aday, really only to go to sleep or if upset, but during the night feeds every 1-2hrs. I'm not coping at all & need sleep. She sleeps in my bed with me.

How do I stop her feeding all night? Should I put her in another bed/bedroom? I'm not ready to stop feeding but want to cut it down. What about a cup of formula at night, would that work?

[melbryan]

I have heard people doing this at night a formula feed, as the food takes longer to digest and keeps them fuller for longer. I would give this a try. After 6 weeks I put him on the bottle and he slept a lot longer at nights It was a godsend as I was exhausted like you.
Goodluck

[Goosie22]

Hi,
I doubt formula would be of any help, at this age the matter of having a full tummy is not the issue.

Its because she wants to be comforted, and you will need to find another means by which to comfort her. Can your partner step up to the plate and night and help out so you are not available (accept in cases of complete meltdown) You could give your usual night time feed and go off to sleep in another bed untill she is settled. Your partner could offer water throughout the night (pooling milk from a bottle is the cause of dental decay) a favourite song, a little rocking or patting all with the light off and as little fuss as possible and lots of hugs and kisses.

Or you could try this all yourself but making sure you wear some PJs that are hard to get into and be very calm and comforting throughout.

You have got this far, its just another bump in the road:hugs: .

If this all sound too much, my personal experience is that they tend to get sick of feeding so much after 15 - 18 months anyhow.

good luck:fingerscrossed:

[kadownie]

I know how you feel- it's so tiring when you have a little one who doesn't sleep through the night! I have 20 month old twins- one of them usually sleeps through the night, but the other one (the boy) wakes often for feeds- but it's more a comfort thing. We vary between having him in bed with us and him in his own bed, depending on how tired I get. I did night wean them a few months ago now- which was extremely tiring- but it has helped- even though he still wakes and I feed him. My daughter though has dropped her night waking- unless she's sick or teething. Cameron now can be told 'enough' and he'll roll over and go back to sleep.

What I did was for a few days leading up to the start of the night weaning- I told them that there was no more feeds in the night, and that when they woke they could have water and cuddles, but no milky until morning. It was a long week. I'm not into controlled crying or letting my kids cry it out by themselves- so I would lie there with them (because once one is awake and crying the other is woken up) and they would cry and I would offer water and cuddles. The first night was the worst, but every night after that the crying got shorter and they would go back to sleep.

After I think 4 or 5 nights they were sleeping through the night. Then we went camping, then they got sick- so I decided that I was just not ready to go through it all again. I was pleased that I had done it and they had responded well, but figured that everytime they got sick or got a tooth I would have a week of reteaching them- and that's just way too tiring for me- more tiring than feeding. (It does help when the little one is in bed with us).

I did do a bit of a journal on another forum at the time, if you want to read it- I could give you the link- but PM me as I don't think it would be right to post the link here.

I just tell myself that he obviously needs me in the night- and as his mother I want to meet his emotional needs. I think breastfeeding too can kind of encourage a child to want to be close to their mother- which isn't a bad thing- just tiring- but it's only for a season. I know people don't agree with me- and that's fine as really my night parenting doesn't affect anyone except me (and my hubby occasionally)

As for the formula- I have tried everything with Cameron- but I think it's more of an emotional thing.

You're not the only one!!;)

[draught]

I went through something similar and although mine might not be the popular answer I ended up using controlled crying and have my husband go to her instead of me for a couple of nights. While many people criticise cc for us it was the only thing that worked - all other forms of settling had her waking multiple times a night and me barely functioning. I didn't use formula as it wasn't a hunger issue - only a comfort one.