Doctor says...

[ShakeItBaby1]

So my DD had her 6 month check up yesterday, and the doctor asked about her sleeping patterns. At this point, she goes to bed around 10 PM, wakes up around 6 to be fed, and falls back asleep until around 9 or 10. He said that by 6 months they should be sleeping 10 hours straight, and I should try to skip her "night feeding." Does anyone else agree? And if so, how do I go about this? She isn't comforted just by me "showing her I'm there," as the doctor said...she wants boob! So I guess I'm asking - do I knock the night time feeding, and if so how do I go about this??

 

[lau86]

I think 10 to 6 is really reasonable for a little baby and quite a long time to go between feeds so she probably is hungry when she wakes up. My son goes to bed at 7 and sleeps till 4 when he wakes up and cries for food. I always feed him, he would not be impressed at me 'showing him I'm there'!! In my mind, the doctor is asking you to leave her to go hungry for a few hours, in order to train her to sleep a bit longer. I don't think at 6 months that's the right thing but only you can decide

 

[Rachel_C]

I'd say 8 hours is amazing for such a young baby! I'd expect more like 4 hours with anything down to 2 hours being normal. Ignore the doctor, he obviously doesn't know much about babies. If a baby is hungry, they're hungry! I don't know how the doctor thinks he can tell whether your child is hungry better than your child.

 

[cait]

If you want to keep the feed go with your instinct. My daughter didn't sleep through until 9 months. That was normal for us and I never questioned it.

 

[Sarah lo]

Drop the night feed at 6 months? No way!

My daughter had a night feed every night until she was 2. If your LO wants it and you're happy to do it, what does it matter?

 

[BigAl]

No I personally wouldn't at 6m, and didn't stop night feeds until 16m. Sounds like your lo is sleeping pretty well tbh, I think we were up every 2hrs at that point.

But really it's your own choice, definitely not something that you have to do though.

 

[Pearls18]

Do what you're comfortable with, if baby needs milk, give milk! My 6 month old is in bed 7-7, he needs a couple of dummy runs in the night but at about 4am dummy won't settle him and he has a good feed, I know he needs it. He's always been a snacky feeder and has never responded to my attempts of filling up in the day ha, so I know he needs the milk.

My eldest I was confident didn't need milk from 6 months, I could tell it was more habit and I was doing it on auto pilot, he was eating A LOT in the day and was a very big baby (91st) so I was happy to stop feeding, we offered water instead and that was fine, he started sleeping through not long after.

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

The thing is, I'm a FTM, so I try to t least kind of take into consideration what the doc says however, she only wakes once and it's not really a nuisance since she goes right back to sleep. I know I wake up thirsty after 8hours, so I didn't even consider it a "problem" until he said something. I'm guilty of letting her sleep in the crib, and once she wakes up sometimes transferring her into the bed as sometimes it's easier to lay on my side and feed her... but I thought she was doing pretty good! I just didn't know if I was crazy thinking his advice was crazy lol

 

[Pearls18]

The thing is, I'm a FTM, so I try to t least kind of take into consideration what the doc says however, she only wakes once and it's not really a nuisance since she goes right back to sleep. I know I wake up thirsty after 8hours, so I didn't even consider it a "problem" until he said something. I'm guilty of letting her sleep in the crib, and once she wakes up sometimes transferring her into the bed as sometimes it's easier to lay on my side and feed her... but I thought she was doing pretty good! I just didn't know if I was crazy thinking his advice was crazy lol

Everything you're doing sounds great, some medical professionals seem to think their medical degrees qualify them in everything when in fact the amount of understand of infant nutrition is appalling, I don't understand why doctors think they can interfere in what is an environmental issue for parents to work out and not a medical one. Of course you listen to your doctor, that's what we're brought up to do, they're the ones letting us down.

 

[irish_cob]

Doctors are trained in how to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, they receive very little if any training on child psychology and behaviour and what is normal in terms of development. They shouldn't be offering you unsolicited advice about something that's really not important. It makes me mad that drs think they're god like and can criticise a mum who is doing her best. 8 hours is bloody good! Why should it be 10? Says who? Where's his evidence? And what's wrong with bringing your baby into bed? My baby sleeps around the same as yours ish, sometimes she wakes up earlier, about 4 or 5am, if it's after 6am and my partner is getting up I bring her in bed with me and we snuggle and feed and snooze. I love it, it's my favourite time of the day! Babies are programmed to need to be near their mum, they can't do anything for themselves, they're so helpless they need to be near us to be safe. You don't think a cave woman popped the baby in the cave next door to sleep do you? Your child won't still be in your bed at 18 honest. Ignore your idiot dr and trust in yourself mama xx

 

[luna_19]

I hate doctors giving sleep advice! My lo is 8 1/2 months and wakes after anywhere between 3 and 6 hours for a feed then at least once more per night. Only one wakeup sounds amazing, I wouldn't mess with it

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

Doctors are trained in how to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, they receive very little if any training on child psychology and behaviour and what is normal in terms of development. They shouldn't be offering you unsolicited advice about something that's really not important. It makes me mad that drs think they're god like and can criticise a mum who is doing her best. 8 hours is bloody good! Why should it be 10? Says who? Where's his evidence? And what's wrong with bringing your baby into bed? My baby sleeps around the same as yours ish, sometimes she wakes up earlier, about 4 or 5am, if it's after 6am and my partner is getting up I bring her in bed with me and we snuggle and feed and snooze. I love it, it's my favourite time of the day! Babies are programmed to need to be near their mum, they can't do anything for themselves, they're so helpless they need to be near us to be safe. You don't think a cave woman popped the baby in the cave next door to sleep do you? Your child won't still be in your bed at 18 honest. Ignore your idiot dr and trust in yourself mama xx

This. Made. Me. Feel. So. Much. Better! I'm just so used to people being so against co-Sleeping. All the health risks, SIDS, rolling over on your baby... Its honestly my favorite part of the day, too. Snuggling with her, waking up to her cooing, her scooting closer to nurse. Its such an amazing feeling

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

I hate doctors giving sleep advice! My lo is 8 1/2 months and wakes after anywhere between 3 and 6 hours for a feed then at least once more per night. Only one wakeup sounds amazing, I wouldn't mess with it

I didn't really think I should either. I think her sleeping pattern is amazing. She's had the same sleeping pattern since she was 2 months old. It works for me, her, her dad - everyone! Thank you for making me feel so much better. All of you!

 

[J22]

Wow, just one feed a night? I'm impressed!! Keep doing what you're doing, that's amazing she's sleeping through so much. Can't believe the doc said that!

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

Wow, just one feed a night? I'm impressed!! Keep doing what you're doing, that's amazing she's sleeping through so much. Can't believe the doc said that!

Yup! Shell feed right before bed, and wake up once around 6 to be fed again. But she doesn't even open her eyes when I get her any more, just feeds & fall's right back to sleep until around 9 or 10

Thank you!!

 

[LegoHouse]

My 2 year old rarely sleeps that well xx

 

[misspriss]

HM my 15 month old has at least one night feed usually (by night, I mean 1-2 am!) AND a "early morning feed" around 6, then sleeps until 9! Occasionally he will skip the 1 am and trade the 6 am for a 4 or 5....and I consider that "sleeping through"!

Doctors are great about illness and disease, but everyday parenting? Every baby is different, doctors can tell you what they think is average/normal, but it isn't set in stone and your baby sounds normal!

 

[LaraSue]

The times are a little different, but I do this with my nearly 6 month old, except for the co-sleeping (not against it, just isn't right for me). I've tried to not feed him when he wakes up, and I don't, if he has a random wake up after 1 hour (which happens every now and then). But, I reasoned that if I feed him, he and I both will be back to sleep in 15 minutes, and we'll both be happier that way. So, I just feed him.

 

[FAB mama]

My 18 month old still wakes about every 4 hours on the best nights! I do still BF him back to sleep. He rarely ever stays awake more than 10 minutes so it works for me. I wish he slept longer but it's ok.

Lo's pediatrician tried to give sleep advice too but after a couple of visits he stopped asking about sleep and I never asked for help.

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I thought it seemed like a good stretch of sleep for a 6 month old. Very rarely she does wakeup before 6, but usually it's light outside and she'll go right back to sleep. Thank you all of you for your input