Going back to the night feeds

[izzlesnizzle]

LO dropped all her night feeds at 6.5 mths. She would still wake up but didn't need a feed, just a cuddle and re settling. Even in the mornings after 12 hrs of no food she wouldn't be that interested in her milk. She wouldn't ask for it and when given would only have 4 ozs and the rest I would put in her cereal.

The books say once you've stopped doing night feeds don't go back to them and a baby over 6 mths doesn't need a feed at night. Well that's easier said than done when you've got a screaming baby who refuses to settle until shes drained an 8 oz bottle.

Anyone else had or having this problem of their baby starting to wake up again for feeds after 3 mths of not having them?

A growth spurt, possibly, there is a big one at 9 mths but once shes had her bottle at 4am she doesn't then want more at 7am, shes fine until breakfast. If it was a growth spurt I would expect her to be demanding more than 3 bottles a day but shes just waking for her morning bottle earlier and earlier this past week. It started at 5am wanting milk, last night it was 4.15am.

Water doesn't work or coming into bed for a cuddle. She wants milk.

 

[MrsButterfly]

we had a rough night too.

How much does she take with her last bottle? Could that be upped?

X

 

[izzlesnizzle]

Oh no, did the 5am fairy visit you again? She came early to us at 4.15 today which was kind of her.

I could try making a bigger bottle for bedtime but sometimes she doesn't usually finish an 8oz bottle. She generally leaves an ounce or 2 then pushes it away. It would have been a good idea if she finished a bottle at bedtime.

 

[shellyob]

I've just had the same issue at around 10 months after James not having night feeds since 2/3 months. We put it down to a growth spurt as he could no longer stand under the dining table without bumping, he seemed to grow before our eyes! We started giving him feeds in the night for about a week, sometimes 2 8oz bottles but then this messed up his daytime feeds. I spoke to the health visitor who assured me that although he may be acting hungry, he makes a funny munching sound, that with 3 meals a day and snacks he does not need to be fed at night and needs sleep as he's getting all the nutrition he needs, she said not not even offer water. So we stopped the night feeds and he stated to settle himself again, seems he was waking for comfort. But it was hard, really pulls on your heart strings if you think they're hungry. We give a small amount of porridge after the last feed (7pm) before bed and this really helped to stretch him through until 6/7 am.
Obviously, all babies are different but just think as they get older their feeding needs change. Hard work getting up in the night though after getting used to your sleep xx

 

[Noelle610]

Aww sorry love. That's hard. Could you try reducing the amount in her bottle gradually?

 

[izzlesnizzle]

Well im assuming/hoping its a short lived growth spurt. Its been 4 nights that shes wanted a night feed now so if it hasn't settled down in a few days time, im going to start to dilute the bottles down. At the age of 9 mths on 3 good meals and 3 bottles a day with snacks too, she does not need a night feed! But what can you do when they are screaming and refusing to settle until they've been fed? Its so hard at 4am and the crying seems worse when everything is quiet.

 

[happythought]

Yes it happened for us too. It didn't last too long but we did change and feed him maybe 4 oz. give him a quick cuddle and he was back to sleep. Now he's back to sleeping through

 

[socitycourty]

mine has consistently been taking 1-2 bottles during the night, even at 9 months!