Multiple Night Feeds at 6 months old

[starlight2801]

Hi ladies,

I'm really hoping for some advice as I'm getting to my wits end.

For the past three months my little man has fed more during the night than he does during the day. Now, at 6 months old he is having approx 3 BF's during the day and feeding every 2 hours from about 10.30 at night.

I could cope with the frequent night feedings with a newborn but after 6 months of it I'm now exhausted and I don't know what to do.

I've tried to feed him more through the day but he refuses, even if I take him away somewhere quiet which isn't easy.

At night I've tried to soothe him without feeding but he cries and it disturbs my 2 year old. I feel worse still if I've tried not to feed my LO at night as I have a grumpy DD the next day too because of her disrupted sleep.

My LO is a bottle refuser so my DH can't pick up any feeds for me and its very rare that I can get DS and DD to nap at the same time during the day so catching up on sleep at day time is out of the question. I don't even have local family who could watch the kids while I nap so I really, really have to get sleep at night time.

My HV has advised doing CC which I won't do with a 6 month old baby but it seems I'm either given really harsh advice like that or it goes the other way and I'm made to feel completely selfish for wanting to change my little mans feeding habits, even with having my daughter to look after too

I don't expect him to STTN, I could happily cope with one or two night feeds.

Please, please does anyone have any sympathetic advice? I'm so tired of feeling run down and burned out x

 

[brownie929]

I'd actually love some advice for this. My LO is soon to be 8months and has just started doing this over the past week or so. I'm going back to work next week so I'm dying for some sleep.

 

[MommyJogger]

This stage is really tough for a lot of people. I would advise keeping on trying to encourage more frequent feeding during the day. I know that you want to cut the night feeds out, but 3 meals of breast milk per day really wouldn't be enough fluids or calories for a baby working on becoming more and more active to maintain proper development.
So you've tried quiet and a dark room-- how do you put him down for naps? My DS at that age would snack very frequently, but really took his gigantic meals when he was sleepily nursing to sleep, during his nap, and right when he woke up when he was still tired and cuddly. I know a lot of people cringe at getting in the habit of nursing to sleep for naps, but consider whether it would be worth it to decrease the night wakings. If it is, it might be worth a try.
Another way I got a busy baby to take more than a token sip at the breast was to walk around nursing him in a sling. He was able to be entertained by the changing scenery, so was more willing to stay at the breast.
It's not fun, but tbh frequent night wakings at 6mo is normal-- I totally get wanting it to decrease, but if he's waking because he's hungry or thirsty or his development is driving him to practice new skills, there's not going to be much you can do about it. With as little as it sounds like he eats during the day, though, I'd say you had a decent chance at decreasing them by getting more breast milk into him during the day.

 

[nevernormal]

Maybe you could try feeding him for a shorter amount of time for the last 1-2 night feedings, so then he might try to take in more during the day? Just take the edge off so he'll go back to sleep? Either way he's going to want the same amount of calories/oz in a 24 hr period, so you'll have to figure out what's the best way (for your situation) to encourage him to take more during the day, and less at night.

 

[starlight2801]

Thanks mommyjogger.

My DS sounds very similar to yours. Always busy and with too much else to do to want to feed.

My LO is more likely to take milk in that sweet spot when he's sleepy for a nap but not over tired yet (when he's over tired he tends not to want to take the breast either) so would be worth attempting to have a feed or two around nap times.

I do wear my LO when I'm pottering about doing jobs but never got to grips with feeding in a sling so I might try that again too.

When did things settle down with your LO? I know I can't force him to take more milk in the day time and if he won't I'll have to run with things as they are but it would be nice to have some reassurance that it does change eventually

 

[starlight2801]

Maybe you could try feeding him for a shorter amount of time for the last 1-2 night feedings, so then he might try to take in more during the day? Just take the edge off so he'll go back to sleep? Either way he's going to want the same amount of calories/oz in a 24 hr period, so you'll have to figure out what's the best way (for your situation) to encourage him to take more during the day, and less at night.

Thanks nevernormal.

I actually tried this a while back and it did work to a point.

He seems to have further reduced his milk intake during the day now though and if I feed him just enough to satisfy him he wakes again half an hour later.

I was really hoping that I would be able to reset his feeding patterns but it hasn't worked as I expected unfortunately x

 

[MommyJogger]

Thanks mommyjogger.

My DS sounds very similar to yours. Always busy and with too much else to do to want to feed.

My LO is more likely to take milk in that sweet spot when he's sleepy for a nap but not over tired yet (when he's over tired he tends not to want to take the breast either) so would be worth attempting to have a feed or two around nap times.

I do wear my LO when I'm pottering about doing jobs but never got to grips with feeding in a sling so I might try that again too.

When did things settle down with your LO? I know I can't force him to take more milk in the day time and if he won't I'll have to run with things as they are but it would be nice to have some reassurance that it does change eventually

My DS woke every two hours right up until 11ish months (between 11 and 12 mo). It was once he was walking "comfortably", meaning without falling over and with his arms down by his sides instead of thrust up into the air. At that point, it was like he suddenly realized that the toys and interesting things would still be there after his meal, so he started taking more time during the day to eat. That was also the time he decided he didn't really need me to get to sleep anymore and that he'd rather be on his stomach on the bed/mat than laying in my lap. So he started putting himself to sleep and sleeping a lot longer periods at night. When he does wake, it's only hot nights or was an especially hot/dry day (or teething) that he bothers to nurse-- most of the time he'll just get into another comfortable position and fall back asleep.
It will change, sometimes sooner, sometimes later for different babies. I really miss nursing him to sleep. And the extra cuddles I got when he needed night nursing. Now I just have to cherish the times he needs a little extra reassurance and tosses a leg over me at night to make sure I'm not going anywhere. And I know that will end in several years' time and he'll want his own room.

 

[starlight2801]

Thank you, I have to admit despite my tiredness I love the cuddles too.

I know they grow up so fast and I need to cherish the time where he needs me so much.

I guess It can sometimes be hard to keep perspective when you're so tired x