Night feedings - 14 months old

[Lirpa11]

DS is 14 months old. We have cut out the day time feedings as I work and he is at daycare. He still feeds before daycare, after daycare, before bed, and several times a night.

At daycare he eats well and drinks whole milk. However it is always hard to get him to eat dinner. He picks and eats a tiny amount. Then at night he wakes 4-5 times a night for feeds.

We co sleep so it's not as bad.... but I'd like to have a night alone in my bed with my husband, and I'd love to sleep through from when I lay down to when I wake up.

Any suggestions?

Also DS is still BF obviously, but I told family we stopped at one year. Trust me, it isn't worth the snide comments, complaining, and other remarks when it doesn't have anything to do with anyone but us. Now however he is going to stay overnight somewhere while we go to a wedding. I'm just worried as to how he will go for the night or if he will keep them up all night. Any experiences?

 

[BlingyGal]

If you're co-sleeping, it might be a bit tougher to stop the night feedings. I'm assuming you don't want your son to sleep in his own bed/crib yet? I have a couple of ideas:
1. if still co-sleeping, refuse to provide night time feeds and offer water in bottle/cup with lots of comforting;
2. move a crib into your room so there's the physical separation but he still knows you're there and don't offer nightfeeds; or
3. move baby into his own room, go in and comfort when he wants milk but do not nightfeed.

Of course, any change you make will cause some sleepless nights initially. It could take from a few days to a week for him to adjust.

Just for a frame of reference, we coslept with my daughter until she was 6-7 months old and then she went into her own room. Once she was in her own room, she incrementally cut out nightfeeds. She went from nursing every 1-2 hours in bed with me, to 3 feeds/night in her room, then 2 feeds, then 1 and then none! It happened over the course of 2-3 months and with no fussing because we followed her needs. Now she's almost 17 months old, she nurses in the morning and after daycare/before bed, like your son. She sleeps from 6pm to 7am - no milk or water!

Whatever you decide, just give it some time before throwing in the towel. A full night's rest is miraculous. I hope you get one soon!

 

[noon_child]

My LO would refuse dinner if she was too tired so I wonder if that is why your LO won't eat much despite being hungry. Then again sometimes night waking shave zero to do with nutrition and hunger and are just developmental, or about reconnecting with you.

Regarding the night away, even if he wasn't breastfed I'd be expecting the first night without Mum and Dad to be pretty unsettled anyway (it's a big adjustment). Those who are looking after him surely know he doesn't sleep through and are aware they are going to have to get up to try comforting him?

 

[icegurl470]

How are you doing with this? I'm going through the same thing. Mine is 12 months and has always woken up in the middle of the night 2-3 times to nurse sometimes more. I started bringing her into bed with me a couple months ago and letting her nurse while i slept.. now shes getting to the age i would like to wean her but i dont know how im going to wean her from those night feedings! I hope BlingyGal is right about them being less needy once you move them out.. When im tired in the middle of the night its so hard not to just give in!

 

[Lirpa11]

Thanks for the advice ladies!

He has done a little better the past couple of nights. He has maybe woke once to nurse.

I tried moving him to his crib, but he wakes in the middle of the night and I give in and bring him into our bed so I can sleep. It is Friday today so I will try him in his bed again and get DH to get up with him when/if he wakes to see how we go with that.

Noonchild - He does eat 3 times at daycare (breakfast, lunch, snack) so maybe by dinner he isn't overly hungry anyway? As for being tired, perhaps he could be, but since I work til 5 and then get him from daycare and head home, I don't get home till after six and we eat about an hour after that if I get straight onto making dinner... I have made his the night before so I can feed him straight away but he seems less interested as wants to explore at home. My godparents are watching him next weekend and they know it will be his first night away so I am sure they will understand. they have 5 grand babies in total, with my son being the youngest one.

Blingygal - I think we will try no night feedings tonight and tomorrow night. I will get DH to go i n and comfort him and rock him while I enjoy our warm bed hee hee.