Our little bundles of joy are blessings sent to us from heaven. From the day you get to know that you are about to become a mommy, you start to dream about the good times you can have with your baby. The new responsibilities coming on your way might have overwhelmed you for a while but I am sure that fear was overridden by the pleasure of meeting the tiny person you have given life to. When the baby comes into the world, your life will be all about him. For the first few weeks, you will not have anything much in your daily routine other than feeding, changing, and hushing your baby to sleep.
One of the challenges for new parents is to maintain their ordinary life while keeping the tummy of their baby full at night. You will hit the top level of exhaustion when you have a newborn at home to feed through the night. Even though you will get used to this new normal of your life, you will be wondering when you can stop feeding your baby at night.
There are some lucky parents whose babies will self-wean from the night feeds. I was not that lucky with any of my babies and if it is the same with you, this article will help you. In this article, I will discuss when you can stop night feeding your baby and the tips to make the transition smooth.
CONTENT
1. When is the right time to stop night feeding my baby?
2. How to stop night feeding my baby?
3. Tips for night weaning the babies
1. When is the right time to stop night feeding my baby?
When weaned from the night feeds, your baby will have the first bottle or the first breastfeeding session in the morning. That will be their meal after the last feeding session just before bedtime. So to stop night feeding your baby, he will be ready to sleep through the night without waking up for the breast or the bottle in the middle.
A baby will be able to sleep for six to eight hours straight without being fed at the age of four to six months. Babies grow at different paces but most of the babies will start to sleep through the night at this age. If your baby is at this window of age and had no problems gaining weight, you can try dropping the night feeds. But it is not compulsory to stop night feeding your baby when he is between four to six months of age.
You can also look for the cues of your baby to wean him from night feeds. The babies will sleep for longer stretches and wake up less frequently when he is ready to drop his night feeds. The baby will also eat less in the night feeds when he is grown enough to sleep through the nights. After five to six months, babies wake up mostly for the habit of eating and cuddling rather than for hunger. So weaning from the night feeds will not be easy as the baby grows older.
2. How to stop night feeding my baby?
There are two main ways to do this. You can either gradually reduce the number of night feeds or stop night feeding at once. It is up to you to decide whether you follow a step-by-step approach or just go cold turkey. But the gradual decrease of the feeds will be convenient for both you can your baby, especially if you are breastfeeding. Either way, you should consult your pediatrician before making the decision to wean your baby from the night feeds.
One of the techniques to drop night feeding gently is to extend the period between the feeds. You can try delaying feeds by fifteen to thirty minutes each day. When the baby gets used to sleeping longer, there will be no need for a night feed.
Another approach is to cut off the amount of milk fed in each feed. If you are breastfeeding, reduce the time spent in each breast gradually during night feeds. For bottle-fed babies, reduce the amount of milk put into the bottle. The baby will gradually understand that there is no need to wake up for a little sip of milk.
3. Tips for night weaning the babies
- Feed your baby enough during the daytime
Breastfed babies should eat once every two to three hours if they are under six months and yet to start solid foods. Bottle-fed babies should eat 24 to 32 ounces a day until they start eating solid food at the age of six months. Irrespective of your baby is breastfed or formula-fed, the baby will eat less in the night if he is eating enough in the daytime.
- Be gentle
Dropping the night feeds at once will not be a good option if you are breastfeeding. It might cause discomfort to you through engorged breasts and mastitis. There is no need to take an unnecessary health risk when you have the option of stop night feeding gradually. Reduce the amount of time that you allow your baby to feed on each breast or extend the gap between each feed. You can also pump for comfort when your breast is feeling full during the night.
- Dream feeding
Dream feeding will fill the tummy of your baby when they are drowsy but not fully asleep. It can be the last feed that you will give your baby while he is half asleep. If it seems like dream feeds awakes your baby and makes it difficult for them to fall back asleep again, do not follow this tip. Every baby is different and they will respond to dream feeds in different ways.
- Consistency
When you make a decision to drop the night feeds of your baby, stick to it. Do not drop a feed one day and feed as usual on the other days. Consistency is the way to convey to your baby the need to sleep for longer without waking up for a feed. Follow your plan unless your baby is sick or there is a special reason requiring frequent feeds.
- Keep the interactions at minimum
The babies will wake up for cuddles and snuggles even when they are not hungry. So do not rush to take your baby to the arms and feed them. Give them some time to self-soothe and if they are fed well in the daytime, they will fall back asleep in a minute or two. Do not turn on the lights or make noise during the nighttime. It will let the baby know that the night is for sleep.
If your baby has a difficulty in falling asleep without a feed, you will have to slow down the process and feed him when needed. Always contact your pediatrician about the problems that may arise during the process of weaning from night feeds.
