BF during the night Q
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Topic: BF during the night Q
Posted By: High9
Subject: BF during the night Q
Date Posted: 14 November 2010 at 10:13pm
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Hi,
At present I currently BF my baby during the night when she wakes, I have been told by PN that I can stop now as it won't be the feed she wants more the comfort or a drink and I can offer water instead. However, IMO I think it's easier to just BF... Am just wondering for those that have BFd like this, did it affect your baby/childs sleep as they got older... E.G as a 2, 3, 4 year old etc - did then wake during the night for whatever reason regularly?? (Iygwim) Thanks in advance! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 14 November 2010 at 11:23pm
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I was given similar advice too but not from Plunket, from a work mate and others. Anyways, I choose to ignore it.
I cant say from the older aged perspective yet but Jackson was waking for feeds (generally just 1 night feed at that age) right up to 12 months. Since 12 months he's slept through the night. On the odd occasion he does wake but its for other reasons i.e. teething. So we just give him a cuddle put him back down and he falls back to sleep. I say enjoy it while it lasts cos it doesnt last forever  ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 6:40am
We stopped BF during the night when Clodagh was about 10/11 months old mainly cos she was doing it 2-3 times a night and mucking about a bit, not really drinking. Plus I found out I was pg again and my nipples were really sore. So we night weaned her and TBH I think she sleeps better now without it although she's still a crap sleeper lol so who knows?!! I say do what works best for you and Lily. If I could've demand fed through the night as easily I def would've. BF's not just about nutrition hehe  -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 7:44am
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I fed my daughter during the night (when she woke for it) right up until I weaned her (two years old), and she sleeps just fine - a good night now is 12-13 hours, unbroken sleep. A bad night is 11ish hours, waking for water once. And that is better than I sleep! ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: KatzWtgn
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 1:20pm
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I agree -- I think that it would be easier to BF than give water -- at least BF is "on tap"
But also, breastmilk has lots of immunulogical (sp?) benefits as well -- if you are happy breastfeeding, why stop?? ------------- [IMG]http://lb3f.lilypie.com/rGG7p13.png] |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 1:50pm
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I B/F Ella once a night until just before she turned 2 and I totally weaned her and now she is perfect night sleeper- sleeps 12hrs staight. Tom still feeds 3x a night and I often think I should start to night wean him....but then decide its much easier this way.
edit: I should add that once I weaned her, she woke the first couple of nights asking for milk but then after that slept staight first. Its was heaps easier when she was older as she understood when i told her "milk was all gone" ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: _Deb_
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 2:12pm
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My son was a terrible sleeper till he was 10 months old. Well actually he started off ok but that changed. He ended up in bed with us every night and i would just feed him back to sleep, quite often some nights.
When he got to 10 months he started sleeping better and it wasn't long before he would happily go off to sleep on his own and sleep 11-12 hours a night. Ever since then he has slept well and only wakes during the night if something is wrong. He happily runs off to bed every night. Hehe. My girl is finally sleeping better. She sleeps through some nights, other nights she'll wake and i just put her in bed with us. I weaned her at 9.5 months and she hasn't had milk during the night since then. If you don't mind feeding her during the night then just carry on with it. ------------- 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 3:32pm
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Cool, I don't mind so think we'll keep going!
She already understands 'all gone' means no more as I say that during the day when she mucks about, but at night she is still 'half asleep' but won't resettle without a BF so don't think she's hear me saying all gone iygwim! Glad that it doesn't seem to affect their sleep at all! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 3:35pm
| I am still feeding my 9 month old during the night, sometimes not for hunger. It is nice to know I am not alone :-) |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 3:36pm
Should say, she still wakes about 3 times a night!  ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: schnooks
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 4:49pm
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I was the same with DD -and it didnt bother me when it was once a night -as like you I thought it was just easie, but it turned into 2-3 times a night at about 8 months - so, for me, I decided enough was enough. I thought she couldnt be THAT hungry. So thought I would try the water thing - so with DH help - he went in the 1st night, she cried in his arms for about 15 minutes and took a little sip of water then went back to sleep, and didn't wake again. Second night she woke once again and refused water from him, and after a cuddle she went back to sleep . Third night she slept through, and has continued to sleep through ever since.
I think had she drunk heaps of water, I would have thought, yep she is thirsty and contiued to BF her - but she proved she was only doing it for comfort, so am glad I tried it! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 7:24pm
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That is interesting schnooks! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Mum_mum
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 9:16pm
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I breastfed at night till about 11months, and yip she was waking 2-3 times a night sometimes
I decided that 11 months was enough for the night feeds and over a week or two would offer breast the first time then water all the times after. Now she still wakes once more often than not (though getting better) but settles well with a cuddle and a quick sip of water. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
Angel baby - May 2008
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 15 November 2010 at 9:26pm
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I am looking to study next year though so will see how we go, but I like the idea of giving her water and breaking the 'habit' and her suddenly sleeping through! lol! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 7:48am
| Me too Lil_Nic9! Last night it was five times :-( |
Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 7:52am
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haha so does Clodagh now! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Lil_Nic9 wrote:Posted By: palomino
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 8:05am
| I was feeding through the night till around 12months, when i decided to gradually try stopping. What i did was if he woke before 12 then he got water, if it was after then i gave him boob, and then the next week if it was before 2am all he got was water and gradually stretched it out like that. I felt mean and couldnt just say none at all because i was worrying he was hungry. It probably took all of a month, i cant really remember but now he sleeps through the night with no feeds. |
Posted By: millymollymandy
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 11:01am
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I gradually reduced the feed time and when down to 2 minutes, I stopped all together, wasn't a problem. it was very gentle and took about a week. Best thing I ever did, as nobody was liking all the waking, which was a bout 3-4 times a night.
Please don't anybody take this the wrong way, but I just don't get why people get so frustrated by night waking by then seem to scared to actively do anything about it. Why choose spend years not getting a full nights sleep? kids are much happier not waking too. |
Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 1:13pm
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I am scared because I have tried EVERYTHING other than CIO and nothing but boob seems to work. So I guess I am petrified that I will end up having to use CIO and I can't stand listening to him cry.
PS I have tried reducing the feeding time and he just gets upset and cries. |
Posted By: schnooks
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:56pm
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Can you use someone else to help give water. I hate hearing her cry too - we are lucky enough to have our bedroom at the other end of the house and use a monitor. I got DH to do the hard work of cuddles while she cried and I turned off the monitor so I couldn't hear her. I also think it was useful using DH then she couldn't smell my boobs!!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: HippyMama
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 3:03pm
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In my experience and opinion, people get frustrated by night waking because our perception of what is "normal" is a bit skewed - we are influenced to think that a baby *needs* to sleep through the night, which is nice if they do but certainly not wrong or 'bad' if they don't.
Change is scary, no doubt, and babies change a lot. As for choice well it's not always that easy, some babies and children simply wake regardless of what we do. I think if there was more support for women in parenting and caring for their children, more information on what is normal, then we would perhaps cope more easily and not feel as if we are personally failing. Women today are under so much more pressure than in the past, and more often isolated too - I also don't think competitiveness (whether intentional or not) is helpful either. All babies are different too, we know this don't we? So sometimes I am puzzled as to why society thinks they all need to fit into the same mould. My DD1 was a brilliant sleeper as a baby, but in retrospect it wasn't really through anything I did, my DD2 however wakes more often and needs more reassurance and nurturing at night - it was a bit of a shock to the system but we (DH & I) have come to accept it is just how she is. If we weren't coping, we would reach out - we learned the first time around that it doesn't hurt to ask for help and support if it is available. Anyway, just my two cents worth Love your babies unconditionally ladies... as our time with them as little ones is far too short as it is!
(Edit to add: I'm not meaning to say we don't *love* our babies, but that maybe we could lower our expectations a little yk?) ------------- Mama to two earth walkers & two angels. Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being. ~ Kittie Franz Next Slingbabies! Meet - Friday 4th May !! |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 3:54pm
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I don't mind her waking during the night, although lately she seems to feed more during the night than the day or about the same! I figure she'll sort herself out eventually, but I plan to study next year so may look into it then, but as I don't do much during the day and can squeeze in a nap if need be I figure it's nothing to worry about now and easiest to just get up for 5-10mins and let her have some boobies!
I like your post above HM! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 7:26pm
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I don't mind him waking either, if he needs me than so be it. I just don't want him to develop a habit that he needs me to get back to sleep every sleep cycle or that he is just using the boobies to get back to sleep every time rather than needing comfort cause of teeth etc.
I guess I just worry that I "shouldn't" still be feeding him in the night. You are so right HM, we have far too high expectations! |
Posted By: HippyMama
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 9:06pm
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I think that sums it up nicely, if YOU don't mind - then anyone else with an opinion on it can go jump ------------- Mama to two earth walkers & two angels. Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being. ~ Kittie Franz Next Slingbabies! Meet - Friday 4th May !! |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 16 November 2010 at 9:18pm
 yeah pretty much!
ETA: Love the quote at the bottom of your posts! So true! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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