Want to Stop Night Feeding? Do This First!
May 07, 2024
There are a lot of great suggestions out there when it comes to ditching night feedings after 6 months old. What many parents and sleep consultants miss is what to do before you night wean or drop the nighttime bottles.
Preparing your child for an alternative to nursing or bottle feeding is essential. Otherwise, the sudden change will feel different and unexpected, and will likely cause frustration in your child.
FRUSTRATION = SCREAMING AND CRYING
Here’s an example – For the past 6 months when my baby has woken in the night, I’ve offered them a bottle because I assume they are hungry. Now I’ve decided to night wean and I’m trying to get my baby back to sleep by rocking, shushing, walking around. . . it’s not working. So eventually, after 30 minutes of trying to get my baby back to sleep, I make a bottle and after 2 ounces they pass out.
IDEA:
Developing an alternative way to soothe your baby will make night weaning easier.
Find something that helps your child settle – rocking, gentle bouncing, holding – and use this soothing strategy during the day. During daytime feedings, make sure you baby is awake and is not falling asleep on the breast or bottle. This might mean moving feedings gradually, so they are eating when they wake up, not when they are about to go to sleep/nap.
RESOURCE:
Dr. Harvey Karp’s 5 S’s for Soothing Babies is a great starting point to figure out what works for your little. Once you’ve figured out which ‘S’ your baby prefers, be consistent in your response.
TIP:
If you want to cut down on night feedings but aren’t ready to give them up entirely, you can sleep coach your child AND keep a night feeding. With the Gentle Sleep Coaching approach, created by The Sleep Lady, we support parents and babies who want to continue nursing or a night bottle feed.
General tips for night weaning:
- Reduce nursing time or number of ounces gradually.
- Ensure good day time feeds.
- Replace the breast or bottle with a pacifier.
- Reach out to your pediatrician to ensure your baby can go without a feeding all night.
- If you’re nursing, seek advice from a lactation consultant regarding milk supply and future goals.