Night Weaning | Matt and Stephanie's Blog

I am going to start off this post by saying I am the luckiest woman alive. When we first came home we took turns getting up with the boys for night feedings, but I was increasingly having difficulty falling back asleep after my turn, so Matt took over ALL night feedings. Seriously lucky girl! The other night I got up and start to feed Ezra and Matt noticed I had done this, came into the nursery and said, “What are you doing go back to bed.” I know I am lucky and my husband is AMAZING. Sorry I just had to brag and properly thank my husband before I got to the purpose of this post. Thank you honey for being the most amazing and wonderful husband and daddy!

Noah has slept through the night on a few occasions, I think he would sleep through the night almost every night if Ezra didn’t wake him up. Ezra’s crying doesn’t always wake him up, but sometimes it does. Ezra wakes up every night for a feeding without fail. We are considering night weaning in the 10th month by slowly watering down the formula. I go back and forth on this because he is obviously hungry, but then I think if Noah can do it so can he. I know every baby is different, but I still wonder. He is getting plenty to eat during the day, if you can’t tell by his pictures, he is nice and round. :)

Anyway my question is to all the experienced parents out there. Did you night wean or let it happen naturally? If you night weaned at what age? Do you have any regrets about night weaning?

I would love to hear from everyone. I am just gathering data so we can make an informed decision! We love hearing from experienced parents.

Meg DeZutti

As a first time parent of a used-to-be 10 mos old (when we got him) I will offer my experience. Not advice, but experience.
Sam is 1 year and STILL gets up in the night for a drink. He NEVER actually wakes, but cries in his sleep, and sits up and/or even stands in the crib and cries. His eyes never open.
We have given milk/formula/water/pediasure at different times.
Sam drinks all day long, and drinks 8 oz about 30-45 mins before bed, and then 8 oz in his room while we rock before he goes to sleep. In the middle of the night he routinely takes another 8 oz.
Our doctor has said that because he is small (16 lbs) that he cannot fill up his stomach for a 10 hour period. (kinda like someone who had gastric bypass surgery...needs many small meals throughout the day.)
We know when he gets bigger that he will sleep through the night. For now we are happy it's once a night instead of 2-3 like it was before!
Good luck guys!

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Vicki

Hey Stephanie
This is really the million dollar question. Especially, I feel if one has adopted. I teetered back and forth with our twins: to "wean" them from night feedings, or to get up feed and soothe them, to assure them that I was there, etc.

As it turned out, both kids started sleeping through the night at 18 months. My daughter hit it naturally, and my son needed some nudging. (We started by watering down bottles and later woke up to lay them back down without a bottle).
Do I wonder if we had started this earlier, if it could have saved us many tiring nights of exhaustion and no sleep? Oh yes. But, from what I understand all kids are different. Some are sleeping through the night very early...and others...go much later. So, we chalked it up to the "learning as we go" category...:0)

Good luck!
Vicki

Tracy

You could also try giving them something to eat before bed that will take longer to digest than formula and keep them full longer. Something like cereal with fruit is good.

Jennifer M

So many different thoughts already! I agree with Eric, but at the same time, I did what you are suggesting. I offered less and watered it down. It helped that my daughter hated water. Once I transitioned her tummy to not expecting any food over the period of a week, then I focused on breaking the habit to wake up at that same time every early morning. For the first 2 days I would hold her and sooth her sans bottle. Then the next couple of days I wouldn't pick her up- I'd just rub her back in her crib and hum to her. Then the next couple of days I would just go in and sit in the rocker and "keep her company", and within 1.5-2 weeks, she was able to sleep through the night. The whole process took about 3 weeks start to finish though. Good luck!

gretchen

We are big fans of Babywise (by Gary Ezzo). It's all about getting your baby on a schedule, and even has a special section on multiples....

That said, I realize that scheduling a baby is a little controversial, and I don't know how the attachment stuff factors in (we did Babywise with our bio girls). As a lactation counselor, I would say that you need to start by talking with their pediatrician about their weight and make sure they're on track with their growth, or if they need those extra calories in the middle of the night. If not, I'd be all for training them to sleep through the night!

Rob and Melody

Hi Yall! I took a look at my papers from the pediatric's office. It stated that 9mos is fine for a baby to sleep through the night. So, what I remember doing is just giving 2 oz less over a short time. So, that way he was satisfied in the middle of the night (4AM to be exact), but also starting to need less. It was maybe a month or so, and baby stoped waking at 4AM. Yall are doing so great! I am proud of you both! Good luck!

Eric

As a recent parent of a 10 month old, I offer some advice. Ethan would wake up crying at night, and either Aubrey or I would go in, calm him down, rock him back to sleep, without feeding. It will take some time.
I'd avoid watering down the formula because the habit of waking up for a feeding remains, and they drink more, making for wetter diapers and earlier risers, or messy sheets.
Thats my anecdotal advice.

matt

kim, we give them 6 ounces before bed. part of our little routine.

sometimes they dont want more than 4 or 5 though. last night they both drank 4, yet slept till5. some nights they have 6, and wake up at midnight.

kim

Does he have a bottle before bed? If so, add a couple of ounces to that feeding. He might just need a little extra to help him through the night. He's a growing boy!