Have you night weaned? REPOST MARCH BOARD

kmornelas29

Today DD had her 9 month appointment, and the doctor told me I should night wean. 

She said there is no reason she needs to nurse at night anymore, since she has 3 solid meals, 2 snacks, and BM every 2 to 3 hours during the day. 

She said this will create a bad habit and make unnecessary night time crying happen. I can see where she is coming from, but I feel horrible about it! I get that it may be harder for mommy, but LO will not be happy about this! 

She doesn't always wake for a night feeding, but when she does it's mostly just once or twice, and she WANTS the boob! 

Pedi said to replace with some water if she wants a drink. 

She sleeps 12 hrs at night, and nurses and goes right back to bed after, so I'm terrified of screaming and sleepless nights ahead. I feel like 12 hours is so long to go at just 9 months! 

Has anyone else night weaned? Advice? Or are you still night nursing? 

shwana48

I generally follow the idea that if it's not a problem for you, then it's not a problem. An

shwana48

And while a baby may be physically able to go without nursing, sometimes it's that they need comfort or reassurance because they're lonely, scared, in pain from teething/growth spurt, etc. Your pedi is educated in the physical, but you're the expert in your child's emotional needs. Trust your gut.

minervacullen

I don't night wean. I night nurse as much as my child needs it. Generally it's once it twice a night and she eats a ton both times. DS was the same way, he is an excellent sleeper btw. The badass breastfeeder on FB just posted an excellent article about this yesterday.

diana.filipi

I'll agree that if it's not a problem for you then nursing at night isn't a problem.  That being said I have night weaned all of my kids by 7 months.  My DD and this last DS both night weaned closer to 5 months.  My middle son night weaned at 7 1/2 months.

Vespah

Still up 1–2 times a night and I don't plan on actively doing anything about it. And can someone link the article? I'm not on Facebook but would love to read it. Thanks!

minervacullen

https://www.thebadassbreastfeeder.com/my-nursing-toddler-doesnt-sleep-through-the-night-does-yours/

jennygirlmt

DD1 was 15 months when I night weaned because that was my breaking point. She was up 3-4 times a night and was often up for 25+ minutes.

Dd2 is almost 14 months and I'm now at my breaking point. She is also up every 2-3 hours but only nurses 5 minutes.

I think 9 months is still such a baby, and needs Mommy. If it's only once or so and you are fine mentally and physically I wouldn't.

I spoke with a pediatrician (at a wedding we shared a table, so not in a medical setting) who had a 15 month old. She used to tell parents to CIO at 6 months bc that's what she was taught. She was still nursing her 15 month old at night and chuckling over not following her advice. There is no need to blindly listen to your dr. Especially over something like this.

If LO seems rested, naps well, eats well and still need you every now and then, I think that's perfectly fine.

Angela814

I'd be ignoring that advice. My personal goal is to bf for at least 2 years. Once we got to that goal, then I started night weaning. DD1 was 26 months; DD2 was 25 months. Both still woke up at night after night weaning, so it really didn't help their sleep at all.

jensriot

I hadn't planned on night weaning so early, but DS started waking up every 1.5-2 hours. I think right around 8-8.5 months. He wasn't hungry, would suck once and go right back to sleep. We decided to go ahead and sleep train. I wasn't opposed to feeding him in MOTN, but once we started sleep training, he stopped waking up to eat at all. It worked out for us, but it really depends on the baby. Trust your gut.

taraleanne

My baby is only 6m old but has been going without overnight nursing since about 3 or 3.5months old. He did this himself even though I always BF him to sleep. He now goes 12 hours overnight without eating and is happy and healthy. Actually, this morning we both slept in and he went 13 hours!! (my friend's baby did the same thing the other day, we are chalking it up to being holiday tired! ) Anyway, he nurses every 1.5-3 hours during the day.  I no longer BF him to sleep, he will nurse to sleep, wake up and go into his crib drowsy. Actually if he wakes in the night I try not to nurse him because it does not put him back to sleep, it revitalizes him and keeps him up for 1-2 hours!  Anyways, my point is that babies can go 12 hours overnight without eating so I wouldn't worry about that but as we all know, all babies are different, so I'd follow your gut with respect to her nursing requirements. I am also of the notion that it's only a problem if YOU feel it's a problem. If overnight nursing is working for you both then you should continue until YOU feel baby is ready to ween. 

HML5382

I night weened at 7 months. Actually LO did, I was prepared to hang on to the one feeding for a while longer but she stopped waking for it. DD1 weened herself at 6 months. I did sleep train for falling asleep and for "unscheduled" wakings, but once they were down to an intermittent once per night feeding they kind of just dropped it on their own. I agree with others about it not bring a problem if you and LO are happy and healthy.
However, even when you do ween from nursing in the night, whenever that might be, it of course doesn't mean that your LO won't require occasional comforting in the night. 12 hours IS a long time to go! Both my girls occasionally wake in the night, and while I don't nurse them back to sleep, I do cuddle, snuggle, rock, and comfort them however they need until the feel better. I imagine I'll spend at least the next decade occasionally comforting my girls in the middle of the night Nursing isn't the only way to comfort a baby, but it certainly is one way, so I say do what works for you!

erbear

If it's not an issue for you, it's not an issue. Both of mine dropped their night feedings on their own sometimes around 11-12 months,