Breastfeeding

MONF - 12 months +

I've never had a problem nursing DS at night.  I actually loved it..house is quiet and it was our time.  At 11 months, DS finally went down to 1 motn feeding (go to bed at 7:30i pm-ish and wake around 4:30/5 and nurse quickly and back down til 8am).  He did this for 3 weeks.  It was great!

The last 2-3 weeks, he's gone back to his 2 feedings and the last two nights, he's gotten up 3 times.   He always nurses quickly and right back to bed.

We let him whine for a 2-3 minutes as sometimes he puts himself back to sleep.  If he starts his real cry, we get him right away.  He goes down easy at night and for naps so I've always assumed he's actually hungry at night, but with him going back to 2-3 feedings a night is it possibly a growth spurt or is it time to stop putting him straight to the boob when he wakes at night and start to night wean?

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Re: MONF - 12 months +

  • My girl still does the 4am-ish wake up most nights.  We tried having H go in and some other things to see if it was just habit or hunger.  We think it's still actually hunger most of the time so I do nurse her.  (H could get her back to sleep but she'd wake up again in 30min or so)

    My pedi (who I love and trust) said that I know baby best and to feed her if she's hungry but at this point I can offer her a bottle with an oz or two of water to see if that works instead.  I've done it before when she's had a couple rough nights and I am pretty darn sure she isn't hungry.  

    For a 1 year old I might try to offer more solids during the day and maybe some extra protein at dinner (a bit of cheese or beans).  Instead of puffs or crackers offer more substantial snacks.  Or if he is drinking WCM maybe an extra couple oz of that at some point during the day.  

    I know how you feel - it's easy when they're tiny b/c you know they need to eat but now they're in that grey area.   


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  • cltk12cltk12 member
    imagetheresat858:

    I'm interested in responses to this...  Can you tell if they are full feedings?  I know that my LO wakes more now for reasons other than hunger than she did when she was younger - particularly given the number of nights when she doesn't just nurse back to sleep (thankfully that phase seems to have passed, for now).  I am not sure when I will stop feeding her in the MOTN  - this weekend it was worse b/c of dropping her daytime nursing sessions, and not drinking milk to replace them (she takes bottles fine at DC though so I hope that hasn't changed). I could tell they were full feedings for her, though. 

    Have you tried seeing if just rocking or a sip of water would get LO back to sleep?  Rocking works for my LO when I know she isn't hungry sometimes.

    The first week when he went back to 2 feedings, I was such a zombie at night and I realized he was nursing then comfort sucking forever so the next week I paid more attention and he was doing a full 10 mins and then when he'd start comfort sucking I would unlatch him and he'd go right to sleep.  Last night, the 3 times he woke, he only nursed one side and would fall asleep and wouldn't take the other side.  DH always gets him at night and every few weeks we do 3 nights of him trying to rock him to sleep before he brings him to me to nurse.  DS cries and nurses a full 10 mins so we've always thought he was hungry and continued with feedings.

     I do think he may be going through a growth spurt as I went to put on a pair of jeans on his this morning that fit this weekend and they were too small.

    He eats sooo much for dinner (ex. this is what he ate last night a whole hamburger patty, piece of cheese, 10 grapes (he LOVES grapes), and a spoonful of green beans, but like pp said, we should try to add in some more protein.  He's started to eat more and more fruit the last couple of weeks as he loves it so much.  I'll try giving him his protein first and extra protein before giving him his fruit/veggies to see if that helps.

    I'm totally fine with the one time a night and even the 2-3 times if he's actually hungry.  I'm just wondering if he's working me and when is the time to be tough and stop the feedings.  Now, 4 months from now, etc.

    That was long...and me rambling/venting. 

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  • How are you doing with the 1 year molars?  For my guy around 12/13 months those started coming in and he increased his MOTNF from 1 to 2, like yours.  He dropped all MOTNF completely at 14 months, once those molars came in (and he was over his congestion)
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  • cltk12cltk12 member

    imageblu-eyedwife:
    How are you doing with the 1 year molars?  For my guy around 12/13 months those started coming in and he increased his MOTNF from 1 to 2, like yours.  He dropped all MOTNF completely at 14 months, once those molars came in (and he was over his congestion)

    He started cutting his 1 year molars at 10 months and now they are mostly through except one little part so we are wondering if it's that too.  

    Anywho, DS only woke once last night at 4:45 and is still sleeping now so hopefully it continues tonight and it was just a little phase. Thanks for letting me vent. :) 

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