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Am I creating a bad "night feeding" habit?

DahliaFlowerDahliaFlower member
in Breastfeeding
DS is just over 6 months old and he is a healthy 21 lbs.  He goes to sleep after nursing at about 6:30-7:00 and will ultimately get up at about 6:30 the next morning.  He gets up a couple times at night and I have always believed that he is hungry and needs to be fed.  He wakes up, cries and we respond within a minute or two.  He appears famished, calms down with feeding.  He does a full feeding, pretty much emptying the breast, then usually falls back to sleep easily.  It takes about 15 mins most times, and he will generally sleep for another 3-4 hours, then repeat the same. Until recently, I thought this was pretty normal and that he would eventually stop waking up for feedings as he got older, took more solids, etc.  

So, here's my question: am I creating a bad habit of night feedings?  I've been reading some things lately written by "experts" that state that by this age he should not be requiring feedings overnight, and that I am encouraging him to get up and to be hungry by continuing to feed him overnight.  Should I be weaning from these overnight nursing sessions? I've heard suggestions of sending DH in to soothe him (I don't think this will work) or offering a bottle with water to get him out of the habit of taking in calories overnight.  

Thoughts?
TTC #1 12/2009
BFP #1 1/2010, M/C 6 weeks
BFP #2 6/2010, DD lost to congenital heart disease, we are heartbroken.

TTC #2 4/2011, diagnosed MTHFR, FVL
Four natural cycles BFN; Clomid IUI BFN; Follistim IUI BFN;
1/2012 IVF #1 BFN
4/2012 FET BFP #3
5/2012 7w1d u/s: anembryonic demise; M/C @ 8w.
6/2012 found Stage II/III endo on laparoscopy, removed w/ laser.
8/2012 IVF #2 epic fail: no viable embryos.

Vacation, break, second opinions, on to new RE.
1/2013 Surprise chemical pregnancy BFP #4 (break cycle), IVF #3 postponed.
2/2013 TI w/ hormonal support, prednisone, aspirin, Lovenox, acupuncture gave us a miracle BFP #5!
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Our second daughter arrived in May 2015!  We are so grateful!  

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Re: Am I creating a bad "night feeding" habit?

  • meganenglermeganengler member
    I stopped paying attention to what the "experts" said was the right thing to do, and did what worked for us. Breast feeding is an easy way to calm your baby and get them back to sleep. If night feedings are not a problem for you, I personally would not change it.
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  • emikatemikat member
    I night fed every time my DS woke up and he wanted to nurse. Shortly after we introduced solids he just started sleeping through the night on his own. Occasionally, he'll still wake up and I do offer to nurse him if he doesn't settle. I don't think we've created a bad habit. 
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    TTC 10/11. IUI 2/12. BFP 3/8/12. 4/26/12 missed mc. RE consult 5/17/12. IVF #1 ER 7/13/12 53R, 41M ICSIed, 32F, 8 5d, 6 6d blasts - all PGD/frozen. PGD results 1 normal M and 1 normal F, 1 maybe M. FET 9/6, transferred 1 F embie. Beta 9/15 BFN. FET#2 planned for 11/2012 put off until 2013. Surprise BFP 11/21/12!! My son was born on 7/24/13!

    FET 4/28/2015 - Transferred 1 M embie. 5/6/15 BFP!

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  • ValancyyValancyy member

    My youngest slept through from 6-6 or so and then suddenly after a few months of that started waking to eat again in the night.  I just fed him.  It was easier for everyone, because he went right back to sleep after nursing.

    Everyone's milk supply is different.  I read about how each person's milk capacity is different in one of the breastfeeding books I have. It says that some women will need to feel more often due to this.  I wouldn't mess with it, as long as it works for you.

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    son#1 born 6/2010

    son#2 born 4/2012

    son#3 born 7/2014

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  • ncbellencbelle member
    Well, breastfeeding experts would say you absolutely should feed him if he wakes hungry…if that helps.  You might find this a helpful read: https://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleep/



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  • 88sharonlee88sharonlee member
    OP your post perfectly describes my LO and I have worried the same- but at 3am when she's crying and I know nursing will make her happy and me be able to get back to bed! I just go with it.
    FWIW my pedi said I could try to sooth her without nursing, but I could also just keep nursing her , she didn't seem to think either was a huge deal.
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  • TheBorg7of9TheBorg7of9 member
    I do always feed a hungry baby, but I always try to calm him without feeding first. Just because he woke up, does not necessarily mean he is hungry.
    My TTC History:
    2009: missed miscarriage #1 at 9 weeks (trisomy 16)
    2010: Infertility
    2011: Diagnosis and treatment (low sperm count, anastrozole for DH, clomid for me + IUI)
    2012: Baby #1
    2014: Baby #2
    October 2015: missed miscarriage #2 at 11 weeks (trisomy 22)
    March 2016 BFP#5, due November 2016.

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