Hello everyone,
My daughter is about to be 9 months and wakes once a night, anytime between 1 and 5, and plays. I go in to nurse her, she eats, I put her back in the crib usually awake, and she falls back asleep. I haven't simply let her play to see if she'd go back on her own. Maybe she's not hungry? Any advice, in general, on nighttime feedings and 9 month olds? Do they need them? How do you wean??
M.
Hello helpful Moms,
I want to thank you for your insights and advice. My husband and I, as well as our little baby girl, were all sick for basically the entire month of Feb and I was sick when I posed my question online. It's funny, now that I am100% better I have no desire to stop the night time feeding. I have always loved that feeding and still do; it was just tiring when I was sick. So, I'm letting our daughter wean when she's ready, whenever that may be, and in the meantime I'm feeding her during the night with pleasure. Thank you all, again.
Best,
M.
M.,
I think by 9 months she can make it through the night. If she's not crying, definitely see if she'll play and go back to sleep on her own.
E.:-)
I stopped night feedings at 2mo. Try giving her just laying her back down. You can also try giving her water to get rid of that need to suckle and laying her back down.
Yes if your nine month old is breastfeeding, then she definitely still needs to nurse at night. Until well after a year, when she eats mostly solid food, can you expect her to wean from nighttime nursing. Check out askdrsears.com for some excellent advice about nursing at night. Also mothering.com has some great forums as well. Remember they still have very little bellies, and breastmilk digests quicker then formula and solid food. This is completely normal and healthy! Hope that helps!
We stopped nighttime feedings with my son when he was just under 6 months, and he was fine with it. Unless your daughter has other health concerns she should be fine without that nighttime feeding.
You could try just not going to nurse and see if she puts herself back to sleep, but if you aren't comfortable with that or if she won't go back to sleep you can wean her gradually over a few nights. Decrease the amount of time you let her nurse by one minute per night until she is down to nothing. With my son it only took four nights and he stopped waking up to nurse. Also, when you go in to nurse, don't turn on the lights, don't talk to her, just make the experience as utilitarian as possible to show her that nighttime is for sleeping.
Good luck!
Mine still seemed to need them at that age, and one feeding a night doesn't sound too bad. You could try letting her play and see if she goes back to sleep on her own.
Re weaning--La Leche League has plenty of ideas on that subject. You can read the book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, check out their website, or call 1-800-LA LECHE for a referral to a group in your area (you can talk to a leader or attend meetings even if you are not a member).
I would not be in any hurry to wean, take your cues from your baby. People still nurse toddlers, and the breastmilk is still good for them. It actually changes to meet the needs of an older baby. If you still enjoy nursing, don't rush to drop it. This is a very special time with your little one, so "don't wish it away" as one blogger once said.
K. Z.
My son still nurses once at night and he is 18 months old. It is quick - like a drink to quench his thirst. I would say, if you don't mind her nursing at night, don't worry about it. It isn't a bad thing. And remember, many children need a drink at night (heck, I need a drink on MY bedside table). If a 5 year old asks for a drink at 2 am, would you deny them? That is how I look at it - they are just thirsty (although at 9 months, she may be hungry as well). Just feed her.
Nine months is still a tiny infant to me, and I believe she needs to eat throughout the night as her stomach is so small. I personally see nothing wrong with feeding her when she wakes. Is it REALLY that bothersome for you to feed your child at night?
My son took a bottle through the night for quite some time. I see nothing wrong with feeding a child if they're hungry, regardless of what time it is.
Good luck.
Hi there, like many of the other responses, I would say let her try to fall back asleep on her own, unless you don't mind going in to nurse her. For me, my son (now 14 months) was in a very similar spot as your daughter at the same age. He was also happy and played in his crib. I was still nursing then too, albeit only once or twice a day (he had started eating solids, etc. and occasionally also got formula at day care). I used to really treasure those middle of the night/early morning breastfeeding sessions. It was quiet, bonding time with the baby. Around 10-11 months old, our son started sleeping through the night completely (12+ hours), and around 12.5 months he weaned himself completely. It was bittersweet for me....so, I say--enjoy this time now! In the next couple of months they can quickly go from baby to toddler (weaning, walking, talking, tantrums!) and it leaves you wondering where the time went.
I weaned my girl at 8 1/2 mo. I thought it was going to be a nightmare because she was still getting up every two hours to nurse!! but it went pretty smooth. I think i miss it more then her. I dont know if this is a coincedence but since i weaned , she sleeps through the night from 7 or 8 until 7-8 am!!! sometimes she wakes up at 3 and i give her either warm water, or formula. I think its great that your baby can fall asleep on her own. Mine will sometimes play before bed, we hear her talking and then all of a sudden shes fast asleep. Sounds like your doing a great job mama!!!
ps, to wean all i did was slowly cut down BF untill i was down to once a day, and then just stopped all together.
I'm sorry, but I disagree with most of the answers here, I breastfed both of my children and they slept through the night with no problem. My daughter is now 2, I nursed her until she was 12 mos. I stopped night feedings by 4 months and she's been sleeping through the night since.
Any time she has woken in the night since then it's been because she's sick or just woke up and was bored. The longer you encourage night time feedings, the longer they'll want them.
My doctor reassured me that by the age of 4 months, whether bottle or breast fed, they can make it through the night without a feeding. And it's much harder to train them to sleep through the night past 6 months old.
I am not prejudice against night time feedings, you do what works for you, I just know that I wasn't willing to keep my child on night time feedings and waking if it wasn't necessary. I work a full time job and am very thankful I was able to sleep through the night only a few months after my children were born.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I just don't want you to think that continuing to feed your daughter is the only option, it's not. Talk to your doctor about it and that may help you make your decision.
Thanks!!
Hi There,
Well, I nursed my son for about 1 year. He was also a happy baby and would wake up and play for just a few minutes and go back to sleep. The first few times I went rushing into to the crib to make sure everything was ok. I never offered the breast and he never made any motion that he wanted that. I think that a 9 month old can absolutely go through the night without a nighttime feeding. My son gave up his nighttime feeding around 6 months. I agree with the others that say let her play and see if she'll get herself back to sleep.
Good luck!
At 9 months she does still need to nurse at night if she is waking up. Most breastfed babies don't completely night-wean until at least 12 months old. My son night-weaned completely around 14 months. He is now 25 months he nurses before bed and when he wakes in the morning but sleeps 8pm-6am 99% of the time, without waking at night. Then again, we are a co-sleeping family, and children tend to sleep better through the night when they co-sleep.
I had to bottle feed mine at that age but if you give the baby just a little bit of water in a bottle(less than 1 ounce) they will realize there isnt anything there for them so they may stay asleep instead. Perhaps you should try a passy during this time and it may help. That's all I've got but hope it helps!!!
My son still nursed at night at that age he was 1 or a little over before he stopped waking to eat. I don't think it is that uncommon for breastfed babies. It is however worth a shot to see if she'll settle on her own. You can usually tell if they are eating or prefer comfort. My son was drinking lots not playing so I knew he was hungry. When to wean both day and night is an individual choice. No one else can say when you and your child are ready. Good Luck!
Wow, she sounds like a really happy baby!
You're right, as babies get older, they can go longer without eating. My kids at 9 months took a nightime feeding - usually around 4am. My husband was never convinced that was considered sleeping through the night!
If she is really nursing, then she was most likely hungry. Babies are great self-regulators, if she wasnt hungry, then she might only nurse for a few minutes and then want to move on.
My daughter is 8 months and she does randomly wake up in the night. I try to hold out on going in if she is happy and just playing. She turns on her aquarium music and talks to herself for 15 mins or so. Then she will most of the time drift off on her own. If she gets fussy I go in and comfort her and if she acts like she needs a bottle then she gets one. Most times however she just puts herself back to sleep. Good luck!
