To feed or not to feed??

Question

Hello, my little girl is 9 months old and her pediatrician said she should not be eating through the night. She has her last bottle at 7:30pm (4-6 ounces) and her wake up time is 6:30. She still gets up for 1 feeding and when i did feed her she went right back to sleep. Recently ive tried giving her water instead, but she pushes the bottle away, so the last 5 nights ive been letting her cry it out at 4 am!! So the question is at what age did you stop feeding your baby through the night, how did you do it?

Answer 1

My suggestion would be that you know your baby.  If she is still waking after a couple of nights of you trying to let her cry it out, feed her.  She may simply be growing and needing extra food.

If you are breastfeeding, she definitely needs to eat.  It doesn't last the night.  

You might want to give something more substantial at night, such a rice baby cereal or something, to fill her tummy through.

Go with your gut feeling!

Good luck!

Answer 2

My kids all slept through the night at around 4 months. Will she eat maybe 6-7 ozs. Does she take a binky? Maybe that would help her self soothe through the night.  

Answer 3

I gave up feeding my daughter in the night at 9 months. I kept at it through the summer so she wouldn't dehydrate, but once the weather cooled down, she woke up out of habit and just played around. That was the end of that! We did the controlled crying thing, which was very unpleasant for a week or two, then she worked out that we were not going to budge, so she stopped waking.

Answer 4

Hi. From what I've read, a baby that age is probably eating more as a way to soothe herself back to sleep rather than because she's hungry. My baby started sleeping through the night at about four months, after we let her "cry it out" at bedtime. Now if she wakes up in the night, we let her fuss for a while unless it sounds like something's actually wrong, and she always goes back to sleep.

Answer 5

Feed her later and then put her to bed, maybe she'll sleep through the night.

Answer 6

If she is waking up hungry feed her!!!!!!!  You know your baby, don't let her lay hungry and crying in the crib.  Many babies are still waking up at 9 months for a middle of the night feeding.

Answer 7

I have 4 children.  I've fed them through the night all the time.  They all woke up once in the middle of the night to eat and then went right back to sleep.  If they're on a schedule, that's just how they are.  Just make sure you burp her after she eats and she'll be fine.  My youngest son is 6 months old and he sometimes wakes up twice a night and I give him a bottle and he's fine. I usually feed them until they're 1 and a half, by then they're sleeping through the night with no problem. If you're not comfortable with giving your daughter a bottle in the middle of the night, try putting cereal with her milk or give her a 8 oz. bottle, she may feel more content and sleep longer.  It's your decision, your her parents and you know what's best for her.  

Answer 8

My daughter stopped waking up at 8wks...she just didnt wake up for her bottle one night then the next and so on i was quite surprised...What i would do is either give her more oz at 7:30pm and see if she wakes that night, if she does id try give her the last feed bout 9pm see how she goes. And take no notice of the person who said breast is best! I formula feed and my daughters fine Mothers do have choices

Answer 9

I think the reason pediatrician's recommend that babies that old stop night time feedings is because they are starting to get teeth.  Formula, breastmilk and juice all have sugar in them. Natural bacteria in the mouth feed on these sugars and cause damage to developing teeth. Here's picture of what can happen:

http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/baby_bot...

Another thing to take into consideration is the fact that at 9 months your little one is developing motor skills that enable her to hold a cup and drink from it. The longer you delay introducing the cup the more attached baby will become to the bottle and the harder it will be to get rid of it.

As for your question, I stopped feeding my son in the middle of the night when he was about 6 months old or so.  Try giving baby a late meal before bed, something satiating and/or protein rich and I bet she'll stay full longer. My son liked beans and mashed sweet potato. If she's still thirsty at night offer her water in sippy cup or my son's favorite, through a straw. Sometimes the novelty of a straw will encourage them to drink plain water.

Be persistent, she will refuse the water because she prefers the sweet milk but if you show her that milk isn't an option she will drink the water if she's truly hungry. If she's only getting up to eat because she needs the comfort of a snuggle with mom, sit with her in the rocking chair and give her the snuggle without the milk.  

Answer 10

My daughter was still nursing at night at 14 months.  Their tummies are TINY!  It's totally normal for a 9 month old to need to feed during the night; 11 hours is a long time for anyone to not eat.  Maybe try increasing her 7:30 bottle, but really, if she acts hungry, and is satiated with a bottle....then tell your ped to come stay at your house for a few nights to 'break the habit'!!!!!!

Answer 11

My doctor told me when they weigh 13-14 lbs, they are able to sleep through the night. I would just go in and put their paci in and pat their back. I did this for 3-4 nights and after that, they never woke up in the night again! Hope this helps :)

Answer 12

I exclusively breastfed my first born (same for my now 6 week old) on demand. I stopped feeding at night when she stopped waking up to eat and not before. By 1 year she would sleep through the night and was eating solids. That is about the time nursing was down to naps and bedtime.

Your little girl is hungry! I think it is insane that her Ped is saying not to feed her at night. Maybe try a later dinner so there isn't such a long stretch between meals. 11 hours is a loooooong time between feedings!

Answer 13

Don't listen to your first comment.  You know what's best for your baby.  If you chose to feed your child a bottle of formula you aren't doing anything bad.  You're a good mom.  My son has been off of his middle of the night feedings for a few months now.  He's 8 months old.  I did the crying it out method, too. Every 5 minutes I'd go in and pat his back.  I didn't pick him up because I wanted him to know that I loved him and hadn't abandoned him, but he wasn't going to get what he wanted because it was sleep time not cuddle time.  I'd go in and pat him and leave and let him cry for 5 minutes.  The first night was hard, but it got easier and easier.  He doesn't need to eat for nutritional value anymore.  It's hard to hear them cry, but it doesn't hurt them and you'll be a better mommy because you'll be rested.  Good Luck hon!

Answer 14

ok so ddoes your oediatrician know when she's hungry or thirsty- i have never been told that by a doctor and im glad. i was actually encouraged to do night feedings with my son when he was 9 months old since he was always little but he is breastfedd which is a bit different on the teeth. however, i am 21 years old and i know i get hungry and def thirsty in the middle of the night whne i wake up so i know a baby would.



if you truly want to stop instead of letting her cry you could try putting on her fav type of music and rocking her

here are some good ideas as well

http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/books/0...

Answer 15

I stopped feeding my son at night when he was 10 1/2 months old.  He still woke up and I would just rock him to sleep.

Answer 16

why are you even giving her bottle she should be getting breast  

Answer 17

Oh boy, mine is 26 months and still wakes up once at night to have a bottle of juice, (I stopped nursing at 15 months)...my doctor said the same thing, but I just think it is harmless to give them 1 a night, especially when they are so young, I think a lot of it is emotional, it is nice to wake up and have someone there who loves you, it lets her know you care about her.  Give her the bottle, just keep cutting it down, like make it only 3 ounce in the middle of the night, I hope things get better:)

Answer 18

When my boys gave up the bottle at 9 months is when they stopped getting the feedings but they would still sometimes be thirsty so even then they got some water in a sippy cup then back to sleep they went.  They still get up once a night to get a drink which is what I do too so it doesn't bother me.  They are 3 and 6 years old now.  You have to do what feels right to you.