Night Weaning

Do you feel like you are breastfeeding all night long?

Breast milk is easier to digest than formula and therefore babies that are breastfed will wake quicker and more often because they become hungry quicker.

Most babies will continue to breastfeed at least once during the night through the first year. This time can be awesome as well as frustrating and tiring for mom and dad. Here are some tips that could make this time a little easier and help with some baby sleep training on how to stop breastfeeding at night …

Night time breastfeeding tips

- Co sleeping ~ If mom and baby are sleeping in the same bed, mom could sleep through some of the nursing. When baby gets older, he will start finding the nipple and start latching himself at night.

- Keep the lights off ~ This will keep baby “sleepy” when you switch the lights on its like switching the “day switch” on. Breastfeeding with the lights as dim as possible will keep baby sleepy so that he doesn’t keep you up after breastfeeding.

- Swaddling can be very helpful for babies until the age of about 2-3 months. Swaddling baby will increase the length of sleep periods. Moms can nurse their babies while they are swaddled, this keeps baby calm and baby might even continue to sleep while being nursed.

- Feed baby before he wakes for a feed. This will ensure that he sleeps through a feed and doesn’t keep mom up at night.

- Remember that night nursing may become more frequent with growth spurts , illness and during teething periods. This will usually last only a few days.

- Try to remain calm and patient.

How to stop breastfeeding at night for night weaning

Tips on gentle weaning at night “night weaning breastfeeding”

- Make sure baby is drinking enough during the day. This way he might not be as interested in the breast at night. Make sure that distractions are minimal during daytime feedings so that baby drinks more.

- You can just say no. When baby is at the age where he can understand “no” you can just tell him that its sleep time for him and you. Be firm, but loving and don’t give in.

- A toddler can be told that “foodies" (breast milk) is for day time “foodies is gone until tomorrow” or something like that.

- Make sure baby finishes at least one breast before bed time this will ensure that he gets in the hindmilk, which is high in fats and will fill him more than the foremilk.

- Get dad to take over for the night, if necessary sleeping in another room

- Give extra love and affection during the day. Many times baby wakes up at night just because he misses being held.

- When putting baby to sleep make sure he is comfy:

~ Teething can cause pain and discomfort and cause baby to wake up more often at night. Give baby something before bedtime to relieve pain.

~ Body temperature. Everyone has a difficult time sleeping if they are too cold or too hot.

~ Try keeping solid foods to a minimum before 5 months as this could cause abdominal cramping and baby sleep problems.

~ Baby might have acid reflux. Read more on how to deal with acid reflux in infants

~ Colds and ear infections can keep baby up.

What can you do if you feel deprived of sleep?

- Express some milk for baby before bedtime that dad can give him when he wakes

- Mom can start adding some solid foods to baby’s diet during the day from 5 months onwards. You can add things like rice cereal or soft fruit. This will get him drinking less at night and therefore encourage night weaning.

Other pages on “breastfeeding problems” in connection with breastfeeding at night and night weaning

- Night engorgement

- Reverse cycling - Baby swaps day and night

- From breastfeeding to bottle feeding

- Breast engorgement

- Understanding why babies cry

- Working and breastfeeding

- Weaning a baby off of breastfeeding

- Combination feeds ~ Breastmilk and formula

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