How to wean a two-year-old child from night feeding. How to wean your baby off night feedings. Replacement for night feeding

At the age of up to 6 months, infants very quickly digest liquid food they receive from their mother. Due to such a fast metabolism, babies equally need night feedings when artificial feeding and with natural nutrition. However, after some time, the gastrointestinal tract system begins to work as usual, and the child’s menu becomes more varied. By this time, the baby’s parents are already exhausted from constant awakenings. Therefore, a completely logical question arises before them. Should I wean my baby off night feeding? Let's consider this issue further.

In this matter, everything depends on the specific circumstances, the mother’s well-being and other factors.

How to know when it's time to stop night feedings

This procedure, although completely natural, causes a lot of difficulties. The baby, of course, is always happy with a new portion of delicious food. However, for a mother, night feedings after a year of daily lack of sleep become real torture. This is not surprising, because frequent rises at night lead to problems with a woman’s health and nervous system.

If a representative of the fair sex experiences severe discomfort, and her health and mood worsen, then it is better not to mock herself. In situations where the mother is young or falls asleep well after waking up repeatedly, you can wait a little.

There is no need to worry that if you do not stop night feeding, the baby will get used to this lifestyle. Over time, the child will begin to sleep more soundly, and his digestive system will stop giving him signals that it is time for another dinner.

When should you continue night feeding?

In this case, everything depends on the performance of the baby himself. If a child weighs too little and eats very poorly during the day, then giving up night feedings after a year should be delayed until the child gains the required weight. But if the baby is fast asleep in the dark, then you should not wake him up and force food into him. The baby should receive food when he himself notifies about it.

If the baby has congenital or acquired pathologies, then experts also do not advise denying the child the desire to eat at any time of the day or night. This is especially true when children are diagnosed with problems with the digestive system. Milk contains beneficial components that help normalize intestinal microflora, so you should not give up breastfeeding or midnight dinners.

Also, experts do not advise you to puzzle yourself with what to replace night feedings if serious changes occur in the baby’s daily life (for example, if the mother goes to work and is forced to leave the child with the father or grandmother for a long time).

It is worth considering the baby’s reaction. If he becomes too angry and continues to cry for several days, then perhaps it is not time to switch him to a new regime.

Advantages and disadvantages of night feeding

When making such a decision, it is important to take into account all the nuances. Before weaning a baby off night feeding, the mother must decide why she wants to do this. If a woman is simply tired of getting up at night, then she should take into account that abruptly stopping breastfeeding leads to loss of milk. If she wants to continue beneficial procedures during the daytime, problems may arise.

The fact is that the hormone responsible for the regulation of lactation (prolactin) is most actively produced during night feedings.

To avoid such consequences, weaning is carried out gradually. At first, the baby is fed 3 times at night a week, then only 1. In this case, the woman will not lose milk and will be able to continue to supply the baby with nutrients during the day.

The most ardent opponents of nighttime procedures are mothers who immediately switched their babies to artificial nutrition. In this case, the woman needs not only to saturate the child, but also to spend time preparing the mixture. Of course, falling asleep after such manipulations is very difficult. Therefore, there are thousands of arguments that it is enough to limit yourself to daytime lunches.

However, experts do not highlight any disadvantages of feeding at night. Except for those situations when a woman begins to experience serious health problems.

When to wean your baby off night feedings

If we're talking about about milk, then already at 6-7 months it is quite possible to limit the baby’s nutrition at night. During this period, complementary foods are introduced into his diet, so the baby can easily do without replenishing resources for up to 6 hours.

However, it is important to consider that before weaning your baby off night feeding, you need to make sure that he has received adequate nutrition before. It is not worth starting to transfer your child to a new regime before 6 months.

You can continue feeding up to 1 year. However, it is worth considering that in this case there is a high probability that the baby will begin to ask for milk not because he is hungry, but because he has realized that every time he asks for a legitimate dinner, he receives the mother's attention. Some believe that this can spoil the child. However, some psychologists, speaking about what time to wean a child from night feeding, argue that the procedure can be continued for up to 2 years or more. It is believed that in this way there will be a stronger bond between mother and baby. This way he will feel protected.

So, there are no clear rules when to wean a child from night feeding with formula or breastfeeding. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the child and the position of the parents on this matter. However, we can definitely say that it is not worth stopping these procedures too early.

Of course, you shouldn’t go to the point of absurdity and allow a 5-year-old baby to wake you up every half hour. In this case, he will grow up capricious and impatient. Therefore, there must be a rational approach to everything.

How to wean your baby off night feedings

It’s worth noting right away that there are no guaranteed methods in this matter; it all depends on the specific situation and individual qualities of the child. Nevertheless, there are some of the most effective tips that can be useful in this difficult process from a moral point of view:

1. The baby should be fed right before bedtime. If he eats a hearty and satisfying meal, he will sleep much longer and more peacefully. In this case, you can conduct several experiments. First, feed the child with breast milk, the next day with porridge, and on the third day with complementary foods. This will help you decide which food will help your baby sleep the longest.
2. If a child is over 1.5 years old, then he already understands well when people talk to him. In this case, every time the baby wakes up and demands food, you can start telling him fairy tales and singing songs. This causes the child to quickly fall asleep and forget about his original goal.
3. Porridge is the most nutritious, so it is worth giving it in the evening (but no later than 2 hours before going to bed). This dinner will last the baby until the morning. Before going to bed, you can give your baby some breast milk or special baby kefir.
4. If you bathe your baby in baths with the addition of soothing oils or herbs, he will relax and sleep longer. However, only natural compounds and herbs are suitable for this (hops, mint, motherwort, valerian and others), which cannot cause an allergic reaction in the baby.

Talking about how to wean one year old child from night feedings, it is worth considering that a tired baby sleeps much longer and more willingly. Therefore, all active games and entertainment should be postponed until the evening.

At the same time, you need to be in constant contact with the baby. Often children wake up because they miss their parents' touch. Therefore, it is worth giving your baby maximum warmth and care in the evening.

There are other useful recommendations that will help you figure out how to wean your baby off breastfeeding at night. However, before resorting to any method, you should once again consult with a pediatrician or child psychologist.

Increasing distance

If weaning is done gradually, this will least traumatize the child’s psyche, who may not understand why he was abruptly denied his wishes.

Many children aged 1.5-2 years sleep in bed with their mother. Thanks to this, they have constant and unlimited access to the breast with nutritious milk. As soon as the child wakes up, he has the opportunity to have a snack. Of course, this is very convenient for the mother, since in this case there is no need to get up again.

If the situation develops in this way, then in this case you need to start increasing the distance between the power source and the baby every day. When the child falls asleep, it is recommended to transfer him to the crib. If you don’t want to do this, then you should start wearing pajamas to limit your baby’s access to the breast.

Alternative

This method is suitable for older children. In this case, during the daytime you need to tell the baby that all his peers, mom, dad and grandparents do not drink from the breast because they are adults. You need to invite your child to become an adult too and start drinking drinks for older children. Natural juice, compote or tea are suitable for this.

When the baby begins to demand the breast out of habit at night, it is worth trying to offer an alternative drink. Thanks to this, the child will be too lazy to drink for an unusual drink, so he will gradually give up this habit.

Explanation

You need to start by telling your baby in detail what night is and what day is. We can say that in the dark, the sun, birds, dogs, cats and all the fairy-tale animals go to bed and none of them asks to eat until the morning.

There is no need to persuade the child. You need to let him understand that this is the normal course of things, that the baby should sleep like all animals and people. We can say that those who do not sleep are doing wrong, since they need to be awake only during the daytime.

Saying no

You need to understand that after 1.5-2 years the child’s body no longer needs breastfeeding, since it is ready to digest other food and receive all the necessary nutrients from it. This is the normal course of things. It is necessary to explain to the child that he is just used to it and should not be capricious without a good reason.

You can also say that the breast is mom's, so she decides when to feed and when not to feed. If the baby is hungry, he can drink juice or eat porridge during the day. But no one is going to feed him at night, because everyone is tired and wants to sleep just like him.

Involve father

If previously the husband did not take part in putting the baby to bed at night, then it is worth correcting this situation. The next time the child wakes up, you need to send his father to him. Of course, he does not have the desired milk in his chest. However, he will be able to lull the baby to sleep and he will gradually wean himself from getting up.

This method is very useful because if you simply ignore a child, he may begin to experience stress because he is not being paid attention to. If the father is nearby, he will receive the necessary amount of affection from loved one and will fall asleep again faster.

It is also worth making it a rule that the baby should sleep in a separate room (if possible). This will help him become more independent and stop manipulating his parents' feelings.

On the question of how to wean a child from night feeding, some doctors advise giving babies soothing drops or special teas. However, you can resort to such methods only after consultation with a neurologist. If you give your baby sedatives uncontrollably, you can seriously harm his health, so you should not select sedatives on your own.

If we talk about European pediatricians, they choose a psychological approach to solving this problem. It is quite natural that gradually the mother ceases to be the only central figure in the life of a small child. Because of this, he becomes very anxious and stressed by the slightest changes in his day and night routine.

Many babies perceive night feeding as an opportunity to once again spend time with their loved one. So even when they don't want to eat, they still cry to get attention. In this situation, it is worth spending as much time as possible with your child during the day so that he receives the energy he needs.

Some mothers only hold their babies during feeding. It is not right. You need to hug and rock the baby without any extra reason. Then he will feel loved.

Finally

Undoubtedly, sooner or later the baby needs to be weaned from this habit (if this does not happen automatically). Otherwise, such a regime may become the only normal for him. You need to understand that it is not very beneficial for a mature digestive system to work all day and night. Therefore, you need to gradually accustom your baby to adult life.

When the baby turns one year old and the end of the mother’s maternity leave is getting closer, she goes to work and sends the baby to kindergarten, the question of night feedings comes up. Frequently waking up for a late-night snack does not benefit either mother or child: it is difficult to get up in the morning. But how to wean your baby off night feeding after a year and is it really necessary?

Until what age does a baby need night feedings?

The maximum interval between feedings of a child in the first six months of life is 6 hours, and nighttime sleep, as a rule, takes on average about 10 hours, so it is impossible to do without feeding at night. If the baby is artificial, he may wake up to eat once or twice a night: the formula is higher in calories than breast milk, and the child does not feel hungry longer. With breastfed babies, mothers can hardly wake up every hour. The reason for this does not always lie in the baby’s hunger: he needs physical contact with his mother.

After 6 months, when the baby receives complementary foods, milk is still his main food, so it is not yet worth weaning off night feedings. But reducing them to 1-2 is what you need.

After a year, the baby’s diet is already varied: the child receives a large number of adult food, and from a physiological point of view, the need for night feeding disappears. But from a psychological point of view, everything is not so simple: daytime impressions, lack of maternal attention during the day - all this can affect the child’s sleep, and he eats at night not to satisfy hunger, but to calm down.

Methods for weaning off night feedings

Before weaning your baby from night breastfeeding, you should consult with your pediatrician: is the baby’s weight sufficient to deprive him of food at night? Mothers who want to maintain lactation longer should remember that it is night breastfeeding that stimulates the production of prolactin (the “milk” hormone).

You can choose one of possible methods weaning:

1. Radical: abruptly end night snacks, endure children's screams. After a few nights, the baby will understand that there is no point in waking up, and gradually his sleep will return to normal. Some mothers take the advice of women of the Soviet generation: send their child to their grandmother for a couple of days. Isolated from the mother, and not receiving food at night, the child experiences stress. However, the method allows you to solve the issue of night feedings once and for all.
2. Conservative: weaning off night feeding occurs gradually by increasing the interval between feedings, replacing milk portions with water or a pacifier, motion sickness, etc.

Babies who have recently been born are actively growing and require a lot of strength and energy, so they often eat both during the day and at night. As the baby grows up, parents increasingly think about how to get away from night feedings so that the baby sleeps all night without waking up and eats only during the daytime. But it is important to understand that a child needs night feedings until a certain period, especially when it comes to infants. If the child is on, eliminating night feedings will be somewhat easier.

Night feedings in children from birth to six months

For a baby, a constant supply of food is one of the mandatory moments necessary for growth and development. In utero, the baby had no difference between day and night, but received food continuously, and after birth his digestive system should be adjusted to intermittent food intake gradually and smoothly. The child constantly requires attention and care, frequent breastfeeding or bottle feeding, including at night. At first, these are several feedings per night, gradually the number is reduced to 1-2 times. Although it is difficult for parents to get up at night to prepare formula or put the baby to the breast, it is worth maintaining such feedings until a certain period, weaning them off smoothly and gradually.

The child must be willing to sleep for at least 5-6 hours in a row without waking up to eat, then night eating can be gradually eliminated.

Young children require frequent feeding for full growth and development, including at night. This is especially important for children who are breastfed - night feedings are important both for them and for maintaining full lactation in the mother. Without feeding at night, such children do not gain weight well, cry for a long time and sleep poorly, so in the first six months of life it is imperative to feed the baby both day and night. Babies cannot stand long breaks in feeding of more than 3-4 hours, so it is important to organize night feedings for them. Infants are latched to the breast up to two or three times at night, artificially fed babies are usually fed once from midnight to six in the morning.

In order to make it easier for infants to feed at night, you can organize it by putting the baby in bed with you or moving his crib close to your parent's bed and removing the side of the bed. At night, at the first signs of hunger, you can quickly put the baby to your chest, preventing him from crying and waking up the whole house.

For artificial babies, you can prepare bottles in advance with measured powder poured into them and warm water in a thermos to quickly mix the mixture and give it to the child before he bursts into tears.

note

It is important to know that you cannot mix the mixture in advance before going to bed - this is a risk of dangerous intestinal infections, since the mixture is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Typically, babies wake up to feed two to three times a night, and the number of feedings gradually decreases. In the first 6 months, formula-fed babies can withstand up to 4-5 hours of sleep in a row; babies on breastfeeding– up to 3-4 hours.

The importance of night feeding after the introduction of complementary foods

Over the course of six months, the child’s diet changes, its calorie content increases, digestive function and stool normalize, and the problems of bloating and discomfort disappear. Food that enters the digestive system is already more actively and fully absorbed, helping to increase the density and calorie content of the diet. Therefore, parents can already give the child a more satisfying and dense porridge in the evening feeding, which takes a long time to digest and gives a feeling of fullness, which helps to sleep longer without waking up to eat. During the day, children eat less often, receiving more high-calorie foods; at night, the number of feedings is also reduced, and the child can sleep for up to 6 hours in a row without waking up to eat.

But when breastfeeding, it is important to maintain night feedings in order to stimulate lactation the next day. The baby needs the breast not only for nutrition, but also for comfort and communication with the mother.

In the period after 6-7 months, children begin to experience pain, often causing discomfort and many unpleasant minutes. Therefore, breastfeeding is protection against infections that are more likely at this time, soothing and reducing itching in the gums, as well as satiation useful product. Refusing night feedings and replacing the breast with a pacifier or bottles of water is an additional stress factor for the baby during such a difficult period for him.

At this time, it is worth maintaining breastfeeding at night so that the baby can calm down in the mother’s arms, and teething and its unpleasant symptoms are alleviated. During this period, babies gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding themselves; they need the breast not so much for food as for comfort. Artificial babies can sleep for 5-6 hours at night or wake up to get a bottle of water. It may help them sleep more soundly.

Children after one year and feeding at night

Babies at this age are actively exploring the world, and therefore by nightfall they can become very tired, taking their first steps and developing at a rapid pace. This allows babies to sleep more soundly and longer at night without having to wake up for night feedings. At this time, you can gradually wean children off night feedings by replacing the formula with milk or water, but infants may also require periodic feedings. Usually there are no more than one or two of them during the night. It is important to diversify your baby’s diet, feed him more high-calorie dishes at night, then he will sleep longer and more soundly at night. Full daytime feedings, covering all the toddler’s energy needs, lead to the fact that children increasingly sleep at night without waking up.

How to wean your baby off night feedings after a year

There are no universal tips and recommendations regarding this problem; each family selects for itself those recipes and tricks that help best. Sometimes you have to try several methods to find the optimal one. But it is important to know that abruptly depriving a baby of breast milk or formula at night will become a serious stress for him, which can lead to sleep disturbances and even illness, so the process of weaning off night meals should be smooth. This usually takes up to 4-8 weeks.

• Increasing the volume of food during the daytime . It is important to monitor the caloric content and balance of the diet as complementary foods are introduced. It is necessary that the baby receives all the vitamins and minerals, as well as a sufficient amount of calories from fats and carbohydrates. It is important that the baby, through breast milk (or formula) in combination with complementary foods, receives all the necessary calories during the day and evening hours, and that he has a hearty evening meal, so that he does not then have a desire to eat more at night. Shortly before bedtime, you can give your child cottage cheese or so that the baby sleeps more peacefully. Sometimes taking porridge at night helps.
• Communication with parents . By attaching to the breast, children not only receive breast milk and are satiated, but also gain the opportunity to communicate with their mother, satisfy their physiological needs for affection, tenderness, and feel more protected in their mother’s arms. In order for the baby to get enough attention, it is important to engage with him as much as possible during the day, to walk a lot, be in the fresh air, do gymnastics, massages and outdoor games, so that by the evening the baby can get tired and sleep more soundly. But you shouldn’t overload him with new emotions and events, this can cause overwork and overexcitement. nervous system, which will lead to restless sleep.
• Waking up at night and alternatives . If your baby wakes up at night, you don’t need to immediately offer him the breast or a bottle of formula; you can pat him on the head, sing a lullaby, rock him in your arms or in the crib, giving him the opportunity to fall asleep again. After two years of age, you can place your baby’s favorite toy next to him so that he feels more protected.
• Replacing food with drink . Such methods are more relevant for formula-fed people, who can replace the bottle with the mixture with water or compote. When waking up at night, the baby often just needs to calm down and go back to sleep; measured sucking on the nipple on the bottle helps to quickly fall asleep again. Also, many mothers gradually dilute the formula for night feedings with water until after a couple of weeks only water remains in the bottle. It is only important that it is warm, and its volume is small, and the hole in the nipple does not allow water to quickly pour into the mouth.
• Dad's role in weaning off night feedings . Pediatricians and psychologists often advise involving the baby’s father in the process of weaning off night feedings. You can ask him to put the baby to bed, help with bathing and changing clothes, and also get up at night to give the mother some time to sleep. It is important that the father also takes the baby in his arms, rocks him to sleep at night, without giving pacifiers or bottles, and that the mother is not in the baby’s field of vision at this time. Most modern men cope with rocking, changing and feeding the baby no worse than mothers, so they must actively participate in the process of weaning off night feedings.

How to stop night feeding after two years

Some children breastfeed after two years, and artificial babies require a bottle of milk or kefir at night. This is often due to the child’s irrational daytime nutrition, when he does not receive enough calories during the day, and compensates for them through evening and night feedings. It is important to review the baby’s diet, ensuring that he receives all the necessary nutrients.

In addition, with such behavior, children often attract the attention of adults if they fail in other ways. This is possible in families where relationships are strained, and there are frequent quarrels and scandals between parents, which the child sees. It is important to give the child enough attention, surround him with care, and stop sorting things out in front of the child. It is also important to explain to the baby that he is already old enough to ask for a bottle; give an example that you yourself do not eat at night, but eat in the evening and in the morning, after waking up. You can buy your child a new beautiful bed and move him to a new place as an adult, especially if the child previously slept with his parents.

Alena Paretskaya, pediatrician, medical columnist

Hello, dear parents. It is important to know when experts recommend not feeding babies at night. In addition, this process will become a milestone on the way to giving up breastfeeding. In this article we will talk about this, you can also find out what methods of withdrawal exist and how to wean a one-year-old baby.

There is a need

You can stop feeding at night, the main thing is to do it in a timely and correct manner.

Naturally, many mothers are simply tired of waking up at night and feeding the baby, especially if there is a need to prepare formula. It is not surprising that they literally dream of getting rid of night feedings. However, you need to understand that eliminating this from a mother’s routine leads to a decrease in milk production. After all, it is at night that the bookmark for the whole day takes place.

In addition, if there is such a long break in daily feedings, this naturally causes a decrease in lactation. Therefore, it is recommended to cancel night feeding to a greater extent for those mothers who want to cancel breast-feeding.

It is important for babies under six months of age to have a night snack. They need it vitally. And it doesn’t matter what type of feeding your little one is on.

Suitable age for withdrawal

Experts advise feeding babies up to three months two to three times a night. Further, up to six months inclusive, you can reduce night feeding to one. And after the toddler turns six months old, you can gradually stop feeding the child at night.

However, you need to understand that all children are individual. It is not always possible to fit into such a framework. And mothers simply have to meet the needs of their baby. And there is certainly no need to wake up a baby up to three months old three times a night if he wakes up twice or once. The child will wake up as many times as his body needs, and when he is hungry. Babies who are on an artificial type of feeding are generally less susceptible to waking up at night, because the formula is digested and absorbed much more slowly, so the baby retains a feeling of fullness much longer.

I stopped feeding my son at night when he was 7 months old. He simply began to sleep until the morning without waking up. And, if he woke up, it was enough to just lull him to sleep.

Signs of readiness

1. The baby is gaining weight well.
2. Feels normal.
3. Complementary foods appeared in his diet.
4. The number of daily feedings has decreased.
5. The baby's awakening at night is timed to a certain time.
6. The toddler plays more than eats during the night snack. Doesn't drink the entire portion.

How to wean your baby off formula feeding at night

You need to understand that weaning children who are bottle-fed is just as important as those who are fed naturally. Indeed, they can go longer without eating, because the absorption of formula takes longer than breast milk. But for such babies, routine is especially important and feedings at night should also be present.

So, what methods should you resort to in order to wean your child from night bottle feeding:

1. Taking the mixture just before you go to bed will help you stay awake longer during the night.
2. In order to reduce the number of feedings at night, it is important not to give your little one a bottle every time he wakes up. Every other time you need to try to lull the baby to sleep without letting him eat (if he wakes up several times during the night).
3. The baby needs to eat well during the day so that the feeling of hunger practically does not visit him at night.
4. At the first request of a toddler who wakes up at night, you don’t need to run to him with a bottle. Perhaps the baby just had a bad dream.
5. It is necessary to reduce the number of servings of night food.
6. Mom can dilute the mixture with water. First a little, then replace a third of it with water, then half, and go to clean water.

Weaning your baby off breastfeeding

Very often, children who feed on their mother's milk wake up at night not so much because of hunger as because of the desire to be with their mother, and a habit can take place. The mother may notice that the awakened baby reluctantly sucks the breast or even plays with it. It is believed that babies can be fed at night until they are one year old, but it is worth eliminating such feedings, starting from the time the baby turns six months old, but this is a matter for each mother personally.

What should you do if it’s time to wean your breastfed baby from eating at night:

1. If waking up at night and looking for “sissy” is associated with the desire to receive mother’s care, think about whether you may not be devoting enough time to your child during the day.
2. If the baby wakes up three times a night, then try to feed him only once; on the first and last awakening, try to put the little one to sleep in a different way.
3. If your baby sleeps under “mother’s wing,” it is important to create a barrier to prevent the smell of breast milk from spreading to the baby’s nose.
4. If you are interested in the question of how to wean your child from falling asleep with the breast. For this purpose you need to resort to the help of relatives, but better than men, for example, ask dad to rock the baby.

I tried to resort to the help of my grandmother, but my son began to look for her boobs. Then I realized that a man should lay him down. Our dad played this role well. At least for the first time my son was moping.

Many mothers give breastfeeding to their baby so that he can fall asleep faster, but this should not be done. Endure this moment, but there is no need to teach your child to fall asleep in this way. Where is the guarantee that you won’t fall asleep and block the baby’s access to oxygen with your breasts?

1. It is important to make it clear to your baby that the bed is only a place for sleeping. Therefore, all feedings should be carried out in another place so that he does not develop associations.
2. A factor that can influence the baby waking up at night is a disadvantage daily meals Perhaps the little one doesn’t eat enough and goes to bed hungry.

How to wean a one year old baby from night feeding

If you managed to feed your baby up to this age at night, this is quite normal. Especially if from six months he ate once a night. Most experts are inclined to think that after the child is one year old, it is time to stop night feedings.

Here's what you'll need to achieve this goal:

1. Increase the amount of food you eat during the day.
2. Give your baby water instead of milk or formula.
3. For breastfed babies, avoid contact with mother's breasts.
4. Entrust your dad with overnight care for your little one.
5. If the child wakes up, distract him with some other activities, play with him, hug him, show him love, do not remind him about food.

The process of stopping night feedings is inevitable. Every mother will have to deal with it sooner or later. The main thing is to do everything correctly so that this stage does not become stressful for the baby.

Caring parents often worry about whether they need to feed their child at night. They wake up the child, wanting to quickly give him something to eat. Don't do that. Children's need for sleep is no less important than for food. A hungry child will let you know about it.

When does your baby stop needing night feedings?

The exact age at which it is time to stop night feeding of the baby has not been determined by pediatricians. The decision is made by parents who are tired of lack of sleep at night. It makes no sense to feed children at night for more than 1 year. A child at this age is able to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients during the daytime.

With natural feeding Night feeding should be stopped at 7 months. At this age, the child manages to get the necessary calories per day.

With artificial feeding stop feeding at night before 1 year of age. Dentists say bottles harm children's teeth.

Don't stop feeding your baby abruptly. After 5 months, the child develops a routine, if you violate it, you risk causing stress to the growing body.

Replacing night feedings

To prevent the child from experiencing stress when night feeding is canceled, mothers resort to tricks.

1. Change breastfeeding to artificial. Swap the breast for a bottle of formula when feeding at night. The baby will feel less hungry and will sleep until the morning.
2. Breast milk is replaced with tea or water. The child quenches his thirst and will gradually stop waking up at night.
3. Swing in your arms or sing a song. It is likely that the baby does not wake up due to hunger. Having received attention, the baby will fall asleep without night feeding.

When canceling night feedings, prepare for the baby's unpredictable reaction. Don't get stuck on one method, use different approaches.

Weaning a child up to one year

The best method for weaning children under one year old from night feeding is the correct regimen.

1. Change where your child falls asleep. If this is your bed or a child's bed, use a stroller or sling.
2. Go to bed wearing clothes that cover your chest. Don't sleep close to your baby.
3. If the child continues to be capricious, let the father or another family member sleep with him. At first, the baby may react sharply to the changes, but then he will get used to it and understand that milk has become unavailable at night.
4. Deny your baby night feedings. This option is considered harsh. But if after the first two such nights the baby is capricious during the day, use gentle methods, do not irritate the child.

Weaning a child over one year old

Night feedings after 1 year can be stopped without harming the child's health. Children already understand what is happening around them. They are affected in other ways:

1. Do not put the baby to bed yourself; another family member does this.
2. They explain to the child that children sleep at night, but they can only eat during the day. It is not easy to give up night feeding in this way, but the child will stop being capricious.
3. Having been patient, they calm the child down on the first night. Stand your ground. Tell a story, read a book. Give your baby water.

After a week, the child adapts to the regime.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

Pediatric doctor Komarovsky is convinced that after 6 months the child does not experience hunger at night and night feeding is no longer necessary. Mothers who feed children older than this age overfeed them. The doctor gives tips to help avoid overfeeding:

1. Feed your baby in small portions during the day, increasing the portion of the last feeding before bedtime. This achieves the maximum feeling of satiety.
2. Give your baby a bath before bed and feed him. If after bathing the baby is not hungry, do gymnastics before bathing. Fatigue and satiety will prevent the baby from waking up at night.
3. Don't overheat the room. Optimal temperature For baby sleep 19-20 degrees. To prevent your child from freezing, warm him with a warm blanket or insulated pajamas.
4. Don't let your child sleep more than he should. The daily sleep duration of children up to 3 months is 17-20 hours, from 3 to 6 months – 15 hours, from 6 months to a year – 13 hours. If your child sleeps more than normal during the day, it is unlikely that he will sleep soundly at night.
5. From the birth of your child, follow his regime.

Popular mistakes when weaning off night feeding

Often parents see the problem not in themselves, but in their children. Do not fall for childish provocations:

1. Pity for the baby. The baby can ask for the breast, either in an affectionate or in a screaming manner. Be patient, stop feeding at night and stick to your goal.
2. Inappropriate discussion of feeding times with your child. Mothers are trying to convey to their children what they should eat certain time, because this is how “a brother or sister eats” or this is how “everyone eats.” This technique works, but in a baby with early years the understanding is laid that one must be “like everyone else.”
3. Deception. Do not tell your child that mom has a sore chest or “the milk is sour.” When raising a child with the help of deception, do not demand the truth from him when he grows up.
4. Stopping night feeding completely at once– this is stressful for the child and mother. Gradually wean your baby from eating at night to avoid the child's whims and chest pain.