Night Weaning: How And When To Implement It

What is the best time to start overnight weaning? Usually, from 4 to 6 months, the baby takes in a quantity of calories during the day that allows him to sleep through the night. Many babies, even smaller ones, already sleep for several hours without waking up to eat.

In cases where the mother is less present during the day, it is possible that the baby will ask for more the breast, or bottle, at night. It is also normal for him to wake up because of a cold, because he is going through changes or because his teeth are popping up. For all these reasons it is important to start weaning little by little, bearing in mind that the newborn needs the mother to feel safe.

How to know if your baby is ready for overnight weaning

If your baby is between 4 and 6 months old, you can start weaning at night gradually. At this time, the baby is likely to wake up more out of habit than out of a real need to eat. Since babies are used to waking up after midnight to feed, it is not easy to change this routine.

If it is more comfortable for you to breastfeed during the night, it is not mandatory to change this habit. However, you must take care of your own well-being and health. Lack of sleep can cause various problems for the body. If you feel tired and the baby is ready to change habits, you can start with overnight weaning. If in doubt, the pediatrician can assist you.

Tips for starting overnight weaning

Weaning at night will not harm the baby, on the contrary, it will help him to acquire new habits and sleep all night. If you are sure you can get started, follow the tips below.

• Start weaning gradually. Reduce the time of feedings and put a smaller amount of milk in the bottle in the evening. Extend the intervals between feedings and stroke his back to get him back to sleep.
• Make sure he eats enough during the day. Schedule breaks to bottle or breast feed.
• It would be good not to start overnight weaning in a transitional period. For example, if you start work again, you should wait for the child to get used to this change as well.
• It is important for the father to console the baby when he cries at night. By smelling the mother and breast milk, the baby may want to eat.

• Eliminate feedings one at a time. Calm the baby when he wakes up to eat and tell him it’s time to sleep. Speak firmly, but also affectionately. Gradually, the little one will understand and adapt to the new system.
• Extra feedings at the end of the day. When you fall asleep with a full stomach, you are less likely to wake up during the night.

What do the experts say?

Pediatrician Richard Ferber, in his book Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems , states that unnecessary nighttime feedings can cause sleep disturbances for the newborn. Also, it could happen that it turns any digestive problems or dirty nappy into additional occasions for eating again.

For his part, pediatrician William Sears defines nighttime feedings as something positive. These would serve to strengthen the bond between parents and children. For this reason, he  recommends not speeding up the nocturnal weaning process, at least until it creates problems for the family. In his book, The Baby Sleep Book , he discusses strategies such as sleeping with the baby or feeding him in the parents’ bed so that nighttime feedings are more comfortable for them.

The decision to start overnight weaning must be made by the parents and also depends on how comfortable they feel about taking this path. In the beginning you have to be very sure that the baby is ready. In the event that this is not certain, you can contact the pediatrician, who will determine if it is the right time to start.