Night time feeding Trauma

Posted On May 8, 2017

Are you exhausted and tired of the constant night time feeding routine? Most of the parents are sleep deprived because their little one is hungry and wants a feed in the middle of the night. Is your baby really hungry or it’s just a comfort feeding?

Night time feeding drains you leaving fatigue and tired throughout the day. You cannot function well which makes you irritated and depressed.

So, how to quit night time feeds and focus on your well being too. If you’re happy and healthy only then your little one will benefit so here are some of my recommendations:

Make sure you feed the daily recommended amount of milk to your little one. It is 16 ounce (2 cups) to 1- 2 years old. And 8-12 ounce (1-1/2 cups) to 3 years old as per Nutritionists. It keeps them satisfied and also less hungry at night times.
3 meals with snacks in between help your toddler to keep satisfied for longer. However, choose healthy foods and snacks rather than artificial and packaged meals and snacks. They fill the little tummy only for a short period of time.
Make a nighttime routine which includes reading stories, massaging their feet, singing soothing night time songs so that they fall asleep throughout the night.
Make sure to change their nappy before their bedtime.
If your little one has to be fed before bedtime then it’s alright until and unless they won’t fall asleep while feeding. It’s because when they wake up in the middle of the night they expect you to be around them.

These might or might not work for you because every child is different. They adapt differently, however, following routine consistently would help your little one in the long run.

Even I used to breastfeed my daughter 3-4 times and sometimes even more in the middle of the night until she turned a year old. Cluster feeding at night took a toll on my health. I developed back pain.

Due to the sleep deprivation, I would get frustrated quite easily. It got so bad that she would wake up every half an hour even for a 5 minutes feed. That was the time I decided to put this to an end.

According to the experts, babies often use ‘sleep prop’ for their comforts. It includes soft toys, blanket, pacifier or even mother’s breast. It helps babies to fall back to sleep.

In my case, as I co-sleep with my daughter it’s more like using a prop to its extreme level.

One night I decided not to breastfeed her even if she’d wake up for a feed. It was such a difficult night for us as a parent to see her cry. But I don’t want her to depend too much on a prop for a comfort.

After that night she learned to soothe herself well and stopped putting a fight for a comfort feed. However, there were times when she would not go back to sleep unless I’d breastfeed her.

These things happen because sometimes situations are different and you have to adapt accordingly. For example, when your child is unwell, vaccinated or simply upset.

Once you get into the core of your game, everything seems worth it. Don’t worry Moms, your baby is not hungry. She knows her game very well, all she has to do is to cry.

So, don’t feel guilty or sad for not feeding her at night. Trust your instinct and make the move. Some experts even say that nighttime feeding is like, “you waking up in the middle of the night for a snack” so, it’s not a good habit for your baby as well.

However, ensure your child is well and pretty much ate well at a daytime before thinking about cutting back night time feed. All you need is patience and consistency.

Best of luck Moms.