Anyone have night weaning advice?

[ibis]

We co-sleep and up until recently I was fine with night nursing 2-3 times during the night. But lately I can't get a letdown unless I fully sit up to nurse DS! It's the weirdest thing but I just can't do side-lying anymore, it's like my boobs are asleep, and DS will just scream and get us both totally frustrated, which obviously does not help get a letdown... so sitting up it is. I should add that DS is 10 months.

This is starting to drive me bonkers and I don't know how long I can do it. I know that DS is hungry during the night and not just comfort-sucking, because he fully empties both breasts, typically twice and sometimes plus a snack. I have read that you can shorten the feeds by 2 min a night, but honestly sitting there timing feedings down to the minute is more than I can handle at 4 am!!

Any advice for a tired mama??

[penstamon]

First off, if he truly is hungry and you are fine nursing him if everything's "working" properly have you thought about trying to increase your supply to help with the let-down?  I stopped feeling let-down all the time by the time DS was around a year.

Second, if NWing is the way to go I think that shortening feedings is a great idea- I never watched the clock but maybe have your DS pull off before he is finished and help him get to sleep rubbing his back or something?  We kind of started this way unofficially and then I began not feeding him at every waking so sometimes he did go back to sleep on his own- I loosely had times we would nurse and had a max of 2-3 feedings.  Then last month when DS was 15 mo I moved him to one feeding at 3am because he was really hungry by then and cut out that feeding after a few days.  DS was fine with it after 2 days of no nursing at night.  I just think he was ready.  HOWEVER, he still wakes frequently so the NWing hasn't saved us yet.

Good luck!

[ibis]

I wouldn't mind night nursing IF I could get a prompt letdown... I think my supply is still fine because once it does let down, he nurses for a good long while. But I suppose it couldn't hurt to get some fenugreek tea or something just to see if that helps. I didn't really have a problem with the wakeups before because he would always go back to sleep nicely... but this sleepy letdown is the pits. Last night at 4 am I just could NOT get it going even sitting up. :(

I might try your idea to NW gradually. Just to shift more of his milk intake to daytime. I don't really care if he wakes up briefly at night, but it's the waking up and getting all upset and frustrated (both of us) that is just awful.

[Skinjob]

I'm kind of gradually night weaning also (not following any hard and fast rules at all) but just trying to shorten the night feeds and maybe offer boob less and see if she'll go back to sleep on her own, roll away from her, that sort of thing. But if she really gets upset, I always give her boob. But it seems like it's working - really slowly. Introducing solids (using baby led weaning, not purees) has helped a bit as she's already eating adult finger food and seems to need a little less boob as she progresses and ingests more solid food.

As far at the let-down thing, I noticed the sensation is definitely not as strong but the milk still flows. I thought my supply was drying up or something so I started pumping every morning - about 3 or 4 ounces - for one week, and by the end of the week, I was getting engorged again and feeling a poweful letdown again, like in the beginning. You could try Fenugreek AND pumping and that should get things flowing! Good luck!

[beccabus]

Hoping to nightwean here as well.  My DS is 10 months and sleeps with us except for an occasional hour or two in his crib next to the bed.  We're wanting to TTC our third baby but I have no AF.  I do not want to wean completely, but am hoping that nightweaning may help to bring AF back!