I would be questioning what she means by going through the night. Some health professionals consider "sleeping through" to mean sleeping 5 or 6 hours (I don't know quite why though!). My LO naturally dropped her late night feed around 7-8 weeks, but then started waking at 4.30am on the dot. Between us (DP, me and her!) we figured that she really needed to have a late night feed, and she started waking herself late at night (between 10 and 12 generally), then slept through til 8 or 9am without a problem. Dreamfeeding per se never worked for us, we sometimes have to wake her with a nappy change and clothing change, but then she takes a bottle and will go down to sleep quite happily.

hi there my hv reckon there no reason a baby her age shouldnt be goin though the night, but think she is one of the old fashion ones when dd was 3wks she said that she should be dropping the late night feed which she has only just started dropping that one, will just have to see how dd goes and if she not ready will wait untill she is, thanks for reasuring me its normal for her not to be goin though yet x

Like the others, I can't understand why your hv has advised you to do this?  I've always expected to feed at least once a night until they're established on solids.  If they do sleep through then great, but if not, I don't think there's a lot you can do to make them go longer.  As time goes on your lo should just start waking later and later but maybe not until they're on three meals a day.  x

Hi hun, my lo is 17 weeks and at around 8 weeks started dropping his night feeds himself,  firstly his 11pm feed got earlier and earlier until he dropped it completely, and his 3am feed gradually got later until now he goes till 7am with out a feed. 

His last feed now is around 7.30pm and his first feed in the morning is 7am.  I am starting to wean him now and give him babyrice before giving him his bottle.

I was advised by my HV that most babies need atleast one night feed up until 6 months, especially if breastfed. Do you dreamfeed? Personally it doesnt work for us but it might make your LO sleep until morning. My DS is now 22 weeks and he sleeps from 7ish until 5 ish and this is fab for us as it is sooooo much better than it was so not going to try and push him to drop it.

Some advise giving water or like prev poster said if bf reduce the time, if bottle feeding make more dilute. But LO is still only 19 weeks so could possibly still need the night feed. HTH

xx

Just wondered why had your hv advised this. My lo is nearly 20 weeks and often has 2 feeds in night.  She was going to bed at 8.30 then waking around 12.30 ish for feed then 5 for another.  Shes had loads of probs with wind recently and been waking every couple of hrs.  Her bedtime is now disrupted and last night the monkey didnt go to sleep till 10 ish, but didnt wake at 12.30 she slept through to 4.30 for feed.  I had tried a new milk for bed time bottle so dont know if this what made her sleep longer or whether she was just very tired.  Anyway getting away from the question.  Why did hv advise dropping feed?

personally I wouldn't be pushing it at this age (did it to get my son to drop last miggle of night bf at 10 months cos solids had finally started to pick up & felt he didn't need it anymore - would've done a bit earlier but weight was a concern so was worried he needed it) but one method to try might be to gradually reduce the amount of milk you offer. If FF then do it by gradually putting less milk in bottle (reduce by 1/2-1oz every 2-3 days if LO draining) or by adding less powder but same volume of fluid (just at middle of night feed) so it gradually becomes water and less worth waking for. If BF then time somehow (I counted) how long feed is on average then gradually shorten it - I was counting to 150 so first night I counted to 120 then gently broke suction with my finger and put him in cot, gradually reduced by 30 each time until it got to zero and after that if he woke in night i would shush & stroke belly/back dep how he was lying but wouldn't feed. Can't guarantee you're LO will accept it though....

hi i was advised by my health vistor to work on getting my 19wk old baby to sleep though the night she doin really well she goes to bed round 7.30pm she has dropped her late night feed but wakes up at 4ish for a feed and will scream and scream untill i give her one, i really would like her to go till 6am how do i get her to wait that bit longer with out her screaming the house down