When baby wakes up at night, parents feel tired and this is a source of stress we could do without, don't you think?
It's always difficult to be awakened at night by your baby's cries and have to make up a bottle with a formula based on powdered milk (or breast milk if you're breast-feeding). How can you get through the days that follow? While we're happy to accept the situation for the first few months, we'd rather it didn't drag on for too long.
A matter of survival
This article offers useful advice for parents looking to wean their baby gently.
CONTENTS :
- Understanding why baby wants a bottle at night
- Gradually reduce milk quantities to gently wean baby at night
- The solution for weaning baby at night: the learning cup!
- The last word
Understanding why baby wants a bottle at night
First and foremost, to stop giving your baby a bottle at night, your baby must be 6 months or older, weigh at least 6kg and be physiologically able to go a whole night without asking for food. First of all, try to understand why your baby wakes up at night to ask you for a bottle.
- Is he hungry?
- Drinking a bottle while everyone else is asleep reassure him?
- Is this just a habit he's struggling to break? 🙄
Respect meal and bedtimes as much as possible
It's a good idea to keep a decent rhythm for your child. Ideally, mealtimes should be the same every day.
Avoid "shifting" your child's schedule too much. If you have an event scheduled, plan to eat outside at a fixed time. If this isn't possible, don't wait several days to get back into the usual usual rhythm.
The evening meal should be neither too close nor too far from bedtime.
- If you feed him too early, he'll be hungry in the middle of the night.
- If you put him to bed immediately after dinner, his digestion may be disturbed by the horizontal plane, leading to acid reflux and night-time awakenings.
Make sure baby isn't hungry
A baby who is struggling to be weaned and asks for a bottle in the middle of the night usually indicates to his parents the possibility that he is hungry. It's best to make sure this isn't the case. If you notice that baby is drinking from his bottle with bon appétitIf you notice that your baby is drinking from his bottle with good appetite, in one go and without leaving a crumb, it's likely that hunger has woken him from his sleep.
Gradually reduce milk quantities to gently wean baby at night
If your baby is used to drinking a certain amount of milk during the night, try to gradually reduce the amount.
The solution for weaning baby at night: the learning cup!
If you think that baby isn't really hungry, and that bottle-feeding at night is just a way for him to reassure himself, it's time togentle separation for smoother nights!
Do you know the learning mug?
It's a gourd that baby can grasp easily with his little hands. The learning cup is distinguished from the feeding bottle by its spout spout. This means your child can help himself to a drink and be comforted, even in the middle of the night.
Yes, but the pleasure of suckling is not there, you may say! No problem with Elhée's training bottle.
A training bottle and interchangeable feeding bottles, you say?
You can adapt a physiological teat (available in packs of two in our store) onto your Elhée training cup if you need to. If you already own an Elhée feeding bottle, you can simply purchase our duo pack of suction nozzles spout duo pack. They are compatible with our innovative in medical-grade silicone.
But since the aim is to gradually stop the child's need to suck at night, the ideal solution is to keep the spout in place.
If baby is thirsty, he'll be able to drink on his own without waking you up or wetting the sheets, thanks to the leak-proof system. Teach him to use it during the day, so that he gets used to it step by step.
If necessary, you can add a pacifier equipped with a pacifier clip to your baby's crib. pacifier clip that will satisfy this sucking urge to perfection. 👌
The last word
Successful night-time weaning takes time. This can be a delicate process, and requires making sure that your bedtime routine includes calm activities (warm bath, stories, lullabies, cuddles, etc.).
The key to weaning is consistency consistency. If you've decided to stop bottle-feeding at night, make sure you remain consistent in your approach. We recommend ensuring a smooth transition so as not to affect your baby.
