02/06/2026
🌙 Gentle Night Weaning 🌙
We get lots of posts around night feeds, and we completely understand and hear you on how exhausting that is!
If you are reading this, we guess you are very sleep deprived and want some relief but also don’t want to upset or unsettle your child.
It can be helpful to remember that breastmilk is not just food and nutrition for your little one, it is so much more. It is their comfort, safety, and connection to you. It is packed with antibodies and protection and all the things needed to help them grow and get through their emotions. It even has those sleepy hormones to help aid and encourage their sleep!
Firstly, we want this process to be as gentle as possible for you both, therefore waiting for little one to have more understanding can be really beneficial, this is the reason for waiting until at least 18 months. If you choose to night wean before then, which is completely your choice, you may find that it is harder as baby will likely not understand why this is happening, patience is key and being as gradual as possible.
Here are our tips:
🌙Give the helpline a call
🌙Make it a gradual process, this will help it to be as gentle as possible for both you and little one
🌙 Look into habit stacking
🌙Offer an alternative. Little one may need that source of comfort. It can be helpful to try and introduce a comforter or teddy that your little one can form an attachment too.
🌙What helps your little one to sleep? Try and figure this out so this can help comfort and encourage them
🌙Can your partner get involved? Sometimes, changing up the routine and having someone else take the lead can help.
🌙Shortening feeds. Slowly over weeks shortening how long little one feeds for can be super helpful to some families.
🌙If it isn’t working and you both are becoming upset and distressed, it can be worth taking a break and trying again a little later.
☎️ FREE 24hr helpline: 01924 851901
📲 Facebook group FAB Wakefield Breastfeeding Support
🤝 FAB Wakefield Community Groups: https://www.familiesandbabies.org.uk/locations/wakefield/wakefield-groups/
