How to cut down baby night feeds

How and when to wean your baby off of night feedings

Wondering when to wean your baby off the bottle or breast at night? Most babies can make it through the night without eating when they're 6 months old. You may be able to start night weaning your baby when they're 4 months old, or you may choose to wait until later. The key is to ensure your baby is getting plenty to eat during the day and right before bedtime. You can then gradually cut back on the amount of breast milk or formula and the number of times you feed your baby at night.

Can you hardly wait for your baby to sleep through the night? Fortunately, that milestone may be closer than you think. Many babies are able to sleep for at least six hours at a stretch when they're 3 months old, or weigh 12 to 13 pounds. However, some babies take longer: Roughly one quarter aren't sleeping six hours overnight by the time they hit their first birthday.

Babies wake during the night for many reasons, but notably because they're hungry. In the early months, babies need to eat every few hours, including through the night. Gradually, however, babies need to eat less and less at night – until by 6 months of age (possibly sooner or later), your baby may quit nighttime feedings and go up to 12 hours without waking to eat.

Sometimes babies self-wean from night feedings with no help from you – they'll just sleep through the night suddenly and never look back. But sometimes you have to nudge them, especially if they're down to one nighttime feeding they just aren't dropping.

Night weaning your baby means ensuring they get enough to eat during the day so they don't need to wake at night to eat. Here's how to get started.

When will my baby be ready for night weaning?

This varies, but somewhere between the ages of 4 and 6 months, most babies get enough calories during the day to sustain them for five or six hours at night.

It's not unusual for younger babies to sleep for much longer stretches without needing to eat – or for older ones to continue waking up to eat. Even if your baby doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night, they may still wake up wanting to. Babies who are used to eating several times a night tend to wake up out of habit, and it can take time to change this routine.

If you've recently gone back to work and are less available during the day, your baby may want to nurse or take a bottle at night as a way of reconnecting with you. And you may notice that your baby wakes up more often when they're teething, if they catch a cold, or when they're mastering a developmental milestone.

For all these reasons, it's helpful to approach the weaning process gradually and gently. Keep in mind that your baby is still young and has a tremendous need for comfort, closeness, and reassurance – particularly from you.

Should I start night weaning my baby?

Many experts recommend night weaning around the time babies are 6 months old, because at that point most babies don't physically need to eat at night. At this age, most babies wake to eat out of habit. And if you do wait to night wean your baby when they're older, know that it can be more challenging to wean a toddler off of night feedings. But the timeline isn't set in stone: You can start trying to get your baby to sleep longer stretches between feedings as early as 4 months of age, or much later than 6 months old.

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Ultimately, it's your choice whether to night wean or not. It's hard to maintain your own health and well-being if you're chronically sleep deprived. The decision to end your baby's night feedings depends in part on how they're affecting you.

If you enjoy nursing or giving a bottle to your baby at night, you can continue until your baby eventually quits on their own. On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling grumpy and exhausted, it may be time.

Keep in mind that your baby's sleep and nutritional needs may vary if they aren't gaining weight as expected or if they were born prematurely. If you're not sure whether your baby's ready for night weaning, talk to your child's doctor. The doctor can help you sort through any issues and help you make your decision based on how your baby's growing.

How to wean your baby off of night feedings

Once your baby is ready to give up night feedings, try the following techniques:

Make sure your baby gets plenty to eat throughout the day. As your baby grows and becomes more active, they may not want to stop to nurse or take a bottle during the day, and they may try to make up for it at night. To make sure they get enough to eat, take scheduled breaks during the day for a quiet bottle or nursing session in a place with no distractions. (If you're not sure that your child is eating enough, check their growth by having them weighed at the doctor's office.)
Start the night weaning process slowly and gradually. Nurse your baby for a shorter period of time on each breast or give them a smaller amount of breast milk or formula in their bottle when they wake at night. Try to prolong the intervals between feedings by patting and comforting your baby back to sleep.
Offer extra feedings in the evening. If your baby goes to bed with a full tummy, they're less likely to wake up hungry in the middle of the night.
Give a "dream feed." After your baby's already asleep – say at 11 p.m. or so – you may want to wake your baby for a final feeding before you go to bed yourself.
Avoid night weaning during times of transition. For example, wait if you're just about to return to work or take a family vacation. If you've recently become less available during the day, make sure to give your baby extra cuddle time when you're together, so they'll feel more connected and be less likely to seek comfort in the middle of the night.
Gradually eliminate feedings, one at a time. Gently soothe and comfort your baby when they wake up, and explain that it's time to sleep, not eat.
Keep any feedings you do at night short and sweet. That way your baby won't wake to eat just because they've come to expect late-night cuddles.
Consider sleep training. If your baby seems to eat plenty during the day but still wakes at night, it may not be because they're hungry but because they're used to it. At this point, you may want to consider baby sleep training to help your little one learn to self-soothe back to sleep.

For more help night weaning your baby from a pediatric sleep physician, check out our course, Baby Sleep 101.

Night weaning if you're breastfeeding

Suddenly stopping the frequency of your nighttime nursing sessions can lead to painful engorgement and increased likelihood of developing an infection known as mastitis. That's one more reason it's good to start slow and drop one feeding at a time, so your breasts can get used to your new routine more easily. In the meantime, you may find that you initially need to wake up and pump breast milk during the night to relieve engorgement.

A key to night weaning your baby is making sure they're getting enough to eat during the day. You may find that you need to pump after one or more feedings during the day, then save the additional milk for an extra feeding in the evening. This can help boost your milk supply as well as ensure that your baby fills up before bedtime. As always, you'll know your baby is getting enough to eat if they're gaining weight as expected and having at least six wet diapers during the day.

Once your baby is around 6 months old, they'll start solids. Breast milk will still be your baby's main source of nutrition, although you may find that they need to breastfeed less as they gradually eat more solid foods.

Night weaning if you're formula feeding

If you're bottle-feeding and ready to night wean your baby, make sure they get enough to eat during the day. By 6 months of age, formula-fed babies need to eat between 6 to 8 ounces (or 180 to 240 mL) per bottle, four to five times every 24 hours.

Once your baby starts solids, formula will still be their main source of nutrition. But with time, solid foods will cover more of your baby's nutritional needs – and you'll eventually start giving your baby fewer bottles with slightly more formula in each. The bedtime bottle is usually the last to go, and even once you wean your child off it, you may want to give them a bedtime snack or a cup of milk to help them make it through the night without getting hungry.

Learn more:

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6 Steps to Dropping Night Feeds

Learn how to start dropping night feeds with these 6 steps! You CAN help your baby stop waking up in the middle of the night and eat during the day instead.

Night times were the worst. Even though I was sleep deprived both day and night, something about waking up when I was supposed to be asleep made those evenings hard.

Those were the times when I’d wake up delirious from the little sleep I managed to get. On good nights, I’d find movies and shows on my phone to watch while I nursed. On not-so-good ones, I’d vent to my husband or start hating my predicament.

Waking up many times a night, with feeding as the only way to soothe your baby back to sleep, takes a toll on any parent.

Your baby may already be putting himself to sleep, but still wakes up to eat every few hours throughout the night time. You wonder whether it’s even hunger that’s keeping him awake, especially when he doesn’t seem to eat much during daytime feedings.

Other times, the frequent wake-ups happen more out of habit, like when he’s already consuming all the calories he should getting during the day. You know he can sleep through the night without needing to eat, but he still relies on the comfort of drinking to fall back asleep.

Table of Contents

When should you start dropping night feeds?

Every baby is different, but take a look at a few signs that yours might be ready to drop night feeds:

Your baby doesn’t eat much during the day. If he’s not eating much during the day, it may be because he’s still eating at nights. He can likely transfer his caloric intake from nighttime to daytime.
He doesn’t really drink at night. Have you noticed that when you offer a feed at night, he either plays or conks right back to sleep? He may be using feeding time to play or to soothe himself back to sleep, not as a chance to satisfy hunger.
Check with your pediatrician. The number one way to make sure it’s okay to start weaning night feedings is to ask his pediatrician. She can let you know, depending on his growth and stage, whether he can drop those feedings and sleep through the night.

Free resource: Struggling with putting him to sleep and wish he could learn to self soothe and sleep on his own? Join my newsletter and discover the 5 mistakes that are keeping him from self-soothing!

Whether you’ve tried to teach him to self soothe in the past or are just now considering it, take a look at the 5 key mistakes to avoid. Grab your PDF below—at no cost to you: As one parent said about my self-soothing guide:

“I just want to say thank you. You have given us our sleep back!! I followed your guide exactly and I’m so delighted to tell you that he now self settles and even more delighted to say that he sleeps through the night until 7am. He has done it the last 5 nights! Your guide gave me the tools and confidence, and I can’t thank you enough. My husband is extremely grateful too!!” -Carla B.

How to start the night weaning process

Thankfully, it’s possible for your baby to sleep through the night and start taking in all his calories during the day, like you and I do. But going cold turkey could make him hungry, especially if he’s actually drinking (as opposed to comfort nursing).

By following the steps below, you can gently transition him from nighttime feedings. This will help him consume his calories during the day and rely less on feeding to fall asleep at night:

Step 1: Record the typical times your baby wakes up and cries for milk

Many babies wake up at roughly the same times every night. For several nights, write the times your baby wakes up, and see if you can find a pattern. Even with a wide variety of wake-up times, take an average of the typical times she wakes up.

What if her wake-ups are inconsistent? If you find that she wakes up for the first feed between 10:30pm and midnight, and for the second between 2:30am and 4am, go with the earliest time. In this example, you’ll say she wakes up at 10:30pm and 2:30am.

Get more tips on what to do when your baby wakes up crying hysterically.

Step 2: Set your alarm to wake your baby to feed

That’s right—you’ll be waking yourself and your baby up when you start weaning night feedings. The idea is to beat him to the punch and get to him first before he has a chance to cry for milk. You want to break the association that crying means he’ll get milk.

In our example, you’ll wake yourself up at 10pm and 2am on the first night.

If he cries any other time for milk, hold off on feeding him until those designated times. Reassure him instead that you’re doing things differently now and that he’ll get his milk soon.

At those designated times—in our example, 10pm and 2am—wake and feed him the usual amount he eats. If you breast feed, nurse however long you usually do. If you’re bottle feeding, give the same amount of formula or expressed breast milk like normal.

Step 3: Reduce the amount of milk you offer

Let’s say you started weaning on Sunday night. On the second night—Monday night—you’ll reduce the amount of milk you offer.

If you’re breastfeeding, reduce each feeding session by two minutes. If you’re formula feeding, reduce by half an ounce. You’re reducing the amount of milk your baby is consuming at night, while still keeping the same wake-up times.

Step 4: Give extra milk the next day

The previous night (in our example, Monday night), your baby either reduced the amount of time he nursed or the ounces he drank from a bottle. Now you’ll add those extra minutes or ounces to his feedings the next day. Whatever amount or time you reduced at night, you’ll make up for it the following day.

In other words, on Monday night, you reduced his total nighttime feeding by one ounce (half an ounce each session).

On Tuesday, during the day, add an extra ounce throughout the day, such as adding a half-ounce to the morning bottle and another half-ounce to his midday one. You could also add a whole ounce to the evening bottle.

You’re helping him take in less at night and more during the day. You and I eat during the day and none at all at night—soon he will be able to do the same.

Step 5: Reduce the amount even more the next night

The following night (in our example, Tuesday night), repeat the same process of waking yourself up 30 minutes before your baby does. But now, reduce the amount you offer even more. If you’re breastfeeding, reduce each night-time feed by two more minutes. If you’re bottle feeding, reduce by another half-ounce.

You’re reducing the amount of milk he’s consuming at night, while still keeping the same wake-up times.

Step 6: Repeat every night until you have weaned all feedings

On the third and subsequent nights, reduce the amount you feed even more. Let’s say you started off at 20 minutes on Sunday night and 18 on Monday night. Come Tuesday night, you’ll nurse for 16 minutes, 14 on Wednesday night, and so forth.

Throughout this time, you’ll also be adding all that milk the following day. For instance, by Wednesday, he should be nursing for an extra 6 minutes sometime during the day.

You’ll keep reducing the nighttime feedings until you’re down to the last few minutes or ounces. You can decide when it doesn’t seem to make sense to wake your baby up any longer.

For instance, I stopped getting my baby up from the crib when I was down to four minutes. I didn’t see the point of waking him up the following night for two minutes when it seemed he could sleep through the night.

Learn how to get your baby to sleep through the night.

Common questions about dropping night feeds

Over time, you’ll reduce your baby’s nighttime feedings and transfer those ounces of milk to the daytime instead. And of course, as with any process, you can be flexible with what works for you.

Still, you might have a few questions about the process in general. Take a look at a few common questions about night weaning:

1. “What if my baby wakes up at different times than the designated wake-up times?”

Let’s say you figured your baby wakes up at 10:30pm and 2:30am, but for the last several days, his wake-up times are all over the place. If it seems like he doesn’t have a clear pattern of when he wakes up, take an average of the times he does wake up and stick to one.

If he does seem to have a new routine that doesn’t line up with your old designated times, adjust your alarm to accommodate that new time. Let’s say he’s now waking up at 10pm the last several days instead of 10:30pm. Adjust your weaning so that you wake him up at 9:30pm moving forward.

2. “Do I keep reducing the same amount for each session, or is it okay to combine the sessions into one?”

Your baby might hardly eat anything for each session, so you’re considering combining the two (or however many sessions you have) into one.

Let’s say you’re down to feeding him for 6 minutes two times a night, and now you want to feed for 12 minutes once a night.

If he doesn’t seem to cry at those designated times, you’ll likely be okay waking him up once instead of twice, and combining the two. But if he’s still crying at those designated times, you’ll have better luck sticking to the same number of sessions instead of combining them.

3. “What if my baby isn’t interested in extra milk the next day?”

Even with the reduced amount at night, you may notice your baby isn’t interested in drinking extra milk the next day. He might not finish bottles, or pull away from nursing, even though he didn’t drink those ounces the previous night.

If that’s the case, don’t force it. He might…

Not even have been hungry when he was waking in the middle of the night and was only feeding as a habit.
Not need as many calories in general now that his body isn’t growing as it once did as a young infant.
Be in that developmental stage where he’s more interested in exploring and practicing his skills than he is with eating.

If you’re concerned, check with your pediatrician about his weight gain and eating patterns. She’ll let you know whether there is an issue at hand.

You can also feed him either in a “boring” room with little distraction, or in a new environment where he doesn’t notice he’s finishing his bottle.

Read more about what to do when your baby goes on a bottle strike.

4. “Can I be flexible with how much I reduce each night?”

Yes! Two minutes and half an ounce each night is a guideline, not a rule. If you feel like your baby could use more or less calories, or you don’t want to wean so soon, feel free to reduce even less.

I felt like my twins could use a longer stretch of nighttime feedings, so I reduced their feedings by a minute.

5. “Can I stick to the same number of minutes (or ounces) for a few nights in a row?”

Yes, you can stick to the same number of minutes or ounces for a few nights before reducing. In other words, you don’t have to reduce the milk each night.

For instance, if you reduced nursing from 20 minutes to 18 on Monday night, you can stick to 18 minutes on Tuesday night. You can stick with 18 for however long you feel your baby needs the milk before decreasing the time to 16 minutes.

You know your baby best and can decide how quickly or slowly you want to wean.

Conclusion

Waking up multiple times a night is like a rite of passage for many parents. The discomfort of sleep deprivation ties us all together in one common experience, one we can relate with all too well.

But at some point, you can wean your baby from nighttime feedings and hit that new milestone. Maybe he’s not even hungry, but is feeding out of habit. Or he is hungry, but can consume his calories during the day with your help.

When you do, a glorious thing happens: you and your baby get a full night of sleep. No wake-ups, no inconsolable crying. You’re gradually tapering off your milk supply to match his needs (no engorgement!). You can put him to sleep knowing you’ll also sleep well at bedtime.

And you’ll stop dreading the evenings once and for all.

Get more tips:

5 Reasons Your Baby Wakes Up Crying Hysterically
Why Dads Should Wake Up for Night Feeds
How to Wean a Baby from Breastfeeding
How to Solve 11 Month Old Sleep Problems
4 Effective Tricks to Handle a Baby Not Drinking Milk

Don’t forget: Join my newsletter and discover the 5 mistakes that are keeping your baby from self-soothing:

Night feeding weaning

Weaning from night feeds and uninterrupted sleep throughout the night is the dream of many new parents. However, kids have completely different plans in this regard. Many of them continue to wake up to eat or drink, even at 3 years old. We understand why this happens and whether it is possible to wean a child to eat at night.

Why night feedings are needed

Night feedings are not a whim, but a necessity for the normal development of the baby. First of all, they are needed by the child, and then by the mother. The main reasons why a child needs to wake up at night include the following:

physiological immaturity. Compared to adults, children's metabolism is very fast. This is due to the active growth and development of the baby. In addition, both formula and breast milk are absorbed very quickly - on average, in 2-4 hours.
Features of lactation. The amount of milk in the mother is regulated precisely by feeding at night, since the hormone prolactin is actively produced at this time of day. If a woman wants to breastfeed a baby, at least one nightly application is necessary.
evolutionary mechanisms. According to one hypothesis, night waking is an evolutionary mechanism that protects the baby from sudden infant death syndrome.
Compensatory. If the mother removes daytime feeds, the baby may begin to wake up more often at night to compensate for the lack of daytime feedings. This is more relevant for children on breastfeeding one year old and older.

If night waking does not cause inconvenience to mother and baby, then there is no need to specially clean them. You can wait until the baby's nervous system matures and he refuses such feedings on his own.

� When the baby is ready to leave night feeds

The ability to sleep through the night without waking up for a night snack develops as the baby's nervous and digestive systems mature. Attempts to reduce nighttime feedings before this point can end in failure, exhaust the mother and cause sleepless nights for the whole family.

The following terms are considered physiological:

Type of feeding	When do night feeds end?
breast	A breastfed infant stops eating at night around 18–24 months of age.
mixed	Depends on what kind of food (formula or breast milk) prevails in the baby's diet. Age can vary from 9 to 24 months.
artificial	Formula is considered a heavier product, so formula-fed babies may stop eating at night as early as 9-12 months.

Some babies, whether breastfed or formula-fed or mixed-fed, may start sleeping without waking up for nighttime feeds as early as 6 months. If the mother has enough milk, and the baby is gaining weight normally, you do not need to specifically wake the baby to feed him.

Important! Night feedings are the key to successful lactation. If the baby of the first months of life does not wake up at night, you need to offer the breast to a sleepy baby. This stimulates the production of milk and will help to avoid problems with its quantity.

How to stop feeding your baby at night on EW

It is much easier to remove night feedings from a baby on artificial feeding than on breastfeeding. This is due to the fact that a baby on IV immediately gets used to the schedule, and with a greater nutritional value of the mixture, and less difficulty with its replacement. On average, babies who eat formula wake up only 2-3 times per night, so it will not be difficult to refuse such a number of feedings.

However, weaning from nighttime eating should begin no earlier than 6 months. By this age, the brain of children in general is ready to sleep without awakening from 6 to 8 hours. What can be done to reduce the number of feedings?

If the mother practices co-sleeping, you should not combine moving the child to the crib and accustoming to uninterrupted sleep at night. It is better to reduce the number of wakings first, and then move the baby to your bed.
If the baby has entered a clear mode, you can gradually increase the intervals between night feedings. You can move them no more than half an hour at a time.
When the baby asks for food at night, offer him water first and only then formula. Perhaps he wakes up from thirst, not from hunger. This approach will help increase the intervals between feedings.
After a year, a hearty dinner helps to improve sleep. Feed your baby porridge or porridge with meat 2-3 hours before bedtime. Such food is digested for a long time and will help the baby sleep better.

It is important to remember that the reduction in feeding should not be accompanied by tears and tantrums of the baby. Restless night sleep and discomfort will cause the baby to wake up more often.

Weaning from night feeds should not be a problem for the baby and other family members. Our doctors will remotely advise on the features of children's sleep and help you choose the right moment for weaning from night feedings.

How to remove night feedings with breastfeeding

The regimen of children who are exclusively breastfed is different from the regimen of children who are fully or partially artificially fed. For children on IV, night feedings, rather, are a consequence of the characteristics of the child's psyche and metabolism. For children on breastfeeding, they are rather a necessity.

It is at night that the hormone prolactin is produced, which regulates the production of milk in the mother. If you do not feed your baby at night or leave such feedings too early, this will directly affect the amount of milk and, as a result, the development and growth of the baby.

It is believed that during weaning, night feedings are the last to stop. However, you can reduce the number of nightly attachments before the mother decides to complete breastfeeding. What can be done for this?

If the mother practices co-sleeping, moving the baby to her crib will help reduce the number of nightly attachments. At first, you can put a baby bed with the side removed to the parent one and shift the baby after he falls asleep. Then the side rises, and the bed moves away.
After a year, giving up or reducing the number of night feedings helps a hearty dinner and a bowl of water instead of breastfeeding at night. You can also give kefir or a mixture at night.
The number of nightly attachments is also affected by daytime feeding. If the mother cancels too many daytime attachments and severely restricts the baby, he can compensate for the lack at night. Therefore, if the mother does not plan to completely cancel breastfeeding, it is better to allow the toddler to apply during the day.

If the mother does not plan to stop breastfeeding in the near future, then it is better to postpone weaning from night feedings to a more suitable time for this and wait for the moment when the baby himself refuses nightly feedings. After a year, you can teach the child self-attachment. In this case, neither the baby nor the mother practically wakes up at night.

Read also What kind of breastfeeding is considered prolonged

FAQ

How many times does the child eat at night?

The number of night feedings depends on the age and type of feeding. Formula-fed babies wake up 2-3 times a night on average. Breastfed babies may wake up more often.

When do children wake up at night?

The baby's brain is not adapted to a long night's sleep. This is believed to be an evolutionary mechanism that protects infants from sudden infant death syndrome. The child begins to sleep more than 6 hours in a row after a year, and all night - closer to three.

What can I do to stop my child from eating at night?

You can reduce the number of nightly feedings by moving the baby to a separate bed, starting to feed a denser dinner and gradually increasing the intervals between nightly attachments.

When should a baby be weaned?

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding or formula feeding until two years of age if it is comfortable for both mother and baby. If a woman decides to wean the baby from the breast earlier, you need to replace the breast mixture.

Is it necessary to wean the baby from the breast if he does not sleep well?

Weaning does not guarantee that the baby will sleep through the night. For this to happen, his nervous system must mature. Weaning, especially through tears, can cause restless sleep and frequent waking.

Expert opinion

Night feedings are necessary for the normal growth and development of the child. On average, children self-refuse by the age of 9-24 months. However, this does not mean that the child stops waking up at night. The brain fully matures for this only at the age of 3 years. To wean a child from waking up at night, you need to feed him more densely before bedtime, move him to his crib and offer water at night instead of breast or formula.

We publish only verified information

Article author

Pruzhinin Mark Yulievich pediatrician

Experience 30 years

Consultations 1572

Articles 159

An experienced pediatrician with extensive experience and clinical experience in various medical organizations in the field of general pediatrics, resuscitation and anesthesology and neuroinfection. Works with leading experts, attends international and Russian conferences.

How to wean a child from night feeding

04/24/2016

53517

feeding and dream

9–1.5-3 years

Translation of Article

Anna Sukhikh

Senior Senior Elder sleep consultant, supervisor, lecturer

Mother of three children

There is no need to rush to cancel night feedings. You can choose the speed that is comfortable for you and your child. You can turn off night feedings when the baby is healthy, develops in accordance with the norms and is older than 6 months.

If you have short nighttime feeds and your baby doesn't eat much, they can be removed right away and replaced with another method of soothing. If feeding is long, the child eats a large portion, it is better to act gradually.

Child's crisis calendar

Reducing night feedings: when to start

Starting from six months, if the baby develops normally, it is already possible to think about gradually reducing night feedings. Most children this age get enough food throughout the day to grow and develop.

On the other hand, if you are comfortable with the situation with night feedings, there is no need to cancel them right now. Choose what suits you and your child.

Before you begin, it is advisable to consult with your pediatrician: perhaps in your situation you need to pay attention to some points.

Cancellation of night feedings for breastfeeding

Even after turning off night feedings, you can continue to breastfeed your baby during the day - you will retain all the benefits of breastfeeding for your baby.

If nighttime feedings are short (less than 5 minutes), these feedings can be removed immediately and replaced with another method of sedation.

If the baby usually breastfeeds for longer than 5 minutes, reduce the time of each nightly feed for 5-7 nights first. This will help the baby gradually adapt to the changes.

Proceed as follows:

Determine how long each night feed lasts.
Reduce breast time by 2-5 minutes every 2 nights. For example, if breastfeeding usually lasts 15 minutes, then 2 nights take the breast after 13 minutes, the next 2 nights after 11, then after 9minutes and so on.
After reduced feedings, comfort your baby in the usual way (but without the breast).
When feedings are reduced to 5 minutes or less, cancel them completely.

If you wish, you can move faster, for example, reduce the feeding time by 5 minutes every 2 nights.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until the baby is introduced to complementary foods, which usually occurs around 6 months of age. After the introduction of complementary foods, keep breastfeeding at least until the child is one year old. After the year, you can choose to continue or end the GW.