8-Month-old Breastfeeding at Night

You might want to try giving him cereal right before you put him to bed. Possibly before you breastfeed him and put him down. It sounds like the milk is not enough to keep him full through the night. I didn't breastfeed, I didn't have enough milk, but I started feeding my children cereal before bedtime by 2 months old. My children never liked to sleep through the night either, as a matter of fact my 23 month old still wakes up in the night and she sleeps with her father and I. But that's the only advise I have to give. If you are already feeding him cereal maybe you need to make it thicker and give him more?

Good luck!

My only advice is to pick up the book healthy sleep habits happy child by Dr weisbuth. It will guide you to the best solution but you will have to eventually let him cry through a feeding soon to prevent night wakening habits later in his toddler years! Good luck! N.

Hi M.!
My son is 13 months old and I'm still nursing 3 times/night. Everything I've read about the subject seems to be either black or white. On one side parents say the only way is to let the baby cry it out, nursing is unnecessary at this age, don't pick him up, just pat his back, and then he'll learn to sleep on his own. On the other side of the coin, parents say to pay attention to your baby's cues and follow them (that'd be the attachment parenting people who co sleep and nurse into toddlerhood). Incidentally, I just read that in the rest of the world it's common to nurse until 2-3 yrs, and one of our past surgeon general's (I can't remember her name) said that it is a lucky, happy, and healthy baby whose parents continue to nurse into toddlerhood. As I myself have been puzzling over the same questions you asked, I think that there's no one right answer. Every child's needs differ, as do every family's needs. What I'm going to try to do is be still for some time so I can drown out all of the differing advice, and try to follow my own mothering instincts to see what's best for my son. I'd love to talk more though if you want to exchange emails!

There is NOTHING wrong with a child his age wanting to nurse- night or otherwise. You should be very proud of yourself that you child still wants to nurse and can!

Don't beat yourself up- He wants to be with you- he finds comfort in your touch and presence.

Do you use cloth diapers?? You may find that if you use a good quality [not found in your local 'chain' baby store] cloth diaper and cover at night that you will not have to change him but instead be able to nurse him quietly and put him right back to bed.

We personally have a bassinet next to our bed. I'll feed the baby and many times he'll end up sleeping next to me but I usually will put him in the bassinet after he is done eating. I find that with him close like this even if I'm not nursing or holding him he will sleep much better as he knows I'm only an arms reach away. This however may not be the best solution for you.

Is there a reason you don't want him to nurse at night? Are you actively trying to wean him? At 8 1/2 months he is probably not ready to wean- also with all the changes going on with him (growing, experiencing new things, etc) it may also be a comfort that he needs. I see that you want him to wean around a year- that is still a number of months away. Do you pump and use that instead of formula---then he'll have the familiar taste and perhaps that will help.

When you feed him at night to you keep the lights off or low? Do you avoid stimulants like eye contact and talking? If you are wanting him to be able to eat and go straight back into bed you need to avoid anything that fully awakes your son- like diaper changing and bright lights and music. Slowly (could take days, weeks, etc) he will start sleeping longer stretches. Remember nothing lasts forever and each child goes through growth spurts and stages at different rates.

Visit www.llli.org and find a La Leche League in your local area. Give one of the leaders a phone call. They can talk with you about ANYTHING and give sound advice. It may also help to go to one of the local meetings--you can meet some other mom's in your area and also talk to those who have been where you are now.

If you want you can always contact me anytime- A. AT dinkerandgiggles DOT com. I'm a mother of three so more than likely I've "been there, done that" Also keep in mind---he's not going to nurse until he's in college- so enjoy this time that he does want and need you-- They grow fast and soon they don't want you- they want to be independent!

I'm a FTM, so I'm not sure about how this all works myself--I just do what I think is best.

My 20mo boy still nurses at night.

Yes, nursing at night can cause teeth problems. Make sure to brush them 2x a day to get out all the icky stuff.

I think if you dropped to 1-2 night feedings you would be fine. I'm all about letting my son tell me when he is hungry.

Right now he only nurses 2x at night and then right when he wakes up for the day.

If you are planning to wean at a year, you would probably do best trying to get his feedings down at night so it would be easier.

best of luck

It's definitely worth trying to soothe him another way if you can. However, my son is just as big and chubby and we have had the same issues with him. He still doesn't sleep through the night at 10 months. After a lot of researching and reading, I've found out that this is actually completely typical and healthy for breastfed babies (as much as we might not like it). The good news is that, at 10 months, my son seems to be starting to outgrow it. We put him to bed at 7 and he usually now sleeps through until about 3 or so, nurses, and then goes back to sleep until 7 or so. So it will get better. Keep up the good work, and try not to listen to those people who tell you to let him cry it out!

I've read both sides, the "your baby doesn't need night feedings at this age, let him CIO" and the "follow your baby" AP style. I fell in the middle. When I decided to try to start weaning him (right after his 1st bday) my ds was nursing 4 times a day and at least 3 times a night. That's a lot for a 1 year old in my book! Well, when it was time to cut night feedings we started with the first. My dh would go in and do whatever he needed to do to console him (which ended up being sleep with him). After he seemed to be over that feeding we would cut out the next one in the same manner. I NEVER went into the room at night while we were doing this, I just sat in our bed biting my nails listening to make sure my ds didn't cry for too long:) My ds definitely wasn't nursing for food at night at this point so I felt perfectly okay cutting them out, he just wanted to the comfort... which we game him in the form of daddy. Of course, your dh has to be willing to be tired for awhile (and a little frustrated if consoling your ds takes awhile). We took this all very slowly so we would traumatize him as little as possible. So, in that respect we followed his cues and let him guide the weaning process. In all, I have to say he weaned MUCH easier than I thought he would. Good luck.

I think because every baby is so different that you just have to follow your heart. I miss nursing so bad! I wish I could of done it longer than I did, and now that I now it can be done...I will when #2 comes along.....whenever that happens.....I think feeding at night is perfectly fine....I tried this method of feeding in the middle of the night that seemed to work very well....I would feed for like two min on a breast then lay them down again....if need be.I would go then and pump(if you can)....that way your supply will not go down....Good luck, and keep feeding...

Hi M.,

I'm going through something similar with my almost 20 lbs 5 month old. He isn't on solids , but he does wake several times a night to feed. I'm not an advocate of the cry it out method - I think it's cruel, especially in this first year of life when he's learning trust, security and that his needs will be met. What I've just started doing is breaking the latch with my finger a little earlier then he usually does himself. I notice that he is actually asleep and just sucking. I figured that by slowly shrinking the time he is nursing he will eventually not need to nurse in the middle of the night. If he is hunger and really sucking it down I don't do this. Anyway, that's my two cents. good luck and let me know how it turns out. I almost posted a similar request but you and I must have been on the same wave length;) Thanks

H.

Well first I just want to say congratulations on sticking with breastfeeding. It is definitely not always easy and even more challenging when you are still doing three feeding per night! To help get my daughter used to eating during the day and sleeping through the night I made sure she ate on a good schedule during the day and I was very quiet and kept things very dark when she awoke at night. I also pumped milk during the day so her last feeding could be a bottle (which took about two months for her to get used to but she finally got it). This way her Dad could feed her once a day, and I also felt like my milk supply was low at night, but by pumping she was getting more. For a few months she was drinking up to 8-10 ounces at her last feeding, and eventually slowed down to 4 ounce bottles of breast milk. But every child is so different and needs different amounts of milk and sleep. I think you are very strong for continuing to breast feed! And I wish you the best of luck!

Your son is definitely too old to be waking up in the middle of the night for feeding. He should be sleeping through the night. He is used to you coming in whenever he cries. He is counting on that. Until you toughen up and let him cry it out, you will not get any peace. He will continue this pattern until you decide to put a stop to it. It won't be easy, but it needs to be done.

I am a SAHM of 3 children (8, 3, 14 months). I had a similar problem with my oldest when she was a baby. I am so glad that I made her cry it out.

He may be hungry at night, but he could certainly be getting in those calories during the day if he could get rearranged. Breast milk is known to not cause tooth decay, so don't worry about that. You may try decreasing the duration of the feed, or try giving water instead and slowly backing off that way. You'll know when it gets to the point that you have to be firm.

A thought that falls in the middle: have you tried nursing him when he wakes, but more briefly? I did a sort of taper method on my son so that I would nurse him for a minute or two less each night when he woke to eat with the idea that it would get him used to being less full overnight and it would eventually not be worth getting up for. Mine did, but he also decided to CIO himself (decided he didn't want to be consoled with or w/o the breast, and had to then cry until he fell asleep. It took 2 nights, and we've not had a bad night since) IF he's big enough, you could switch to Huggies Overnights and save yourself the diaper changes, at least. Good luck.

My daughter did most of her nursing at night until she weened. We co-slept so it was not a big deal. She was just too nosy to pay attention during the day and wanted to be in the action. None of my children slept through the night until they were at least 8-9 months old, and by sleeping through the night I mean from 11 until 7. Breastmilk digests quickly, and especially if he is a big boy, he probably needs to eat at night. Expecting him to sleep for 11 hours straight may not be a realiztic expectation at this point. All of my children nursed at night and only one had tooth problems. I asked my dentist, and she said it had more to do with a bacteria in the mouth than nighttime nursing.
My daughter has not nursed for almost 2 years, and I miss it, nighttime nursings and all. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Hi M.,

You are doing a great job! It is perfectly normal for your baby to need to nurse during the night - especially because he is such a big boy. He needs lots of food to keep his body growning strong. Every baby is different - so there really isn't any right or wrong. Some babies sleep through the night very early - and others don't until they are toddlers. You know your baby best - so if it seems like he is hungry, then he probably is and you should continue to meet his needs. Nursing will not affect his teeth and don't listen to any dentist that tells you it will. For the nighttime diaper changes - I usually put my son in a size bigger at night than he wore during the day - that way I didn't have to change him as often during the night. We also co-slept with our son so he coudl nurse whenever he needed to at night and I slept through most of it. At 11 months, we transitioned him back into his own bed because he was too squirmy to stay in ours.

Keep up the great work! And listen to your instincts.

J.

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Hello M.,

I am 42 yrs old with 3 children, daughter 5hrs old and twin boys 3.5 yrs old. I breast fed all of them. From experience your son should be sleeping thru the night. Is he sleeping alot during the day? I know it is tough not to pick him up butI guarantee if you let him do that a couple of nights he will know ou mean business. He is not stupid even for an 8.5 mth old. Always offer breast first then solid foods. How much did he way when he was born. Newborn double their weight in ine year. I am know expert, but I had this wonderful lactation lady that I have learned alot off of. I hope this helped you out. Good luck and take care.

Angela

I don't think you need to worry so much about it. This sounds pretty normal. My first son used to get up and eat in the middle of the night throughout most of the first year. When he did finally sleep through the night, it was a maximum of 8 hours before he would want to be awake and eating again.

Here are a few things to remember... Breast milk is much more easily digested than formula or regular food. This means that his belly will feel empty sooner. If you want to help him sleep a little longer at night, try a bedtime snack before you breastfeed him at night. A little bowl of cereal or a jar of fruit or vegetable. It will take a little longer to digest and might help you get a little longer sleep time out of him.

My youngest is formula fed (had a bottle early for medical reasons and then refused to breastfeed... we tried for 6 weeks without success). He takes a bottle around 10 pm and wants to eat again between 6 and 7 am. I think asking for 11 hours straight might be a push for a while longer. By age 2, he will be there. (My kids are 8 1/2 years, 3 1/2 years, and 8 1/2 months).

As for his teeth, I don't think you need to worry. Make sure he is not falling asleep with milk in his mouth. It is the milk left in his mouth that would harm his teeth. You can keep a washcloth handy to soak up any left over milk in his mouth before you lie him down. But honestly, we never really had a problem with this and rarely did they have milk left in their mouth. So far (knock on woods) no cavities for my kids!

He will outgrow night nursing but it is a matter of perspective and what you call a night. You will probably be able to get a good 8 hours out of him at this point. Like I said, give the snack a try. Also, make sure he is really breastfeeding before falling asleep and not using you as a pacifier to drift off. If you isn't eating as much as at other feedings wake him back up and to eat some more. It may just be that he is not getting enough before he drifts off to sleep.

Anyhow, I hope this helps. Please feel free to email if you have any other questions or worries. I can share what we've gone through and see if it helps you. Good luck with your little guy.

This is a combination between comfort and hunger. Mostly comfort probably. KUDOS to you for nursing a big boy for so long! I've had to supplement some formula, which I didn't want to do, but one benefit is that it sticks to my little mans ribs longer! Anyway, the key is eating enough during the day all day long, not just before bed. You should practically force feed him as much as you can all day, food and milk, and beef up the pumped breast milk bottles with cereal. Straight breast milk for a boy this age is often not enough to last him long. And he's addicted to the cuddly comfort after 8 months. After about 3 days of increased day time eating, he should be sleeping longer at night. When it comes to breaking the comfort of nursing, you'll have to stand tough and stop nursing at night. He'll get used to it in a few days. The longer you wait, the harder it will be. Very best wishes to you for some good sleep!

I had the same problem as you. My son was breastfeed and on cereal by that age. The solution we used was having my husband do the entire night time routine. Tyler would still wake up and cry. It was really hard for me but we did the Ferber method. The first two nights ere the hardest. After about an hour though he fell asleep. The third night and on were a breeze. Your son can smell your breast milk from a great distance so if you go in and comfort him he will want to nurse. My husband would go in and comfort him. The big thing we both had to avoid was picking him up. He has slept through the night, 7:30p.m.- 6:30a.m. since he was about 9/10 months old. All I can say is good luck and lean on your husband for support when your little guy starts to cry. Some mom's have also had their husbands put the baby down with a t-shirt that the mom has worn. Usually slipping it over the mattress. Good luck!

M.,
It is of course reasonable to expect your 20+ lb 8 month old to make it through the night- you should absolutely expect it, but his expectations are reasonable as well, since you've continued to nurse him through the night. My advice to you is to gradually decrease your feedings throughout the night. He is NOT hungry, he is waking out of habit. At the same time, try to increase the amount of feedings you are giving him during the day, so you know he is getting his nutrition during daytime hours and not during the night. He will definitely be pissed at night when you don't go in, but he will get over it and become a more independent sleeper. My two slept through the night ay 10 and 12 weeks- 12 hours. I have a 7 month old. Good luck.

Hi M.
First remember that each child is unique and indivdiual. My daughter suddenly became a good sleeper almost overnight. My son is 2 1/2 and we still have nights like you describe. I still nurse. However he has a rare disease which the pediatrician thinks is liked to his lack of sleeping. My kids both got to bed with water sippy cups and believe it or not it did not interfere with potty training. That may help but he is just 6 months so I'd just get some good sleep books and widdle down the checklist. I did that but again, was unsuccessful. If mine cries, he throws up and that leads to a whole other level of fun in the middle of the night. As far as teeth, should not be any issue. Good luck. T. in DE
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HI M.,
Is your son napping a lot through the day? Maybe decrease his napping time so he is really tired at night. Also, I think I tend to agree that he has trained you to do what you are doing. When he wakes up--of course he wants to do what he knows best--get you near him and nurse! After all, what else does he really know? I think you're gonna have to train HIM on this O.! Make sure he has a full belly at night and is very tired. Even if that means putting him down a little later. You will probably have to let him cry it out at some point. We used to drive my son around in the car when he was in that phase--sounds like your chair is similar. At least you're not paying for the gas! LOL So I would suggest limiting naps, bed a bit later and make sure he's got a full belly (milk & cereal) at night. Nobody wants to hear their kid cry, but "cry it out" worked for us in about 3-4 nights. Good luck!

Hi M.! That is so tough. I really feel for you. I don't have too much advice or knowledge but I would think about trying to get him to eventually take a bottle. I was nursing and unfortunately became very ill and lost my milk supply. Right before I became ill, I noticed my son (who was 4 months) was extremly hungry all the time. I couldn't keep up with him. Once I consigned myself to the fact that I had to use formula, he has been doing so much better. In fact, we are hoping for a third night of sleeping through the night. Does he go to sleep by himself when you put him down for naps and bedtime? If not, sleep training might be something you want to think about. Once we did that, my son's sleeping was so much better. We went from 2 times a night, to one, to nothing within 1 1/2 months. I really like the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. It addresses this exact problem in the book. Best of luck!!!

If you are okay continuing to nurse him during the night at this age, then stay with it, but our pediatrician told us that between 4 and 6 months of age a child no longer needs the nutritional intake from night nursing and that a child can go 7-8 hours without being fed. For your son, it is obviously a comfort factor (our son was large as well and could sleep from 10PM until 8AM the next morning by 5 months old). If you do stop to nurse him during the night, be prepared to either comfort him to sleep or let me cry it out, because it won't be easy. Good luck!

I feel your pain! I have 4 and my youngest is 8mo. old and still gets up to nurse every 3 hrs. He is my worst sleeper and it gets very frustrating. Part of it is maturity, the other part is training. I KNOW how hard it is to let them cry, I did it with my other 3 and it took no time at all for them to learn to sleep on their own, but I am having a hard time letting Alex cry. A couple of weeks ago I started putting him down for his nap while he was awake (but VERY sleepy) and the first day he cried for 15 min. the next 5 min., after a couple of days he started going on his own to bed at night. It is hard to hear them cry, but if they are safe and dry and fed then you know they are ok and it is just temper (yes, temper even at this early age). Now that he is use to going to sleep on his own I am going to leave him be if he wakes up to nurse 3 hrs. after I put him down. I know from his eating habits that he can go MUCH longer than 3 hrs. b/t feedings. That part it training, the longer I get up to feed him every 3 hrs. the longer he'll keep doing it and the madder he'll get when I don't do it. I know from experience what I need to do, but I am having a hard time doing it with this one. Alex will not take a bottle either or a paci and my husband helps all he can, but now it's time for me to deal with it, it its hard, but trust me-it is SO nice when they are finally trained. Grab some tissues, turn up your music or go outside, but hang in there. My oldest daughter only cried for 30 min. 1 night and that was it, so take heart and hang in there-sleep is a beautiful thing for both of you! Good luck-
G.

Wow! Just went thought this w/ my 7 month old son. He too was breastfed and had to be rocked to sleep, woke upon hitting the sheets, woke 2-3 times a night, and refused to take a bottle. Wish I could give you an easy solution, but it was a hard 4 weeks....We had to let him cry himself to sleep, and would not respond to his cries at 11pm, 4 am. He was programmed to wake and be comforted and fed. He does not need to eat that many times.(he is also 21 lbs) We had to reprogram him, and it was a long hard 4 weeks w/ many tears from he and I. I eventually gave up breast feeding (not w/out much guilt) because he could not do boob and bottle. Formula seemed to satify him more when he took the bottle, and I dont think I produced enough. Make sure he drinks more during the day since night seems to be a big feeding time for him. I am happy to report tht he now goes to bed at 7pm after 5 min of tears (was usually a 1/2 hr)eats again at 11pm (while he is still asleep) and then wakes at 6am. We are all much happier. Good luck reprogramming your baby! You can do it and will be so much happier w/ uninterrupted sleep.

For both of my kids it was just one of those things....we went to bed and when we woke up it was morning. My husband and I both looked at eachother and asked if the other got up with the baby, neither of us had. The baby made it through the night and that was it. Both of my kids did this at 2.5-3 months old. Now my daughter who is 2 still wakes up almost every night but does go back to sleep with out anything. My son is 10 months and he sleeps 12 to 14 hours a night. I always give him a bottle before bed, and he sleeps all night. So for both of my kids they did it on there own. I don't know if maybe you could try to get him down after he wakes up the first time without feeding him again. See what happens. Every child is different, maybe he really is hungry. Or maybe the breast milk isn't enough, what I mean is maybe it doesn't fill him enough to make it 12 hours. I don't know if there is anything else you can give him. I breast fed my children for a bit, I was seriously ill after I had my son and had to stop breast feeding. He was then put on formula. I did notice that it's a little thinker than breast milk. But I don't want to offend I think it's wonderful that you completely breast feed, that was my plan too. Maybe you could pump and add a little cereal to it, maybe that would make him feel a little more full. We did that with our daughetr and for a while she slept great. Now we have a whole other issue...Night Terrors. I hope I was of some help to you. Good Luck, but I really don't think he should be needing the extra feedings, unless he really is hungry. In that case try the cereal. Good Luck
C.

Hi M.:
I think every baby is different but I can tell you about my two. I nursed them both at night until a year and then at that point felt they could make it 11 hours without nursing. Once we made that decision I had my husband go in at night, pat them on the back and leave. With my daughter (now 3.5) she screamed for a few hours for the first few nights and then started sleeping through the night, no problem. My son (now 16 months), he was fine with the pat on the back and that was it. I still nurse my son before bed and in the morning. I"m trying to let him wean on his own because I weaned my daughter at 14 months and it was miserable for both of us.

Breastmilk won't hurt his teeth. Use your instinct. If you think he's actually hungry then nurse him but if you think he's just doing it for comfort maybe consider letting him cry it out. I think I've heard that by 9 months they don't need to eat at night but I'm not sure where I heard that. I love the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby" - it really helped me out.

Good luck!
Jen

Hi M.. Here's what worked for me. Maybe it will help you. About that age was when I weaned my son from night feedings. He was using a sippy cup for water during the day so I gave him one at night too. I put it in his crib and when he would wake up I would go into his room and hand him his water. At first he would just throw it down, but I would hand it back and tell him that if he was thirsty he could drink his water. I was't sure he would understand me but he caught on very quickly. It took a few nights of this but eventually he got the idea and would just get his sippy from his crib and drink without waking me up. Hope this helps. Good luck.

M.,

I am in the same boat as you. My daughter is a few days shy of 8 months and usually nurses 2-3 times during her night, from 7:30PM to 8 AM. I nurse her to sleep and she usually wakes up when we come to bed (she sleeps in our room) and then again around 3 AM.

At this age, they may not be able to go all night without eating. Breastmilk is much easier and quicker to digest than formula. It is usually not recommended to even attempt night weaning until they are over a year old. It's very, very common for breastfed babies to wake at night - and ours are on the low end of the waking spectrum.

Studies have shown that breastmilk is as gentle on teeth as water.

As a word of warning, there's another sleep regression around 9 months where they can start waking all the time again.

Hang in there mama! You are giving your litte man an incredible gift by nursing him - it's the best possible start for him.

Is there a reason you want to wean at one year? The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and continued breastfeeding until at least one but preferably as long as is mutually desired by mother and child. The WHO has the same recommendations, but says to continue until at least two years of age. Our little ones are still getting nutrition as well as comfort from nursing. As they get older, the frequency and duration of nursing usually decreases. Many older toddlers are only nursing a handful of times per day, usually just for napping, going to bed at night, or when they need to calm down.

You may have some difficulty weaning at a year. At 12 months, approximately 75% of his nutrition should still be coming from breastmilk. Some children are not keen on giving this up quickly.
Best wishes to you.

S.

M.. I have four sons. I breast fed the first two til they were able to handle a sippy cup. No bottles especially plastic ones. The last two were twins so I did that as along as I could (7 months). His teeth will be fine. Breast milk doesn't cause tooth decay, but sleeping with a bottle of anything other than water may. Every baby has to figure out the schedule that YOU put him on.

He may not be getting enough from you milk at night. Try eating something before you go to bed. It may make him more full. Also if he can hold a sippy cup, try it. My oldest was 20 lbs at 5 months (dad is 6-5 and i'm -9) he was a biggun'. He could walk at 10 months, and I didn't want him dependent on a bottle.

Talk to him instead of feeding him. Try to give him some water. Sometimes dehydration acts like hunger. His teeth will be fine. He's not to "old" to nurse. Don't think in western terms. Think along the lines of, "this is my son, my first born child, I want to enjoy him as long as I can, I need to teach him to cope with sleeping on his own".

Sometimes the crying can hurt you, but you'll be fine. Only the oldest twin cried, honestly, he was the only one. He may have to cry. He'll be fine. He will refuse a lot of things until he realizes he can't have them anymore. Boys can be taxing from day one. work on giving him a bottle or a sippy cup that requires him to suck the liquid out as part of his daily routine. He'll come around, and you'll finally get some rest.

Hi M.,

When I weaned my older son off of night nursing (your son is NOT too old for nursing, but also doesn't really need to be fed at night), I did a few things. Here is what worked for me:

I made sure that he was nursing & eating enough in the day. We finished the evening with cereal & then I nursed him to sleep.

During the night when he fussed, I learned to listen to see if he was just sort of fussing "in his sleep" & would eventually go back or if he was really waking up. I was always so quick to get up & go to him prior to night weaning - sometimes too quick because he wasn't always necessarily waking up - just making some noise.

I'm not a "cry it out" person so I knew that wasn't going to work for me. I turned to "The No Cry Sleep Solution" for advice.

When I started listening to my son before going to him, sometimes he'd go back to sleep & sometimes not. When he didn't go back to sleep (I never let him get to a full-on cry), I picked him up & cuddled/rocked him back to sleep, but no nursing.

Eventually he woke up less at night usually not at all. My goal wasn't necessarily all night, but I really didn't want to get up more than once with him. I know it isn't that easy for everyone, but that worked for me. I do know that, if you wait until the toddler years to wean night feedings, it is MUCH much harder.

By the way, pediatricians often consider "sleeping through the night" to be six straight hours - I know it doesn't seem like sleeping through the night, but I guess it is! I also had to be mindful of when I was going to sleep after my son went down. Sometimes I was my own best enemy by taking advantage of the "alone time" & not going to sleep myself.

Good luck! I hope you are sleeping longer soon.

You could have just written my story! My son is also 8 & 1/2 months old now. He is a big eater and is also over 20lbs now. My son usually sleeps from 8:30pm to 7am with 1 to 2 wake ups to breastfeed. Here is what I have found...my son is hungry, he needs to eat & will sleep well when full (but never more that 8 hours). Recently we have had a great deal of success & are now at one wake up after 8 hours (I don't think I will have anything better than that until he is much older). What I have done is reduce the number of times I breastfeed during the day & increased his solid food. He now eats (solid) breakfast, lunch, dinner & night snack. We give him yogurt with rice mixed in at 7:30pm followed by a 6oz formula bottle at 8pm. (I think the yogurt is more of a help than the bottle, but his dad really likes having a chance to feed him. If your son doesn't like yogurt, I'm sure applesauce or something similar would work. I highly recommend including some grain in it. My son sleeps longer with the rice in his yogurt than without). He is usually asleep shortly after finishing his bottle. I then BF him at 4:30am when he wakes up. Sometimes I will BF him at 7am when he wakes again, if he seems like he needs it. He gets cereal at 8am. At 9am I BF and he is down for a nap by 9:30am. He will sleep anywhere from 1-3 hours. At noon he has lunch (solids). I BF again around 2pm and he usually goes down for another nap. When he wakes from the nap he either gets a snack (if it was a short nap & dinner is a long way off) or he doesn't eat again until dinner. Dinner is between 5:30pm & 6:30pm.
i want to comment about everyone who said he should not be waking up at night & he has just "trained" you to respond. I completely disagree. Yes, you could let him cry it out & he wouldn't starve & eventually he would learn to just sleep or cry at that time. However, from personal experience I can tell you my son is actually hungry. He's not doing it for comfort. I know this b/c for naps & at bedtime I put him down while he is still awake & he gets himself to sleep. Which means, if he wakes during the night then he has the ability to put himself back to sleep if he has no other issues. Also, on nights where he doesn't get that yogurt in, he wakes up a second time to get those calories. (I've tried adding more food to meals & additional snack times throughout the day, but they did not make him sleep any longer at night). Also by doctor definition, sleeping through the night is only 5-6hours. If your child is doing that, then he is already sleeping through the night. I believe my son has a fast metabolism, so he quickly digests the food he eats as a result he can only go so long between meals. (remember they have small stomachs at this age). At about a year, their growth should slow dramatically, so they won't need as much food. Our boys will probably still eat the same amount of solids, but it should be able to hold them off longer & they should be able to sleep longer as a result. And most importantly, we are almost there! Only 3 & 1/2 months to go. I know the first 8 1/2 months flew by for me, so I'm sure the last 3 1/2 will be over before I know it.
I know it is frustrating to hear from all these parents that have such great sleepers. I have 2 friends whose babies slept 8 - 12 hours at night from birth. THey couldn't understand why/how I was getting up every 2 hours to feed my son & I couldn't imagine how nice it would be to get even 4 hours of sleep. (I have to admit I was jealous of their peaceful night sleep). But I survived that & now I get about 6 hours uninterupted (I go to bed later than my son) & surprisingly that feels pretty good now. I know I am doing what is best for my son & that makes me feel good. You have to figure out what is best for you & your son & do that.
Good luck & know that you are not alone.

ts.