Why should we drop night time feeds?

Zodwa, I think it is always a good idea to hear all the opinions out there and then make a decision that suites you and your baby.
My baby always drank about 20 % less milk than what books/formula tin advised. My clinic sister was happy with her weight gain and all other aspects of her wellbeing was in place, so it was ok that she was drinking less milk.
Each baby is different keep that in mind.
However if there are other problems with your baby, maybe then speak to a doctor in regards to the milk intake.
If your baby eats well, drinks enough water, has regular nappies, I wouldn't worry too much.

Thanks for all the information ladies, very helpfull
He drinks 120ml every 4 hours, sometimes he'll go 5 hrs before he feeds. In the end he gets less than 600ml during the day. I doubt he'll ever drink more than this (120ml)
The past two days hes went for 7 hrs before he fed during the day so I feel like he's trying to cut out a feed or mayb it could b the teething. I feel he drinks too little for his age but is gaining weight beautifully & taking his solids well
I think I'll keep the night feed for now coz he dsnt get enough milk during the day.

As soon as my son was established on 3 solid meals per day and having the recommended 400-600mls of formula during the day I encouraged him not to have bottles at night anymore. He was about 4.5 months at the time. He actually did it on his own anyway without much persuasion from my side. But honestly I feel that once baby is eating properly in the day and night bottles are still given then it becomes a habit that is hard to drop especially as baby gets older. I have friends whose 2 yr old still has about 3 bottles in the night. He wakes and the only way to get him to go back to sleep is to give him a bottle. No thanks I certainly won't be doing that.

My toddler of 3 also has a toddler cup next to his bed everynight. He has water in it and drinks it if he feels thirsty. I do not have a problem with that at all. I just think that giving formula in a bottle should be stopped as soon as possible. If you think baby is thirsty then give them water to sip.

Zodwa: I would say that formula is bad for teeth at night so another reason to stop night feeds asap.

This is also very dependent on the baby. Luckily both mine dropped night feeds early and without too much trouble. And I know it is sometimes easier said than done.

I take a lot of the sleep sense/ baby sense stuff with a pinch of salt. A lot of it is reasonable advice, but for example my baby (only 3 and a half months old) goes 3 hours before his next "sleep cycle" I used to stress that he wasnt getting enough sleep and that he was over stimulated, but he is happy and is sleeping well at night. Somethimes I do have to rock to sleep, most of the time I can put him down in his cot no worries, it depends on how he is. I think the sugars in formula can cause teeth problems and because teats normally flow quite quickly its not a good idea to feed lying down no matter what age (you are supposed to bottle feed at a 45 degree angle), so if yo are feeding with a bottle then you have to try break the falling asleep with a bottle habit (use a dummy). Breastfed babies are different, and I will continue to demand feed for as long as possible. Most nights james sleeps from 10 till 5, occasionally he wakes at 2 - an if he does usually a little comfort suck helps him back to sleep. In fact I have given up with a dummy - he was actually starting to gag on it he hates it so much. I dont care its my bonding time with him. The BLW book advocates demand feeding for as long as possible because with self feeding they are often relying a lot on milk feeds to fill them, while the solids are an adjunct. Its only at about 9 months that self fed babies will start to gain more nutrition from solid foods and start eating more effectively. Before this time food eaten will be more explorative that nutritive and if not going with BLW then current research suggests only starting solids at 6 months anyway (despite most people still starting earlier) in which case going 5-6 hours on a milk feed is pretty good anyway!

I always take LO out of the cot and hold her for a feed morning noon or middle of the night, the main reason why she doesn't hold her own bottle yet. I was always very jealous of moms who could just prop up their babies with a bottle but nowadays I hate seeing people do it.

So hopefully no middle ear problems there

Here is another interesting article regarding the topic. I know this is for toddlers, but trust me, if you don't stop the night bottle ASAP, (with the approval of your pead that your LO is thriving and gaining enough wait and eating well), you are in for a fun battle later on!

www.toddlersense.co.za/articles/toddler-night-feeds.html

In the sleepsense books of babysense, which deals with sleeping isues under "undesirable sleep associations":

Allowing your baby to fall asleep while feeding not only encourages undesirable sleep associations, but can also contribute towards recurrent ear infection and teeth decay.

A friend of mine had her 2 year old this week at the dr. with middle ear infection. The doctor asked whether if he had bottles while lying down? He started lying down in his cot a month prior to the ear infection. So clearly giving a bottle at night (I presume LO will be lying while drinking bottle) can cause ear infections. (I wonder how many moms knows this???)

well, this is enough reason for me to stop the night bottle asap, because it can cause medical problems.