I have a big dilemma that I've created myself.
My baby is 13 months. I'm still breastfeeding him through the night.
A typical schedule: He gets his last breastfeed at 9:00 p.m. Then he wakes up at 3 a.m. for his next feed. Then he will usually sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 and then he's up for the rest of the day.

I am not getting enough sleep, I know. I will catnap through the day when he is napping. He naps two hours at the most. I usually sleep from 11 to 2 a.m. Then I wake up in anticipation of him waking up. Then I'm up the rest of the time. After he falls back to sleep, I can't. I just lie and toss. So, in a typical 24 hour period, I only get 4-5 hours of sleep. And this has been going on for the past 13 months, so it's habitual now.

So, what do I do when I'm awake all night? I end up snacking-- and watching QVC or HSN for the rest of the night!

I just started on JC, and already, I've eaten my unplanned foods during the time I am up!

Any suggestions on how I can 'undo' this schedule? I'm positive that is the reason for my weight gain.

I totally know the feeling of hunger thru the midnight feedings...Baby #2 is 8 weeks old and wakes up once for sure but sometimes 2x - which is when the hunger pangs really growl at me Have you thought about pumping some milk so that your husband may bottle feed a few nights a week if he is able? I was solely pumping my milk and it helped the few nights my husband could help out - also I would be able to see exactly how many ounces my little guy was getting and if needed I would undress him, keep him up and made sure he finished however many ounces he needed to stay full. I agree that the lack of sleep can lead to unwanted lbs....it's amazing how much better you feel with a full night's sleep. Have you thought about maybe cutting out the middle of the night feeding? It's rough for a few nights - and really hard to hear them cry - but it all pays off when you look at the clock and you realize it's morning and you got a full night's rest.

I would suggest weaning your child off the middle of the night feedings. Most kids are fine giving up middle of the night feedings by 9 months, and all should be fine giving it up by 12 months unless there are extenuating medical conditions. It'll be a few rough nights weaning him off that feeding, but it'll be worth it in the long run for *both* of you, because you both need more sleep than you're getting. My DS is almost 11 months, and he now sleeps through from 7 pm to 7 am without feeding.

If you're not willing to wean him off those feedings yet, I would suggest going to bed earlier, and then not giving yourself the option of eating when you're up. Even if you can't fall back asleep, turn on a dim bedside lamp and read either until you fall asleep or your DS wakes for the day. If you really need to consume something, bring a bottle of water with you when you first go to bed, and drink that while you read so you don't have an excuse to go to the kitchen. You don't need food overnight, it's just a habit.

Good luck!

If you are still breastfeeding, then you are also on one of the higher calorie levels... even partial breastfeeding you should be getting at least 2100 calories... so save some of those extra calories for middle of the night if you are unable or unwilling to give up the middle of the night feeding.

You'll sleep better if you get in some sort of exersize during the day... even just taking baby for a brisk stroll around the block a couple of times. Also, look into local activity classes you can do with baby. My local rec center offers mommy & baby yoga classes and stroller fitness classes.

Take care,
Angela