> Do you think that after six months old a child has a basic inherent need > for night feedings? > If there are a majority of responses indicating "need" at six months, I'll > consider myself humbled. > > Michael Sachs, M.D. > General Pediatrician What I think (and from practical experience with my daughter) is that there is NOT an inherent need for night feedings after ABOUT the age of 6 months. Amina (who is almost a year old) has had a *few* bottles in the middle of the night when she wasn't feeling well. I knew that she wasn't eating well during the day because she had a cold, or whatever, so she seemed happier after getting a night feeding just for those particular times. I usually find out from the parents if the baby is able to *occasionally* sleep through night - if they can, then there's definitely not a need for the night feeding and they can be counselled on how to get the baby "weaned". This is what I used to determine when to cut out the night feeding with Amina - actually happened when she was about 5 months old. I happen to agree with Barton Schmitt - kids can definitely be "trained" to feed at night which has many implications - TIRED parents, poor sleeping habits, dental caries, etc. Thanks to everyone who replied about the Babywise book. The parents of the 36 weeker have an appointment with me tomorrow and I printed out the responses to give them an idea of some of the concerns about this book. Eve H. Switzer, M.D.