Feeding to sleep for naps at 17 months

[blueblue]

My little girl night weaned at 11 months (she slept through for the first time one night, I decided if I didn't stop then, when would I ever stop and sent my OH when she woke for a few nights and she stopped waking). At the time, I was up with her for an hour a time, he could get her back to sleep in 5 minutes. She slept through from 11-15 months, then 16 months onwards.

She went to sleep unaided for naps from 8 1/2 months to 12 months, after 8 1/2 months for walking her to sleep in a stroller. I then started bf'ing for naps as she wouldn't go down in her cot any other way.

I'm still bf'ing morning and evening, and for naps when I'm not working. Has anyone else managed to get their toddler to go to sleep independently for naps after bf'ing to sleep, without stopping bf'ing? I'm reluctant to use gentle sleep training as the nights are OK at the moment (I know how lucky I am!). I'm also reluctant to stop bf'ing until she's going down for naps on her on, as I can't go back to walking her to sleep. Hoping to stop bf'ing soon, I don't want to be bf'ing a 3 year old to sleep for naps!

 

[noon_child]

My LO stopped falling asleep after feeds at around 3months so I didn't have that option. If I had I would definitely done it as the easy option! Nap time doesn't last forever so you wont be feeding to sleep forever (my LO dropped daytime naps at 2), however if you want to start the process, introducing something else alongside the feeding to become the new sleep association can help e.g singing, playing calm music, a routine of closing the blinds, sitting in a specific chair, saying the same words and phrases. Then once these things are established, you can try limiting the length of the feed (take a look at Pantley Pull Off maybe) so that the other parts of the routine take over.

However this of course can have its own problems, as while your breasts are portable, the other parts of your sleep routine may not be, which can make naps on holiday or at other people's houses problematic.

Because feeding stopped working for us I moved on to rocking, and I can tell you now I'd prefer to feed a toddler to sleep than rock them - arrrgggghhhhhh my shattered arms and back!

 

[blueblue]

Noon, thanks for the tips . You're right, it is easier than rocking! I didn't intend to bf past 6 months, but we had lots of trouble at the start and it was working so we carried on. I'm scared to mess with it, but feel like I shouldn't be feeding her to sleep now as everyone I know has long stopped. But it is so much easier x