Nursing to sleep...

[MissCurly]

Hiya, I've put this here as I think you ladies might understand my situation.

My little man is now 6 months, and exclusively breastfed.

He's never taken the dummy or bottle, and he falls asleep on the boob MOST of the time.

I don't really have a problem with this, but seeing as he's getting older, I want to know if anyone actually did this and their baby at some point decided they could actually sleep on their own?

My boy kicks up a huge fuss if i try and make him sleep any other way- bum patting, shushing etc. And he's such a calm, easy going baby, but boy! when it comes to his sleeping he goes crazy.

I guess I am just looking for a bit of reassurance that he wont still be wanting to sleep on the boob at 16!

 

[Bevziibubble]

Holly fed to sleep for a long time. It's only been the last few months that she will fall asleep lying on instead of the boob. She will still feed to sleep sometimes, but she is also happy to be cuddled to sleep. She can't self settle on her own and won't be put down, but she's capable of falling asleep on me now instead of the boob. Your LO will get there, it just takes a long time!

 

[MissCurly]

Thank you for your reply!

Its soo good to know we are not the only ones! I do wonder sometimes if I should have given him the dummy, or some comforter.

 

[seaweed eater]

He won't be wanting to sleep on the boob at 16. If this is causing problems for you (like if LO wakes every cycle and needs to nurse to re-settle), you will know it. If it's not causing problems, enjoy!

If you want to introduce a transitional object, like a soft toy or blankie, it's not at all too late. Mine didn't start to really like his blankie until he was older than your LO.

 

[TheNewMrs]

My daughter is 14 months and with me, she will only fall asleep on the boob. Thats something I am ok with.
She will fall asleep in a sling, in the car, with my husband rocking/singing to her, with my Dad, my FIL, my brothers, my step-mum all with no problems at all. She know's I have the boobies and she likes to fall asleep there.

That works for us.

 

[LuluSS]

My LO is the same age. He used to fall asleep on his own. Once 3.5 months hit, he start fighting sleep HARD. I even tried a little bit of sleep training but I just can't do it. So I am just going to nurse to sleep. I hear (from other women I know too), that around 12ish months they start transitioning and sleeping on their own. That works for me!

 

[snowfia]

The only way LO would go to sleep for about a year is if I fed her. Then OH could get her to sleep fine. And at about 14 months after a few weeks of trial and error I could get her to sleep by singing, rubbing her back etc. She was a nightmare the first week or so of me doing it but I didn't really want to have 2 relying on me feeding them to sleep, now she can get herself to sleep a lot of the time with me just sat in the room next to the cot.

 

[mackenzie]

I haven't read all of the responses so I'm probably repeating someone but what happened with dd1 is it just stopped putting her to sleep after a while. I can't even remember exactly when, but she was weaned at 22 minths, so by maybe 18 months she would have a feed and stories and cuddles and then I'd leave and she'd go to sleep. At that point I'd still feed her in the night when she woke, and she always did wake. We night weaned at about 21 months I think. Now she's 3 and goes to bed easily by herself most nights. It just took time! X

 

[MissCurly]

Thank you all for sharing.

The more I think about it, the more i find it stressful- in the sense that I wish my boy didnt rely on me so heavily to sleep.

I tried again last night to try and to cuddle/stroke/shush/etc to sleep but he just wasnt having it.
I hated that he just cried through it- and wouldnt sleep unless on boob, so i think i will try and get him a comforter, and if he takes to it, things should be a touch easier.

But who knows!!

 

[babyjan]

My LO is almost 18 months and I'm still waiting for him to fall asleep without boob!
Only place his slept without it is in the car.

 

[CatandKitten]

My DD still nurses to sleep at nearly 16 months. But other people can get her sleep (obviously without nursing) with little problem so I dont worry about it too much.

 

[XJessicaX]

I fed to sleep up until about 5.5 months, still do occasionally but now I do try to feed to drowsy. I lay on my side and LO feeds but the minute she looks like she is falling asleep I move her to her cot. I lay a hand on her and she will fall asleep. She now is self settling from being completely awake.

 

[Lauki]

I panicked so much about the same!
Eventually Sophie decided she didn't need to nurse to sleep anymore and we now just lay/sit next to her while she drops off.

Although I must admit I LOVE the times she nurses to sleep for either her nap or nighttime. But purely because it is just the easiest and quickest way! So convenient!

Not nursing her to sleep doesn't make her sleep better or worse, so I have long ago stopped worrying about it!

 

[Jess19]

I have been talking to my DH about this same thing!
Last week (Thursday I think) I finally got Charlotte to sleep by herself!(not on me)
I had been having a hard time moving her into her bed, she would wake every time I put her down. I would try and rock her and she would eventually fall back asleep, but not before trying to suck on my shoulder lol which is how I knew she just wanted the boob to sleep.
So finally I just laid her down and let her fuss for about 10 min then I came back and rubbed her belly.
The first night it took about 20-30 min. She def had her moments where she was pissed and wanted me to pick her up. But I did not, I just continued and slowly but surely she fell asleep.
Every night after that it seemed to get shorter by like 5 min .

It was very tough but it gets better, just don't give in, pick something and stick with it
Good luck!