nursing to sleep

[Jaymelynn]

My lo is 9 weeks and pretty much will only fall asleep if he is nursing. I do not mind doing it. If anything I feel like I am being lazy because it is the easiest/fastest way for him to fall asleep. He is a good nighttime sleeper, but an awful napper. The problem comes in because I will return to work in February. My oh will be watching him for 2-3 months then he will go to daycare. I worry that he already has a strong association with nursing and falling asleep that he wont nap for them. He will not take a pacifier, I have tried 5 kinds- haha. I suppose I am hoping that he will learn to fall asleep different ways with different people. I have not been able to test this out since I am pretty much always alone with my son. My oh works on a ship so he is gone for three months at a time (he left a month ago). Should I start trying other ways to get my lo to sleep? I am so nervous about going back to work because of this and pumping. eek!

 

[Elmo5]

Don't bother. Your little one will adjust when you are not around.

 

[Jaymelynn]

Thanks! Honestly that was the answer I was hoping for, haha. I am not lazy resorting to nursing to have him sleep?

 

[w8ing4bean]

No its not lazy its perfectly fine! This used to be the only way phoebe would nap too, but now she will go down in her pram if i rock her. I nurse to sleep at bedtime tho xx

 

[Elmo5]

Not lazy at all. It is a nice time for bonding.

 

[Casey3]

He'll adjust when you're not there eventually. And don't feel guilty nursing to sleep.. my guy is 23 months and I still do it.. really don't know any other way to get him to sleep apart from the car and that doesn't even always work! haha.

 

[Jaymelynn]

He'll adjust when you're not there eventually. And don't feel guilty nursing to sleep.. my guy is 23 months and I still do it.. really don't know any other way to get him to sleep apart from the car and that doesn't even always work! haha.

Haha. The car sometimes works for my lo too. In the 23 months of bf-ing has anyone else had to put your son to sleep? Will he sleep for them?

 

[staralfur]

Yes, he'll adjust.

I still nurse my LO to sleep but my mom has to put her down for naps when I'm at school, and my DH puts her to bed when I'm working. They both figured out their own ways to get her to sleep and she responds well to them while still nursing to sleep when I'm around.

 

[MommyJogger]

Another vote that he'll adjust. My DS would only nurse to sleep for me, but fell asleep fine for others when I was away. Enjoy!

 

[snowfia]

I always fed DD to sleep until we stopped at about 16 months. OH could get her to sleep too as she couldn't smell milk on him I'm guessing so she always went to sleep quicker with him haha.
I feed DS to sleep and will carry on doing so for however long he wants. He'll go to sleep when lying next to OH if I'm not lying there too though.

 

[DianaB]

Like everyone else says he'll adjust. My lo will not sleep or be comforted by me any way other then nursing. My DH and mother are both able to rock her to sleep and comfort her, that is unless she sees me and knows that boobies are still an option.

 

[SarahBear]

My advice is, don't worry about it. Stick to feeding to sleep. Your baby knows that you have the breasts and it's cruel to deny him that comfort when it's right there. When someone else looks after him, he'll know that the milk isn't there and will find other ways to fall asleep. He might also be comforted by a bottle to sleep. I went back to work when Violet was 2 months old and she needed to feed to sleep, but a bottle did the trick for her. Then after a while, it was going for a walk that put her to sleep, although she would still need to be full on milk before the walk, in order for it to work. Now at 13 months, She still feeds to sleep when I'm with her and will fall asleep on a walk without milk if she's with my husband. Your husband will figure out a routine that works for him and your son. While milk might still be involved in the form of a bottle, things will fall into place. It may be rough to start, but remember, this will be a big change in your son's life. *hugs* hang in there,

 

[Bevziibubble]

It's not lazy and your little one will adjust when you're not there. I still nurse Holly to sleep at 21 months but she is capable of being held by my husband and going to sleep on him

 

[Jaymelynn]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and sharing your experiences! Since I posted this my lo let me just rock him to sleep in the middle of the night when he had gas/stomachache. It will be a big adjustment having someone not me putting him to sleep and not nursing, but I am glad it can be done.