Breastfeeding weaning help needed

Maybeanotherday

Hello Im really struggling my baby is now 10mths old, Ive bf from the start and Ive managed to get her to stop feeding from me daytime but she uses feeding to get to sleep on a night. Ive stopped feeeding her to sleep and putting her down while still awake but shes going nuts, I hate listening to her cry and end up going back to her. She wakes every night at least three times a night, its taking its toll on me and my hubby relationship wise and Im exhausted. I really need advice on what to do...anyone any brilliant suggestions? or been through this?

FatVonD

I'd see that as two separate issues, you could still be breastfeeding but not letting her fall asleep on the breast. I'm assuming that, at 10 months, she is on some solids so she's waking you in the night, not because she's hungry but because she has woken (as we all do many times a night but don't remember it) and doesn't know how to get herself back to sleep again.

It's really hard (and it took me until my son was 18 months ) but you really do have to let her get to sleep on her own. I was amazed at how few times I had to leave my son before he fell asleep and then he slept through the night for the first time ever

Do you actually want to give up breastfeeding anyway or are you doing it because you think it is the cause of your sleepless nights?

wik

with my youngest now 15 DD I had to stop quickly with the night feeds due to needing some medical treatment, she was 13months old and was just having 2 small feeds at night. this may not work for you - but i got her dad to give her a bottle - with me no where near,
another bit of advice! if you going to stop - you may need some green cabbage leaves if you get a bit engorged!

squashy

http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Baby_Friendly/Leaflets/caringatnight_web.pdf

Some great tips here. 10 months is still very little in the scheme of things and milk is still the main source of nutrition. Worrying about sleeping through the night could end up making you sleep less! If you can learn to nurse lying down you might feel more rested.

mgdavid

our second one didn't sleep through the night until he was 2! You do get through it so just hang in there.

Maybeanotherday

Basically for a quiet life she starts off in her cot but makes her way into the bed around 2am. Her feeds as they stand are around 7.30pm, 11pm, 2am, 4am, 6am.
I dont really mind breastfeeding her if only I could do the morning and night one, rather than all the way through the night.
she eats three meals a day and has snacks so I'm not convinced shes hungary...

Crabapple

Eeep, that is a lot of wakes. And I speak as mum to a 7.5 month old who normally wakes me 3 times.

I'm wondering why you are worried about feeding to sleep? If it's a problem for you then that's fine, but it tends to be something that others get in a tizz about, especially Health Visitors, and there really isn't a problem with it - they absolutely will learn to self settle at some stage and you aren't spoiling them or anything by doing it.

Personally I prefer to feed to sleep (did it with my eldest til she was nearly 1) cos it means not having that awful crying period and desperately trying a million things to settle them when boob would do it in next to no time!

Dr Jack Newman who is a bf expert has a gentle night weaning plan which might work for you, certainly worth looking into. I was trying to find a helpful link to it but lots of bits and bobs coming up that weren't actually pointing me in the right direction, sorry!

Maybeanotherday

The whole idea of crying it out thing is just about finshing me off Ive just put her down for over 20 minutes she was tired, but because I didnt feed her to sleep she has screamed blue murder I caved in after 20minutes and fed her again shes now asleep but still doing little gulps in her sleep. Its shocking

Maybeanotherday

Crabapple wrote: »

Eeep, that is a lot of wakes. And I speak as mum to a 7.5 month old who normally wakes me 3 times.


Personally I prefer to feed to sleep (did it with my eldest til she was nearly 1) cos it means not having that awful crying period and desperately trying a million things to settle them when boob would do it in next to no time!

Did they learn to self sooth from a year old? and how?

bloolagoon

The issue is you are her pacifier. In the same way a child needs a dummy to sleep then wakes during the night with no dummy and can't go to sleep on her own.

I don't think I could ever do the controlled crying thing either it seems so cruel. Could you perhaps try feeding until nearly asleep then put down then reduce the "nearly asleep" gradually over the next few weeks?

Maybeanotherday

thats what Ive been trying to do put her down before she falls asleep fully but she goes mad