Nursing to sleep?

Christina - posted on 06/08/2010

I nurse my 7 month old for naps and night time. She sometimes wakes right up so I started for naps now that she is older if I know she's been filled up, I kiss her and say good night and leave the room. I leave her there for 20-25 minutes as long as she's not crying. She plays and rolls around and talkes but has put herself to sleep 5 times now. I only do this for naps and if she starts crying I pick her up and either help her get to sleep or we skip the nap. It all is seeming to work iteself out. Good luck!

Taskeen - posted on 06/07/2010

Thank you so much Lisa n April, You girls made me feel so great, i thought i was the only crazzy mom nursing my baby to sleep. Im so relaxed now!

Minnie - posted on 06/07/2010

Are you worried that years from now you'll have to nurse her to sleep still?



Every child grows out of the need to nurse for comfort. It's a gradual process.



I am not choosing to worry about it; I still nurse my 19 month old to sleep. One day she will not want me to do that, and I think I will miss it :).



i think nature has a way of weaning...nature has a way of making sure everything works out.



Exactly.

Amber - posted on 06/07/2010

I do. I've started feeding her and waking her up while and after she eats during the day to break the association. Then sleepy but awake I lay her down in her crib. She fussed a little at first but now she's fine.

April - posted on 06/07/2010

@Sylvia-- I like that "foolproof way to get her to sleep". it's so true. you know they're going to fall asleep and you even can guess how long it will take to nurse them down.

and so true about "endless back rubs"... only in my case it was "endless rocking until my arms fell off"

so i finally realized nursing to sleep is what works for our family. why fix what isn't broken?

Sylvia - posted on 06/06/2010

You know what? They all outgrow it eventually. Whether they do it as early as you wish they would is another question -- but I can about guarantee you're not going to end up nursing an 8-year-old to sleep :)

I was actually disappointed when DD stopped nursing to sleep (I think she was about 3), because it was much easier than the endless back rubs. But she outgrew those, too, and now she can put herself to sleep just fine, thank you, and even sleeps in her own bed most of the night.

Having a foolproof way to get her to sleep anywhere -- at home, in a hotel, at someone else's house, on a plane, on a train, in a restaurant ... -- was so easy and convenient that I considered it worth the occasional hassle when someone else had to put her to sleep (which didn't happen that often -- DH and I don't get out much ;^)). If I had another baby, I'd do the same thing.

Maggie - posted on 06/06/2010

My son wont sleep without being nursed either.......Unless he is in his swing or car seat. But most day naps and his night time I nurse. We both love the time.

Angie - posted on 06/06/2010

I have nursed both of my girls to sleep. My oldest, just after 2 years old, started unlatching herself before falling asleep and she'd roll to the side and just cuddle while she fell asleep. My baby is 20 months old and she's just started occasionally doing that. In their own time they will be able to fall asleep without nursing.

April - posted on 06/06/2010

i like erin's choice of words-- "cross that bridge when you get to it"

and i like choice of words too-- "i never did anything cold turkey with him" and "i made him feel like he was making the choices"

i think those ideas are both key

Tanya - posted on 06/06/2010

I nursed my son to sleep for naps and bedtime and when he woke up in the night ... as he got older he was the one that stoped wanting to nurse in the middle of the night and just wanted me to lay with him on his bed for a few minutes till he went back to sleep.
Getting him to sleep at night without nursing was a little tricky, but there were not very many tears if any.
My milk had dried up and he was dry nursing and together we slowly would limit the amout of time allowed to nurse and I would sit in the chair we nursed in and I would hold him the same way he was just not nursing.
After a few days of this we went to lay on the bed and now I will tell him its bedtime and he will jump into bed and grab his blankie and lay down. It now takes up about 10 minutes to go to sleep. He was talk for a few minutes and then give kisses and fall asleep.

Any change that I did, I made sure he felt like he was in control and never did anything cold turkey on him

Erin - posted on 06/06/2010

i agree with april, as long as its not a problem for you then i wouldnt worry about it for the time being. when it comes time to wean i am sure you will find other ways to get her to go to comfort her to sleep like, story time, a teddy bear, blankey, or just simply cuddling. i say if it works for you then dont stress about it, cross that bridge when the time comes and just continue to enjoy nursing her to sleep now.

and hey if worst comes to worst just kick her out of the house when is turns 18, then she will have no other choice but fall asleep some other way!! haha jk :)

April - posted on 06/06/2010

i nurse my 17 month old all night and i also nurse him down for naps.

i'm not worried about it, when he stops needing/wanting to nurse, he'll sleep through.

If i abruptly weaned and didn't let him decide, i am sure it would be hell to get him to sleep and stay asleep. i just know it.

i think nature has a way of weaning...nature has a way of making sure everything works out.