Eliminating nursing to sleep

ohiodoxiemama08

So DD just went for her 6 month checkup and the doctor asked about her night wakings and if she was still nursing at night. I told her that she had regressed some and was sometimes doing three night wakings/feedings. She said that at her age and weight (which is 22 lbs 12 ozs fyi! Off the charts for weight, crazy!) that she shouldn't really need to nurse at night. She said that I really need to stop nursing her to sleep because whatever I do to get her to sleep is what she will want to get back to sleep. 

However DD has pretty much always nursed to sleep so I'm really scared for this transition (not to mention really tired of being tired and not sleeping!). Did anyone else do this recently? I am going to try to use her pacifier and A&A security blanket (as this sometimes will work to get her back to sleep without feeding in the middle of the night) and she already uses a sound machine as well. But any other tips/words of encouragement? She's already sleeping poorly so I'd love to make this better...just have some anxiety about the whole situation. TIA for any advice

Sstefan2011

Originally I wasn't into sleep training where I let Sylvie cry herself to sleep but after she regressed and was waking 2-3 times a night to eat I knew I had to do something. She used to nurse until she fell asleep but about a month ago she would nurse then start start thrashing around in my arms but I knew she was tried. So I put her in her crib awake. Sometimes she rolls over on her belly and goes right to sleep but sometimes she whimpers or cries a little. When she cries I walk out and let her go for 3 minutes then go back in and make sure her pacifier is in and rub her back for like 5 seconds then I leave again and let 4 minutes go by before I go back in and comfort her then 5 minutes. The whole process never goes on for more than 15 minutes.

When she wakes in the middle of the night I just go over, put her pacifier in and start her nighttime music and leave then she usually puts herself back to sleep from there. Sometimes she cries a little but not usually.

I was really worried about not feeding her in the middle of the night bc I knew it became a habit for her but she's doing really well. I expected it to be way worse. I hope this helps! Good luck!

this decaf life

I did sort of what PP did originally with the Ferber type method but let DD eat once at 1 AM. Now I offer the pacifier and her lovey and sometimes she'll lay right back down and either fall asleep or be really calm so I know she'll be able to put herself asleep on her own. If she's fighting the pacifier I feed her because she's EBF and I don't know exactly how much she eats a day and I'd rather just feed her than fight her for 40 minutes and have to feed her later in the night anyways.

She usually only wakes to eat once a night but sometimes twice, and she's usually up 1-2 times needing the pacifier. She is finding the pacifier though and sometimes has started putting it in her mouth herself but lots of nights she must get Hulk crazy angry because I find them thrown all over the room.  

I'm finding a lot of nights when she wakes up if I think about food I'm suddenly starving, so I don't really hold it against her if she wakes up and wants to eat! DD is pretty small on the scale though, I'm hoping as she gets bigger we can get rid of the MOTN feeding but I won't try to force her out of it for a few months still.

URMySunshine77

IDK what to think. DS likes to be nursed to sleep, but he can totally go to sleep on his own when he wants to. I'm just waiting a bit to see what happens. 

He has been waking up about two times a night. I fed him twice last night and he woke up and went back to sleep on his own twice, too. :-)

Like your LO, DS is big for his age (around 20 lbs.). 

Celicachic25

I don't have any ideas and I'm afraid the doctor will tell me the same thing tomorrow at his 6 month appt. I finally have him sleeping in his crib but he is waking 3-4 times a night and only quiets down with BF and goes back to sleep. My MIL lives with us and is closer to him than I, and she darts in there as soon as he makes a noise. I dont want to do CIO but would let him stir and see if he can put himself back to sleep. Maybe I need my DH or MIL to try to get him to go back to sleep since I'm tied to eating and comfort. I will be watching this for ideas.

URMySunshine77

Celicachic25 said:

I don't have any ideas and I'm afraid the doctor will tell me the same thing tomorrow at his 6 month appt. I finally have him sleeping in his crib but he is waking 3-4 times a night and only quiets down with BF and goes back to sleep. My MIL lives with us and is closer to him than I, and she darts in there as soon as he makes a noise. I dont want to do CIO but would let him stir and see if he can put himself back to sleep. Maybe I need my DH or MIL to try to get him to go back to sleep since I'm tied to eating and comfort. I will be watching this for ideas.

DH doesn't usually do this, but he was up late working and rocked LO back to sleep at 3 a.m. when he woke up crying the other morning. I don't think it is a problem if he is waking 3-4 times a night. 

Chappy_jr

Does she nurse to sleep for naps and bedtime?  If so, I would start there.  We eliminated nursing to sleep except for MOTN (and other moments of desperation) about a month ago and just started trying to wean DS from MOTN feedings last night.

ohiodoxiemama08

She does usually nurse for naps too, though we did get a nap in yesterday without it. However she had her shots yesterday and seemed really worn out.

Last night was rough. She went down without nursing but woke up several times and I finally gave in and nursed her around 4. She did sleep almost 4 hours straight then. I really think she was hungry at that point so I'm not sure the pedi's advice is the best for her at this point. We'll try again tonight but I am skeptical.

martha919

@Arichison08 Let me know how it goes. I'm trying to space out DD's night feedings more to slowly eliminate them (I'd be okay with one, but there's no way my huge chunker needs 3-4, lol) and I'd just like a buddy if you feel like it. :-)

ohiodoxiemama08

@martha919 I will let you know. Last night wasn't stellar but she had her shots so it could have thrown stuff off. I am fine with one feeding as well, that's what we used to have it down to (around 4 or 5) but the multiple night feeding stink. She actually only did nurse once last night but she woke up a lot (thank goodness DH agreed to do most of the wakeups). But we can definitely be buddies!

sammichele

I just decided to totally avoid talking about sleep training related issues with my doctor. I think that sleep training, feedings, etc are more of a parenting decision than a medical decision. If you feel that it is right for your child and your family to drop nursing to sleep and MOTN feedings, go for it. If you feel more comfortable keeping one or two feedings in the MOTN I think that's fine too. Like @PrivacyWanted said, I would think of it in terms of whether it is a problem for you or not.

Smiley-1980

I nurse DD to sleep for naps and bedtime and she never wakes up at night so she can obviously get herself back to sleep without it. I don't think you have to cut it out unless you want to.

bennikki

I also don't see a correlation between nursing to sleep and not being able to get themselves back to sleep if they wake in the motn.  DS has nursed to sleep for naps and bedtime since he was born, and though we had some trouble during the 4 month wakefuls, he has no trouble getting himself back to sleep without nursing.

I'd be so sad if DS didn't nurse to sleep.  It's such a special time for the two of us.  He's never been one to rock or snuggle to sleep, so it's nice to have that closeness from nursing.  DH gets him up in the morning before he goes to work, and that's when DS likes to snuggle and cuddle.  It makes me a little jealous of DH, but that's their special time together; I get mine when we nurse.