No Naps Without Breastfeeding

c21237

Help! My LO refuses to take a nap or go to sleep at night without breastfeeding first and most times refuses to be put down at all, preferring to be held and access my breast throughout the nap. I need to break the habit of feeding/sleeping, but she literally won't sleep during the day without this practice. I'm sore and getting nothing done with her on my lap all day. Any advice or similar stories appreciated!

butchmum

I don't really have any good advice! The situation you describe sounds just like our eldest (now 5), who didn't sleep through the night till she was well-and-truly four years old, and still now has troubles getting to sleep. She never napped unless we were holding her, and even then slept very little. For years we thought we must've done something wrong and blamed ourselves for not having "sleep trained her properly". Fast forward to now, with our second, who was born Jan 4: he slept 12 hours through the night from a month onward and hasn't looked back. Sometimes I nurse him to sleep, but more often than not when he realizes he's sleepy he pulls of the breast and sucks his thumb instead. Often I put him down in the crib, wide awake, and he puts himself to sleep within 15 mins. For what it's worth, we did NOTHING DIFFERENTLY with these two babies in the first few months of their lives as regards sleep. One had trouble sleeping, the other sleeps like a champion. All of which is just to say: don't beat yourself up! It might just be her. Just try and figure out the best solution that you can. 

How long is she going at a stretch asleep at night? One possibility is that she might be waking up hungry, then not eating enough because she's sleepy, dozing off, rinse, repeat. What's your instinct regarding the feeding: is she feeding because hungry, or sucking primarily for comfort?

c21237

Thank you for your response! She is a dream at night. Wakes up once to feed and goes right back to sleep. It's the daytime naps that are tough. I am thinking it's a combo of what you are suggesting. Not fully satisfied when she falls asleep, so keeps waking to have a little more, falls back asleep, etc. And I think she likes the closeness, body heat and heartbeat as she isn't in as deep a sleep. Thinking I need 2 get some blackout shades to help her get there.

norma1210

Every baby seems to be different in their acceptance of a sleep schedule. We've been very lucky that our LO has slept through the night in 6-7 hour stretches since she was 6 weeks. I don't think it's anything I have done, she just seems to have gotten the hang of sleeping well at night on her own.
As far as naps go we are in the same boat as you. She falls asleep nursing and wakes up as soon as I put her down. I have tried to get in the habit of nursing her until she's almost fully asleep and then finishing it off by rocking her. That seems to help. I've also noticed she sleeps better when she's curled up like in her car seat or in her rocker chair. There are days when I feel like I don't get much done because she only wants to nap in my arms but I try to remember that she will only be this small for a little while and soon I'll miss these moments.

c21237

Great ideas! Thank you!