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Need all kinds of help!

CabeattyCabeatty member
in Babies: 9 - 12 Months
Hello all, I hope someone may have some good advice. I want to stop breastfeeding my son. He is almost 10 months... he has always been a good BF'er and I have loved it, but I am ready to stop for many reasons. He has no problem taking formula, and will drink it whenever offered. He also has a lot of "real" food. The problem is that I have always nursed him to sleep. I know it's bad! I've tried to stop so many times over the past 6 months, but it's always just been so much easier to nurse him back to sleep than try to break the habit. I've read the No Cry Sleep Solution. I've tried the techniques. Nothing is helping. He still wakes up about 4 times during the night to nurse back to sleep. Sometimes it takes only a few minutes.. He only is actually hungry once in the night. But really, the most frustrating part for me is not being able to get him to nap during the day without nursing... my Mom can rock him to sleep no problem... but if I try to sing, rock, anything besides nurse, he cries to the point where I am concerned. All I want to do is be able to get my baby to sleep, but I do need to stop nursing for important reasons. Plus, the only issue with nursing is his sleep, and I know that's a habit I needed to break long ago anyway. Does anyone have any advice?? Also, he will NOT take a pacifier.. I've tried maaany times, all different kinds. He just won't.
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Re: Need all kinds of help!

  • smileybabyboysmileybabyboy member
    Can you offer a bottle instead of nursing?  A lot of babies don't take pacifiers.  DS does because when he was little, every time it popped out, we put it back in (even in the middle of the night).
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  • CabeattyCabeatty member
    He refuses, because mostly when he is nursing it is for comfort and he is not actually hungry... So he just gets mad :(
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  • dufferoodufferoo member
    As a big proponent of breastfeeding, I feel compelled to atart off by saying, it's not automatically "bad" to nurse your baby to sleep! Yes, I get that it is making it harder to cut him off before he's ready, but it kind of breaks my heart to hear of such a beautiful bond being referred to as nothing more than a "bad habit"! But ok- sorry I just had to get that in there ;) - to answer your question... why not start with the night feedings to start breaking the habit. Since you said others have no problem rocking your baby to sleep without nursing, have your husband be the one that gets him when he rouses and rock him back to sleep. You get to sleep! Yay! Once he gets used to this, then you can start to tackle the naps.
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  • spinsoffresonancespinsoffresonance member
    edited October 2013
    DD still nurses at night so I haven't actually tried this myself but this is what the pedi suggested to wean MOTN feedings. Start by giving LO a bottle (breast milk or formula) instead of offering the boob. Then start diluting with water, a little more every day until you're only giving water and no more milk/formula. Also it's better if you have someone else take care of LO during the night. there will probably be a lot of protesting at first but If you try LO will probably cry until you give in and nurse.
    GBCB!!! Regs, lurkers and newbies we are leaving TheBump. Come join us at the new place ****/board/50/14 image
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  • kschonekkschonek member
    At about 9 months we had to stop on demand night nursing.  For a couple nights i just cuddled him while he cried.  The first night was tough and it took about 30 minutes and was repeated about every three hours.  After day 3 he was fine with it.  Wake up, snuggle back to sleep.In a week he was sleeping through the night in his crib.  
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  • CabeattyCabeatty member
    edited October 2013
    I hope that will be what happens for us when I stick to it. DH waking up with the baby is not an option, so I know I will have to let him cry. I am just so afraid of him actually being harmed.. when I try not to nurse, it's the worst cry I've ever heard from him. Sometimes I think he starts to hyperventilate. The time that I tried the most it took him about 30 minutes after he stopped crying to stop taking the deep breaths and settling back down. Did you experience that at all? Is that normal? I just don't want him to have some kind of panic attack or hyperventilate. I am so worried! 
    kschonek said:
    At about 9 months we had to stop on demand night nursing.  For a couple nights i just cuddled him while he cried.  The first night was tough and it took about 30 minutes and was repeated about every three hours.  After day 3 he was fine with it.  Wake up, snuggle back to sleep.In a week he was sleeping through the night in his crib.  

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  • kschonekkschonek member
    There was definitely extreme crying.  I was sure there would be a panic attack or hyperventilation but I told myself I was tired and making things up in my head.   He didnt just cry and then fall asleep.  He would cry and scream and then stop and lay there and pant and then sometimes fall asleep or cry more.  It was really terrible.

    We both got through it and are both much happier.  Sleep is awesome!
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  • Beth.1212Beth.1212 member
    Like you, I tried the no cry solution, and it didn't seem to work for us. I used the baby whisperer book to break my LO's nursing association. It was tough but worth it!

    (I like her sleep advice, but really dislike her nursing/solids advice.)
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