Still nursing to sleep?

TheTamedShrew · November 2013

Okay, so I was wondering how many of you are still nursing to sleep and if/how you've tried to stop? I have tried to let DH settle her with a bottle, putting her down drowsy, and she WILL NOT pass out without me (granted, I haven't been very determined or consistent because it's the best thing in my bedtime toolbox right now). She also hates the pacifier and the mobile just seems to keep her awake. We have a fan for white noise, which helps her stay asleep, but it doesn't help her fall asleep. I really want to be able to have someone else put her to sleep every once in awhile, but I don't know how to do it. Most of the time I don't care to nurse her down because she has been sleeping really well (sleep regressors, please don't punch me), and I like doing it, but I can't leave the house on special occasions like a date night/dinner with friends/DH's work Christmas party, etc. I also don't know if it's something I should bother with weaning her from right now because she's still pretty young and it's the best way to get her to go to sleep, so why mess with a good thing right? I keep thinking I should wait at least until she gets to be 6 months or older. On the other hand, I wonder if I'm creating a sleep crutch that I will have a much harder time breaking when she's older (thus ending up in cry-it-out-ville).

What do you guys think? If you weaned from nursing to sleep, when and how did you do it?

chelsmcl · November 2013

I'm still nursing her to sleep. I have 6 months in my head about the magical time to stop it too, but I honestly don't think it will be any easier then.

musicalsilver · November 2013

I'm still nursing to sleep. We haven't had anyone else watch him at bedtime though, so that hasn't really been an issue for us. We have sleep issues though, so nursing to sleep is really the only trick in my book that consistently works!

chelsmcl · November 2013

I've tried leaving her with other people at bedtime and I've come home to a screaming baby but only because she refuses bottles from anyone other than me.

lioness13 · November 2013

I still nurse her to sleep sometimes but DH also puts her to sleep too. He normally rocks her for a little while then puts her down when she's asleep or almost asleep. I just nurse to top her off when I can because she's still not STTN. If she's really sleepy we don't have to rock or nurse her. She goes to sleep when we put her down. I guess we should probably stop too...

WasNotWas · November 2013

I nursed/bottled DS1 to sleep until he started drinking milk at a year...he has not had any issues falling asleep without it since

I nurse DS2 to sleep (ish - I always wake him up putting him down on accident) and he's given babysitters some trouble with a bottle before bed, but I've only been out 3 times and he eventually ate and eventually went to bed, so I'm not going to stop anytime soon...

phishgirl29 · November 2013

What @CarolynL8 does happens about once a week but for the most part I nurse him to sleep. The one time my sister babysat him and put him to bed his 9pm bedtime was pushed to midnight and he ate about 10oz in breast milk between 7-12 that night. He likes to eat a lot before bed. We're going to try and transition him I to his crib before we do any changes to his nursing schedule.

llbta85 · November 2013

It hasn't been until the last week or so that she would go down without nursing to sleep. She does fuss some but will go down. I don't use the mobile but I do use the crib soother and that does help. Also, if she's on her tummy, patting her bottom helps her drift off. She will be 5 months Thursday.

Side note: @smpeachey so jealous you got to see the Avett Brothers, I love them!

Beaslejl · November 2013

I went out on a date night and had a glass of wine with dinner. I came home and my mom wasn't able to get her to go down. So I took a bottle and fed her in our same spot doing everything else the same and she went down for me. Not sure if it was because of me or just keeping the routine the same. I put an extra ounce in there then normal and let her take it. It helped her to fall asleep. But aside from when she was only like a month or two old I feed her in a separate room and carry her all the way back to her room and lay her down, so it's not like she's really asleep when I lay her down. She puts herself to sleep. Not sure that this was even helpful now that I'm reading it. Sorry. Wish I had more wisdom to offer you.

TheTamedShrew · November 2013

I usually try putting her down drowsy every other day or so, just for giggles. She will fuss and cry til I pick her up. I also came home to a screaming baby a couple of weeks ago, @ChelsRy1. My parents were watching her and insisted I leave. That pretty much scared me from doing that again. I should try the rocking and be more consistent with the bottle and DH.

PinkPuffyHeart2 · November 2013

I nurse to sleep, but lately she doesn't want to comfort nurse after eating much at night, so as soon as she fusses or wakes up from nursing, I stand up and either put her up on my shoulder, patting her back and walking around- or- what works even better is holding her so her head is in the crook of my arm and tummy facing me, bouncing and walking. If I do that I can usually put her down in 5-10 min.... as opposed to the HOURS she used to spend on my boob before. But I am just following her cues and what works for her. i'm not going to try to wean her from nursing to sleep any time soon.

chelsmcl · November 2013

I only loved your comment because our babies sound similar @Jo27key drowsy but awake does not work for us

LiLi23 · November 2013

Still nursing/rocking to sleep here, too. DH really wants me to stop because he says he thinks it's keeping him from settling on his own, and I agree, I just know it generally works for me and am scared to take the leap, so to speak.

melissa0726 · November 2013

I'm still nursing DD2 to sleep 90% of the time. But she will take a bottle or pacifier, so that is extremely helpful when I need the occasional break.

BUT....I speak from experience with DD1 who never took a bottle or pacifier in her life. Her first year was very hard on me EBFing round the clock, and BFing her to sleep. Then, even after she weaned, I still always had to be the one to settle for naps or bedtime, or she freaked out. It was very daunting not being able to go on date nights or to other events that were around her bedtime.

If you still want to nurse to sleep, can your husband or a family member take turns trying to put her to sleep using a bottle? I'd recommend starting to try it now and see how it goes. And your husband might have to try a bunch of times before he figures out a "routine" that works for him and the baby.

amie444 · November 2013

DH used to bottle feed her to sleep. But now with her in daycare I nurse her to sleep. It is the only time we do it is at night and MOTN feeds.

kmkaull2 · November 2013

She now goes to sleep on her own, but it has only been about 2 weeks. I got really rigid about the routine--bath, nurse, Merlin suit, soother on, say "sweet dreams" and scoot out of the room. The first two nights, she fussed (not cried). I set the timer for 5 minutes and tried to ignore the monitor. By the time the 5 minutes was up, she was out. Now, she doesn't fuss at all. Naps are the same.

It seems like it was a developmental leap for DD. She just wasn't ready before.

However, she has now completely refused the bottle. We are working on it because I would like to get the heck out of the house every once in a while!

ChristyD6 · November 2013

Yup. Every night! It works for us and I don't want to pump at home after pumping at work.

HeartLikeMine3 · November 2013

Yep, we still do. Sometimes he wakes up when i put him down and he will fall back asleep if I rock him. He used to fall asleep on his own drowsy but awake not anymore. He's been doing this fun thing where it takes at least 3 attempts to get him down for the night. I may be naive but I just do what's easiest for me now and hope I don't have too many problems to fix later

skio · November 2013

Nursing to sleep then rocking for at least fifteen minutes. Will be doing this for a while, I'm sure. I have no qualms about it, though. This time is too fleeting!