Jay Gordon night weaning

Re: Jay Gordon night weaning

• TiffanyBerry member

  April 2014

  We did this around 16 months (iirc).  There was some crying, but she was next to me.  I tried the "between these hours, no nursing" thing first, but picked some relatively short hours.  For us, "only twice a night" ended up working better, but it gives you a different sleep pattern.

  
  

  

  

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• persephonerose member

  April 2014

  We did this around 14 months. However we stretched it out a bit longer than the three days since DH works 3rd shifts. We did five days instead of three but it worked out extremely well for us. It really was amazing since our son would wake up every 2 hours and snack all night long.
  

  
  
  
  
  

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• Emerald27 member

  April 2014

  I haven't used Jay Gordon, but I have mostly nightweaned my 2yo.
  
  I started limiting the amount of time he could nurse at bedtime and during the night, but wouldn't tell him "no" if he woke and asked. I tried counting to ten out loud, but that seemed to wake him up more...so I just went with what felt like about 10-20 seconds. When I decided he was done, I would gently unlatch him and say "that's enough. time to go to sleep." And I would help him flip over and snuggle his back into me. About 8x out of 10 that would work with no complaint (after a few nights). If he fussed, I would repeat on the other breast. That usually satisfied him.
  
  I also keep a sippy of water by the bed now that I offer before nursing when he wakes and asks. Sometimes he'll take that. Other times he wants to nurse. I'll also offer the water after he's had both breasts and we're done, when he fusses and wants more but the bees (boobs) have gone back to sleep.
  
  I also bought the book "Nursies When the Sun Shines" and explained to him that the bees (boobs) go to sleep at night too. I didn't make as extreme a request as to ask him to not nurse until the sun came up, but I would tell him at bedtime after a limited bit of nursing, that the bees had gone to sleep and he needed to as well, and when he woke, they would wake up too.
  
  The result of our night weaning has been that he wakes less often, goes back to sleep quickly and with snuggles after briefly latching, goes to sleep at bedtime without nursing to sleep, and occasionally is willing to just snuggle when he wakes during the night. He's still not 100% night weaned, but he doesn't nurse during the night anymore about 5 nights out of 7.
  
  This has taken us some time, but I wasn't in a huge hurry and wanted to do it as gently as I could manage.

  
  

  
  

  

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• mb314 member

  May 2014

  We just night weaned at 19 months, and it went smoothly for us.  I did a modified version of Jay Gordon's method.  I didn't stick to the 3 night increments strictly because of our travel schedule.  And I cut out most of the feedings at first, but didn't cut out the first middle of the night feed (when DS transfers from his crib to our bed each night) until after we had cut out the other middle of the night feeds.  I was frankly shocked at how easy it was.  I never got more than a few wimpers or DS throwing his binky to show his displeasure. 
  
  That said, I think age may make a big difference.  If your LO is closer to 12 months, you may have more of an issue.  If you LO isn't ready to night wean, it may be harder. 
  

  

     
  

  

   

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• violajack member

  May 2014

  We tried night weaning a few times after 12 months, but it didn't work until he was nearly 18 months. Even then there was a lot of crying the first few nights, but I was always there with him (in bed cuddling), and I always had water on offer. But I got pregnant again when he was 15 months and it started getting more painful as things progressed on top of first trimester tiredness killing me with the waking up every two hours. So, we pushed through a few rough nights and got him all the way night weaned. Now, cuddling is enough to get him back to sleep and some nights he sleeps straight through. He wakes at 7am on the dot wanting to nurse and will sometimes go back to sleep for a little while, and sometimes be up for the day. There was one day where he was more interested in some new books when he woke up didn't nurse, but it only happened once. Our morning sessions are getting shorter though, as things are getting more painful for me. 

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