Nursing to sleep

SashaDenn25 · September 2015

So I pretty much let LO nurse herself to sleep every night. Shes capable of going to sleep without doing it as she does for naps, but she doesnt take a paci from me and falls asleep and comfort nurses in and out until she just passes out completely and unlatches. Everything I look up I get the concensus that you cant form bad habits this young (3wks2d) and to just do what works best for them. I dont mind her doing it, but also dont want to end up with a baby that wont go to sleep on their own in the long run. Any BTDT moms that can weigh in on this?? I just kind of assumed we would kind of get away from it once she starts going to a caregiver when I go back to work and will become a little independent from me.

aveline8 · September 2015

I actually nursed DD1 to sleep at night (and sometimes for morning naps) until she was about 10 months old I think. It was just part of her night time routine- bath, story, nurse, bed. She is and has always been a great sleeper so it didn't seem to create any issues for us. She is 22 mos now and has never had any problem falling asleep on her own. I say, do what works and feels right to you for your LO!

emmacake08 · September 2015

I nursed LOs to sleep and I've never had a problem with doing it. I also had 2 "sparkler" kids that dictated terms for me or else I would have never slept. I know some moms have good luck not nursing to sleep and having baby settle themselves but that just wouldn't have worked with my kids. I'm a proponent of doing whatever you know works through trial and error and also knowing that some things that other moms swear by isn't always something you can do with your LO. I let myself live in the land of "wouldn't it be nice if they did x, y, and z" too long until I just accepted that they need what they need.

breezymeema7 · September 2015

I've always nursed my babies to sleep at bedtime. I treasure those moments. They usually stopped falling asleep around 4 or 5 months. I put them down for naps during the day awake so I wasn't concerned about them not knowing how to fall asleep without a boob. I say do what works for you and screw the "rules."

kettlekitten · September 2015

We have had to break many habits and wean our DD off several things. Some were easy and some required a lot of effort! I would go with it for now like others have said, especially if it works For now and you enjoy it. It may not end up being a problem, and if it does, there are ways of gently breaking habits when you are ready!

carleym93 · September 2015

I nurse LO to sleep and I don't worry about it. The way I see it, God designed nursing with a hormone that makes babies sleepy. Nature's greatest sleep aid. Why mess with that?

Starynightsky24 · September 2015

I always nursed DS to sleep and while I don't regret it at all it did cause sleep issues when he was older. He would remember I was there and cry for me when he woke up. Every night.

That said I'm totally doing doing it with DD still. So as PPs said you just got to do what works for you.

leighalou91 · September 2015

This LO was just nursed to sleep (same as every night). I-)
Lol I'm just doing whatever I have to to get this girl to sleep. She is not the best sleeper.

jesselayne8 · September 2015

I nurse mine to sleep until 5-6 months when I sleep train.

hcook321 · September 2015

From what I've read and think I understand, you don't need to start sleep training your baby until 6-8 weeks old.

Starynightsky24 · September 2015

hcook321 said:
From what I've read and think I understand, you don't need to start sleep training your baby until 6-8 weeks old.

I'm not a fan of sleep training at all. That said- even pediatricians recommend not to sleep train till after 6mo. 6-8 weeks is WAY too early.

emmacake08 · September 2015

I couldn't stomach sleep training until mine were 8 months old and even then it was hard...

SashaDenn25 · September 2015

I just like letting her nurse herself to sleep in all honesty, she just gets so peaceful and her little hands just rest on me.

I didnt want to set her and myself up for failure in the long run though. Especially since she drifts off on her own when shes napping anyways...

hcook321 · September 2015

Starynightsky24 said:

hcook321 said:
From what I've read and think I understand, you don't need to start sleep training your baby until 6-8 weeks old.
I'm not a fan of sleep training at all. That said- even pediatricians recommend not to sleep train till after 6mo. 6-8 weeks is WAY too early.

I'm not into sleep training either as we're practicing attachment parenting. Just mentioning what I had read somewhere since it sounded like that's what OP was trying to get her LO to do before she went back to work...

SassetteSmurfling · September 2015

We nurse to sleep. My older two never had problems sleeping on their own as they got older.

thesportsgal · September 2015

I don't know how you wouldn't nurse to sleep. I'd never wake my baby after a nursing session, when they're all content and happy! I nursed my first to sleep and nurse these two to sleep too...and I'm not worrying about it at all.

kristendot2007 · September 2015

So question, our routine has been nurse, change diaper, bed. He usually wakes for diaper change but can be easily be rocked, "ssshhhhd" back to sleep. Do you ladies do diaper change before nursing sessions?

SashaDenn25 · September 2015

We change her diaper before each time, but shes always full too, so it needs to be done. Shes sleeping for 5.5 hour stretches at night right now so every time that diaper while not leaking is pretty puffy. Lol

tarheelgirl8 · September 2015

kristendot2007 said:
So question, our routine has been nurse, change diaper, bed. He usually wakes for diaper change but can be easily be rocked, "ssshhhhd" back to sleep. Do you ladies do diaper change before nursing sessions?

I always do the diaper change first.

SassetteSmurfling · September 2015

kristendot2007 said:
So question, our routine has been nurse, change diaper, bed. He usually wakes for diaper change but can be easily be rocked, "ssshhhhd" back to sleep. Do you ladies do diaper change before nursing sessions?

I do it in the middle. I nurse one side, burp and change LO, nurse other side to sleep.

hcook321 · September 2015

I currently do the same as @SassetteSmurfling

jesselayne8 · September 2015

Same as @SassetteSmurfling

kristendot2007 · September 2015

Thanks ladies. Ftm and quickly learned I know nothing! Getting a little easier everyday...

brinbri · September 2015

I nursed DD to sleep until she was 18 months when we stopped nursing and nursed her at night whenever she woke up and wanted it. We had no problems with sleep. She is actually a much better sleeper than DS 1 who we let cry it out at 6 months and has not been a good sleeper since.

SashaDenn25 · September 2015

@brinbri thats interesting to know. I kind of feel like if it isnt too tough on the routine when shes actually getting older I would still let her nurse to sleep. It doesnt take forever now as is. I usually get her swaddled up after bathtime, feeding/burping, then its swaddle time and I put her back on boob and she goes right out. I also started getting these 5 hour stretches out of her at night when I started doing the nursing to sleep AFTER swaddle. At first I did it but swaddled once she was out and would need to kind of rock back to sleep. Now, she will kind of comfort nurse for about 20 mins to go all the way to sleep and im wondering if the little extra she may get even with the shallower latch fills her belly a little more for the longer sleep stretch.

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