I'm a full time binky!! Help!!

[jamesjackmom]

Please help...my DS is EBF, he won't take a bottle or pacifier. During the day this is fine, however at night I become his pacifier. He eats occasionally but mostly it's just suckleing to sleep. It's gotten to the point that he sleeps lying across me and would be perfectly happy with my boob in his mouth all night long. The problem is I CAN'T SLEEP!! I've tried even just putting him next to me in the bed and cuddling up next to him but he still cries and wants the boob. He won't even side nurse...he has to be right on top of me. He is super attached to me, he cries when I just have to shower and he is w/ my DH. Is there anyway I can gently ease him off me at night. I'm totally against the crying it out thing but I'm starting to feel sick from this major lack of sleep.

[Tofu the Geek]

How old is DS?

[jamesjackmom]

Sorry...6 mos.

[Tofu the Geek]

Has this been the same since birth? or is this just in the last little while? Because, he could be going through a growth spurt. The continual sucking is to tell your breasts that more milk is going to be needed and stimulate them to produce that extra milk that he'll need.

and is it only at night?

[jamesjackmom]

Yes, only at night although he does nurse to sleep throughout the day. I can also rock him to sleep during the day with a small amount of fussing, but not at night. He'll take an hour nap here and there throughout the day sleeping in his crib. It started about a month ago when he was teething, I was nursing for comfort but now he got his bottom two teeth and I think it may just be habit now.

[jamesjackmom]

I should've given more background....6 mos old DS was a great sleeper at first would give me a good 5-6 hour stretch. Then had 4 month sleep regression (thank you to mothering.com for diagnosing him!!) then went into teething at 5 months...now at 6 months has 2 teeth and sleeps on me suckling!!! I really don't think its a growth spurt cause sometimes he'll suck for all of 10 seconds and fall back asleep.

[GoldmanBaby09]

Personally, I would try and work on getting both of you more comfortable with sidelaying. It really can be the easiest thing when all they want is a little bit of boob without making a big production about it at night. Try laying down next to him in bed for a nap time nurse and see if he will nurse and fall asleep that way. If so, then try at night. Maybe his mouth is hurting him, too. Honestly at this point, I can sleep and nurse at the same time in bed, and it is the only way to get any sleep.

[07Mommy]

Originally Posted by jamesjackmom

I should've given more background....6 mos old DS was a great sleeper at first would give me a good 5-6 hour stretch.

I really don't think its a growth spurt cause sometimes he'll suck for all of 10 seconds and fall back asleep.

I' ve been there too...and started co-sleeping at this point, due to fear of falling asleep while LO was on the boob. So, it was either: not sleep or learn to sleep while BFing in side-laying position.... I learned to BF in side-laying position pretty fast! Slept in nursing gown to make it easy to BF and go back to sleep easier.

I think in our case it was a combination of teething and growth spurt.

[jamesjackmom]

Thank you so much for all of your advice so far, however side sleeping/nursing isn't really an option since my 3 year old often climbs into our bed in the middle of the night and I'm afraid of him squishing the baby. Any other advice out there??

[annekh23]

I'm right at the same point, other than no 3 year old to climb in the bed, just a 4 and 6 yr old instead, I've never not woken up when they climb in the bed, so any squashing of the 6mth old would likely only be temporary and result in screams from her!

Officially we don't cosleep, but somehow the last two nights I've woken up with the baby in the bed! She's asleep now in the cosleeper, who knows what tonight will bring!

[Bokonon]

You need the No-Cry Sleep Solution.