Nursing to Sleep

[fernijer]

My 10-month-old daughter has always needed to nurse to sleep. From the moment she was born, if she's not completely loose-limbed when I detach her from the breast she startles and awakens.

Most sleep experts talk about putting the baby down when she's drowsy but awake and I have not been able to do that.

Help?

[Chamomile Girl]

I've always thought that most breastfed babies nursed to sleep. Heck, maybe close to all. It's normal.

I nurse my 9 month old to sleep on a double bed in his room and then he sleeps there on his own until I go to bed with him a few hours later. I side-lie nurse and browse the internet while he eats. Works like a charm.

ETA: I just figured that all that sleep advice by the "experts" was directed to formula fed babies...which most babies are after 6 months.

[lookatreestar]

Originally Posted by fernijer

My 10-month-old daughter has always needed to nurse to sleep. From the moment she was born, if she's not completely loose-limbed when I detach her from the breast she startles and awakens.

Most sleep experts talk about putting the baby down when she's drowsy but awake and I have not been able to do that.

Help?

obviously if it bothers you then you can try to lay baby down/do a routine etc etc. but really if it is working ie everyone is sleeping just enjoy it both my kids nurse to sleep but at 3 my dd has never been trained or worked with at all. she falls asleep easily alone (on her own accord) sometimes, or with her dad too. it is a natural progression. you wont have to nurse them to sleep forever

[Jayray]

I, personally, hope and pray every night that DS will fall asleep nursing. It is so much easier than having to rock him, with him rolling and fussing (sometimes) and being generally agitated at having to go to sleep. Surprisingly, Weissbluth (the super CIO guy), takes shots in his book at the people that say babies shouldn't nurse to sleep. He says he thinks it's the most natural and normal way to put a baby to sleep and that most of the nursing mothers in his practice do nurse their babes to sleep.

The drowsy, but awake thing has never worked for me. Maybe if I had started when he was really young? I don't know. Whenever I try it, he just ends up getting keyed up and crawling all over.

I think, like PP said, eventually they will work it out. They'll sleep on their own. Unless the nursing to sleep bothers you, then I don't think it's a problem.

[fernijer]

What do you do when you'll be away at bedtime?

We've got a bedtime routine, but a month from now I'll be away at bedtime for two whole weeks. She can't nurse to sleep with her father or grandmother.

[To-Fu]

My 26mo still nurses to sleep, and I can't pull him off until he's loose-limbed, either. I think it sounds perfectly normal.

[fireHC11]

When you're away, your baby will surprise you. Babies know that their other caretakers aren't their mother, and will act differently. I always nurse my son to sleep, but his babysitter walks him to sleep while stroking his forehead. My son's grandma has him fall asleep in a stroller, and his other grandma claims he just conks out on his own, without fussing, while everyone is watching tennis on TV.

So -- don't worry. Your husband and mom will find ways to soothe your baby. It may take some time and patience, but it will happen.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by Jayray

I, personally, hope and pray every night that DS will fall asleep nursing. It is so much easier than having to rock him, with him rolling and fussing (sometimes) and being generally agitated at having to go to sleep. Surprisingly, Weissbluth (the super CIO guy), takes shots in his book at the people that say babies shouldn't nurse to sleep. He says he thinks it's the most natural and normal way to put a baby to sleep and that most of the nursing mothers in his practice do nurse their babes to sleep.

The drowsy, but awake thing has never worked for me. Maybe if I had started when he was really young? I don't know. Whenever I try it, he just ends up getting keyed up and crawling all over.

I think, like PP said, eventually they will work it out. They'll sleep on their own. Unless the nursing to sleep bothers you, then I don't think it's a problem.

Me too! I cherish it. And lately, with my supply slowly dropping due to pregnancy, I've been looking forward to every night.

She's started to fall asleep on her own though. I will hold her while she nurses, then she will latch off and crawl/drag herself to her pillow, lie down and sleep.

When you just follow their cues, you're not going to end up with that one child who nurses, whines, rocks to sleep, etc in college. It does end. They do grow up....very quickly!

[Ambishop19]

I wouldn't worry either. At night, my son always nurses to sleep. I think there was one time he was so tired he only nursed for maybe a minute before rolling over, but other than that it's always at least 5-10 minutes.

[leigh09]

Originally Posted by fernijer

What do you do when you'll be away at bedtime?

We've got a bedtime routine, but a month from now I'll be away at bedtime for two whole weeks. She can't nurse to sleep with her father or grandmother.

All three of my children always nursed to sleep (the third is 6 months old and still does). The nights I wasn't home for bedtime they seemed to adjust fine. Babies know their moms, I have heard breastfed babies can smell mom, and like to nurse when mom is around. When mom is not home, my children have done well with rocking, a bottle, singing, etc.

[almadianna]

Originally Posted by To-Fu

My 26mo still nurses to sleep, and I can't pull him off until he's loose-limbed, either. I think it sounds perfectly normal.

and I have been away at bedtime from my kids before when they still nursed to sleep and it has never been a problem.

[littlemuffinbottom]

I have 4 little girls, the youngest of which I am still nursing at night. I have nursed all of them to sleep and they are all very good sleepers. I think you have to do what you are comfortable with. I was never comfortable with letting my children cry themselves to sleep and they always naturally fell asleep on the breast so that's what I have always done.

[Katie T]

I nurse my kids to sleep till they wean. DD2 is 21 months and nurses to sleep for every nap and bedtime, it doesn't bother me and works for our family.

I personally ignore much of what mainstream people say and that "rule" is another that goes in one ear and out the other.

[leigh09]

Originally Posted by Katie T

I nurse my kids to sleep till they wean. DD2 is 21 months and nurses to sleep for every nap and bedtime, it doesn't bother me and works for our family.

I personally ignore much of what mainstream people say and that "rule" is another that goes in one ear and out the other.

me too. it works well and sleep is precious, so we don't mess with it.

[LindsC]

My daughter is 9 months old and I still nurse her to sleep. Some nights I am able to leave her drowsy and she will fall asleep the rest of the way, but most nights she needs me.

She goes to daycare 3 days a week and stays home with DH 1 day a week and takes a bottle or pacifier to go to sleep for them.

[fernijer]

It's nice to hear from so many moms who nurse their kids to sleep, too.

Right now we co-sleep and I nurse my little sweetie all night. We're beginning to feel that we want her to room-in rather than co-sleep, though.

In The No-Cry Sleep Solution, Elizabeth Pantley talked about making sure that your baby doesn't associate nursing with falling back to sleep. She's very pro-co-sleeping, so I felt like she would be an "expert" who would have similar priorities to myself.

She recommends detaching your baby from the breast while "drowsy but awake", then putting your finger under her chin. It hasn't worked for us yet.

Any recommendations for transitioning from sleep-sharing to rooming-in?

[Alisse]

I'm so grateful for threads like this one. My husband's friend's wife is a child development researcher who's poisoned my husbands mind with the notion that our son will only ever learn to sleep on his own if we lie him down awake. So i'm glad that this isn't the case and we can stick to our routine of daddy wearing baby in the ergo until baby falls asleep, without daddy thinking he's screwing up the child.

[mommy212]

mine still does the majority of the time, but he's only 5 months. He is starting to occasionally want another way to fall asleep like walking, but usually, it's nursing. I think most all BF babies do this.