Is this typical for a bf toddler? - Page 2

[D_McG]

I think it's typical but could be changed. Both of mine woke like that until I changed things (no more nursing mid-nap, I nightweaned, etc).

[Shanny2032]

I completely agree with D_McG! We nightweaned last week (turning 21 months tomorrow) and the difference in just a week has been amazing. I would not let my 21 month old continue the acrobatics at this point (because she digs her teeth in enough as it is while latched on) but other than the duration your post sounded exactly like where we were a week ago. When I decided I was done I knew it would be harder on me than her but I had no idea how much it would help so quickly. The rule is no milk while we are sleeping - so night nursing or nursing back to sleep at nap time. The key is to NOT let her fall asleep nursing. I read this years ago in an article pertaining to sleep training but I also think it applies here. We all wake hundreds of times in the middle of the night and easily drift back to sleep. But imagine if you fall asleep on your favorite pillow and wake a few hours later to find it gone? If you look on the floor and find it just fell you can pick it up and doze back off pretty quickly. But what if I just hid your pillow? - you'd have to get up and go searching for it, you would be confused, mad, sleepy and missing your comfort item all at the same time. That's what happens to a child that falls asleep nursing and wakes up without their comfort item. It's such a vicious cycle that can't be stopped until they stop falling asleep nursing. Night time and naps are so much better hear already, I don't know if it would have been this way months ago or if she was just ready but I know I was ready!

[Zimbah]

I agree with the previous two posters, I think it's common but most likely could be changed if you want. I started nightweaning DD around 9/10 months using a combination of No Cry Sleep Solution and Jay Gordon's method, although I took it even more slowly than he suggests (I spent a week on each change). It actually was much easier than I thought and DD took to it really well - there was some heartwrenching crying but not for more than a couple of minutes each time at most, and I was always there with her. I know children respond differently but you might want to give it a try. By doing that i got DD down to one feed a night usually around 3am, and then in the past couple of months (now 22 months old) she's dropped that too for the most part and wakes around 5 for a feed.