Finding new ways to fall asleep and replace nursing to sleep

[penstamon]

Anything that has worked for you?  We are trying to move DS from nursing to sleep because we hope that he weans before the new baby is due in 5 months.  We NW'd him last month with no protests from him and due to my decreasing supply DS is losing interest anyway.  We have switched around his nighttime routine so nursing comes earlier followed by books, gentle play, and snuggles but he is wide awake afterward and takes forever to fall asleep!

[Kiwiontheloose]

I would nurse him to "almost" asleep, then rub his back or pat his bottom until her falls the rest of the way.  might take a while the first few times, but should work eventually.  Then try taking him off when he's sleepy but not asleep..and so on. 

Or you could try a countdown, say "milkies will finish in 1min....in 10seconds...5,4,3,2,1 etc"

[erinleee]

do you ever sing lullabyes?  my little one is actually just changing the way she goes to sleep all of a sudden!  dang.  

we do the mellow down routine, book, then milkies and bed and i sing to her one of about 6 lullabyes while patting her back. 

what if you just gave your baby less and less milk each night?

[akind1]

DS often no longer falls asleep at the breast anymore. The nights he doesn't (we are usually in the living room watching TV) I set him down by my feet, where there is a soft plush blanket and he usually will play a little, then find the blanket and snuggle up and go to sleep. Once he is asleep, I transfer him to his crib. I have not had any success getting him to fall asleep IN his crib. But he does sleep, all night usually, in his crib. before, he just slept with us. Once he was really mobile, can't have him in our bed without us in it.

Will he go to sleep with just cuddles? if not from you, then your DH?

[goldenwillow]

[Tattooed Hand]

We do bedtime routine, nursing and then DH walks her and hums to her. Sometimes it takes like 2 minutes and then he waits another few minutes until she is asleep and lays her down in bed.

[Baby_Cakes]

I recently weaned 2yo DD by switching her bedtime routine.  Instead of doing bath, jammies, and then boob, we lay together in the dark in her room and I sing a few songs.  Sometimes she is out in 10 minutes, sometimes it takes 40 - but she falls asleep.  Sometimes I do too, lol!  I just found out I'm expecting so this change came at a good time.  I sneak away after she's asleep and b/c she's in a deep sleep and I don't have to move her, she usually sleeps 5 or so hrs straight before waking up and needing me.  I'm hoping soon she starts sleeping longer stretches, but we'll see.  She's only 2.  I don't expect miracles anymore!!