I need to nurse to sleep

[LDSmomma]

About six months ago, we began transitioning DS from the family bed to a bed in his room. I nurse him to sleep in his bed, then leave once he's asleep, then 2-3 hours later, DS wakes up, and comes to my bed and nurses back to sleep.  This usually happened right about the time I was tucked in for bed, too, but not asleep yet.  

Here's what I've found:  I can't sleep until he comes in to my bed.  Sometimes I fall asleep in his bed with him, but still, if I don't nurse right before, I can't fall asleep.  Is this nuts?

[LittleBirdy]

Nope!  I fall asleep in half the time if I am nursing DS than if he is already asleep when I come to bed.  I attribute it to either needing that prolactin release to get drowsy enough to sleep, or knowing that if I do fall asleep I'm just going to get woken back up in an hour or so.  For adults, our deepest sleep occurs in the first 3 hours after going to bed.  Being woken up during these three hours just feels way worse than being woken up later.  Ever since DS was born I'v noticed that as long as he sleeps halfway decent until 2 or 3 in the morning I don't feel so tired the next day.  So I think on a subconscious level I want to get that 3 hours uniterrupted, so my brain won't fall asleep until he wakes up.

Sleep associations: not just for babies! :)

[marinak1977]

I'm the same way - nursing DS puts me to sleep.

[MSWmama]

It it's nuts then I'm crazy too! We've been trying really hard to get DS to start the night in his crib, and the nights that we're successful ... I lay there reading until he comes to bed so that I can nurse us both down. 

[FiveLittleMonkeys]

My son is night weaned, and I can't seem to really settle into a good sleep until he wakes for the first time and comes into bed with me.  In fact, there have been nights that I'm ready to sleep, and I just go in and get him so I can go to sleep!  I'm glad I'm not the only one!!

[Yuba_River]

This happened to me after DS1 nightweaned, too! So frustrating be to lying there awake.... I think the no-cry sleep solution actually has a chapter about this.