10 month old and ALL night comfort nursing :-(

[teeg1973]

I am not sure if this post is best suited for this forum or the nightime parenting forum, but here it goes...

I have a 10 month old who has decided she wants to comfort nurse off and on all night long.  She goes to bed in her crib in my room and then comes into bed with me when I go to bed...then the frenzy begins.  Lately, it is very typical of her to be up every hour wanting the breast.  She does take a pacifier and will sometimes take this as a substitute, but other times throws a royal fit.  Additionally, I am partly to blame because when she wakes and starts trying to crawl around, I stick the boob in her mouth as an attempt to get her back to sleep and not fully wake up.  I don't believe she is hungry and it isn't clear how much milk she is actually getting.

anyway, I am beyond tired and this is not working well for me.  I feel at a total loss and don't know what to do, but I am a walking zombie.  I can't sleep during the day when she does (she is the queen of 30-40 minute naps and by the time my body is able to start winding down, she is waking up.  It is somewhat helpful if I go to bed around 8, but I am working from home and the only time I have to do this is after the girls are asleep.

I am at he point of considering weaning simply b/c I am so tired, but I am sure that would be pretty hellish n its own since DD is such a boob baby.

Anyone have any advice?

TIA,

Tracy

[BabySmurf]

My DS went through a sleep funk at that age, perhaps it will pass?

[Megan73]

Yep - right there with you. My almost nine-month-old is nursing seemingly all night long and I'm getting really tired.
But I think he is getting a lot of milk in those nursing sessions - his diaper is like a balloon in the a.m. - and I know weaning wouldn't help. DH or I would just end up having to rock or bounce him back to sleep every time he wakes up and at least I can nurse lying down!
DS1 was not such a boob fiend so I haven't BTDT but I'm hoping it's a phase and will pass eventually!

[foreverinbluejeans]

It's normal for 10 month all babies to nurse frequently at night. What you describe isn't all night if she is sleeping part of the night in the crib, using a pacifier, and moving around the bed. It isn't "comfort" nursing. As babies start to move around on their own they need to nurse more. They nurse more at night and need the milk from night nursing. Human mothers have always slept with their babies and nursed them at night. That is how humans have survived.

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years. If you wean now you would have to use formula until 12 months. What would you do at night when you don't have the magic breasts and milk to calm your baby?

What I did was accepted that it was normal for my baby to nurse at night. I rested when my baby rested. I didn't expect to sleep through the night until my child was 3. Once I stopped thinking it was my right to sleep through the night it stopped seeming like a big deal.

I now live with my son, DIL and 3 year old grandson. He is weaned and doesn't sleep through the night. Most nights I am the one up with him. I wish I had breastfeeding to calm him and put him back to sleep.

[homemademom]

I understand how exhausting that can be!  It would really be a shame for you to wean her completely, though!  Dr. Jay Gordon who is very supportive of bfing and cosleeping has this method of night weaning, so you can get more sleep at night, but not have to give up nursing altogether. He doesn't recommend doing it until the baby is at least 12 mths old, but only you can decide what to do. I used it with my kids when they were over 18 mths old, and my only tips are to keep a sippy cup of water by the bed for the inevitable wakings at first and also to give good, filling meals and lots of nursing during the day. Good luck.