[ladybugs_mom]

My dd had colic for her 1st 2 1/2 mos and the only way to calm her was to nurse...so we nursed alot...she nurses for about 45 mins each time. I've started back working (now part-time from home) & have allowed her to nurse, snacking & snoozing, to get work done sometimes. During the holidays I nursed her constantly b/c she was so upset over meeting new people, staying away from home, etc. And now during the night she wants to hang on me in the bed for hours.

She goes to sleep in her own bed, but I pull her in with me when she wakes to nurse (before xmas she'd sleep for 6-7 hrs to begin the night, but now only 2-3hrs). I've just now realized that she's on my breast for hours after she gets into bed w/ me and cries when she loses it. So I've become a human pacifier.

I want to help her learn to self soothe (but she won't take a pacifier) but I'm realizing this "Mommy is my paci" isn't working for us.

Oh, she's 4 mos old now.

What can I do?

 

[HelloKitty]

I went through the same thing with DS - this probably isn't the advice you want to hear but I thought I would throw it out there just the same - I didn't do anything to change the behavior but over time he did, eventually his need to suck dwindled bit by bit without any intervention on my part. He is 2 now and sleeps through the night without nursing no problem (unless he's sick in which case he does fall back on nursing). It was tough going for awhile there so I totally know how you feel and maybe some other Mammas have better suggestions for you - but I just wanted to let you know that even if you do NOTHING like I did - she will eventually self soothe at night.

Kitty

 

[loving-my-babies]

I agree. I have always been my ds's pacifier, and even though I know how hard it gets sometimes, I actually liked it. I know it gets better, so hang in there!

 

[ladybugs_mom]

That does help...to know I haven't "ruined" her.

But I do need to "help this along" a little b/c I'm not getting good rest at night. However, thanks to you, I know that if I'm not successful now that it will eventually be ok.

 

[Sassafrass]

I could have written that post, except my baby is now 6 months old! She has always nursed a whole lot.........45 minutes at least, and crying after only 15 minutes off the breast. Finally started taking a paci around 4,5 months, but it really hasn't decreased the nursing, only made it a little quieter.LOL

Like your baby, she was sleeping 6-7 hrs until 4 months, now I am lucky to get a 3hr stretch. She nurses constantly at night.......I can't even tell you how many times she nursed last night.

just wanted to empathize with you.

Angela

 

[ladybugs_mom]

Thanks so much, Angela. I think I'm going to try nursing her in the rocker tonight when she wakes and then putting her back in her own bed. I'm hoping if I making waking less attractive (not endlessly letting her nurse for hours in the bed with mommy) that she'll wake less.

I don't want to do anything to punish or hurt her; I want her to nurse as much as she needs...I'm just worried that I'm fostering a bad habit.

I wish I could just get used to a lot less sleep!

 

[foreverinbluejeans]

Nursing your baby on demand does not foster a bad habit. Your baby may sleep better and nurse less if you went to bed together for the night rather than putting her in her own bed. Sleep studies have shown if you sleep all night with your baby you actually get better sleep and can learn to nurse without waking all the way.

It's normal for moms and babies to sleep together. In almost all societies moms and babies sleep together. It may be fostering a bad habit when Americans force their babies to sleep alone.