[Iamhappy2BAmom]

Ok- I am not sure if this is a cosleeping issue or BF issue so I will probably post in both.

I nurse DD to sleep (she is 3 months old). I don't sleep as well co-sleeping but it seems the path of least resistance right now since if she get's hungry at night I don't have to fully wake up, I can just re-insert my breast in her mouth- or better yet when I'm really exhausted she finds it herself. Anyway, we are now in a situation where she needs my nipple in her mouth when I lay next to her constantly. Not to suck but just to have. During her light sleep transition she gropes for it and get's panicky and wakes up unless she finds my nipple again. She doesn't want the whole breast- she just wants the nipple tip and when I have a let down sometimes she will clamp down b/c the milk wakes her up and she does not seem to like that either. On the other hand when I am not in bed with her and I watch her through the video monitor she does not get panicky and grope around during her light sleep phase, she stirs but settles back down quickly and is out again. I've watched her through the night a few times- partly because my nipples are in pain and my body hurts b/c making sure my nipple is constantly accessible means not changing positions too much which makes my body hurt.

So I do feel conflicted:

Co-sleeping- she seems to prefer our bed to her crib- and we don't want to do the CIO method - that's why she is in our bed.

Nursing- She is just nipple sucking when she is not clamping down and seems to want it in he mouth constantly when I lie next to her…

Thoughts?

 

[Juvysen]

This probably won't be a popular answer buuuuuuut... here's what I do... when my nipple needs a break but ds is doing that groping-half-asleep thing, I give him a pacifier. He always spits it out when he's actually *hungry*, but it gives me and my nipple a break in between.

 

[Iamhappy2BAmom]

Unfortunately DD doesn't like the pacifier. I have tried 3 brands and she just chews it.

 

[elsa1975]

When I know that baby isn't hungry any more, just sucking the nipple,I wait for her to sleep deeper and then gently pull off the nipple

My baby tends to suck the nipple when she needs to be burped.I try burping her and it helps.I guess she sucks because of the discomfort the gas is causing.
Hope this helps!

 

[nummies]

What about turning or moving to that your breast isn't in her face? I have found that if I move away a little and move down in the bed so that my face is level to his face he doesn't want the nipple as often. Just a thought, good luck!