Night weaning an all night nurser

[LauraA1212]

DS will be 12 months in 3 weeks and I can not remember when I have had uninterupted sleep that has lasted more than 20 minutes! He can't sleep without nursing and its really wearing me down. I am always tired and irritable and don't feel like I am the best mom I can be because of how tired I am.
I do not want to wean him completely, he still nurses whenever he wants during the day and I want to keep it that way.

At this point if I do not nurse him he scream cries and I feel horrible and give in and nurse him! I have tried cutting the feeding shorter and not letting him fall asleep while dursing, but its been over a month and nothing has changed :cry: Do I need to let him cry? If I am not around when he is tired he freaks out and will not stop crying until I get home. MY dad can eventually get him to sleep, but NO ONE else can! Not even DH, his own dad! I am lost and becoming increasingly more unhappy in this situation, I don't know what to do. :blush:

I really need advice right now

[HMDocsLady]

Oh Mama I share your pain! DD is 8 months old and is an all night nurser too and I cannot remember sleeping either. I look foward to hearing the suggestions! We co-sleep and I do ot want to stop, but if I don't nurse DD she rolls around the bed, often wacking her head on the wall screaming. She does sleep for exteded periods - her bed time is around 7pm and she sleeps through until around 10 when we go to bed (she sleeps in her play pen during that time) We do not move her into our bed until she wakes up.

[LauraA1212]

We cosleep also and boy do I wish Brian would sleep for even an hour! He is such a poor sleeper that he doesn't have a bedtime :blush: :blush: and I almost always hold him while he sleeps :blush: Sometimes if he is napping he will sleep next to me, but eventually he will wake up and I have nurse and hold him until he wakes up.... The house is always a mess, there is always laundry to be washed and I never get to cook and barely get to eat well :blush:
Its really embarrassing sometimes. I still want to cosleep, but I guess I could part with that for a few hours each night to get some sleep!!!

[sdevonh]

I know what you're going through. I hit a wall with DD when she was 13 months old. I was tired, I was cranky and I was sure that I was never going to get a full night's sleep again in my life. Some nights she would nurse twice, some nights four or five times. We didn't co sleep, so I was getting out of bed every time to feed her and I thought that I was going to lose my mind. Finally, my mother said, "You're her lovey." She needs something else to depend on for comfort in order to get back to sleep. My MIL had gotten her an Elmo doll that she loved, so I made this her lovey. When I put her to bed, I made sure that she had a pacifier and her Elmo. When she woke up in the night, I would lie her back down, put her arm around her Elmo and tell her that it was time to sleep. I wouldn't leave her though. I would sit in the room with her until she went back to sleep. Some nights I did this numerous times. I continued to nurse her as often as she wanted during the day, but I did not nurse her in the middle of the night. It was a long process, but it worked. She is now a great sleeper and I have the comfort of knowing that she was sure of my love and my presence. I never left her alone to cry, but she did learn how to get to sleep on her own.
I know that you co sleep and I don't know how you feel about your LO being in a separate bed, so I can only offer my own experience and hope maybe that there is something that you can take from it. You need to make the choice that is best for you and your baby. Hang in there, mama. It's said often, but it's true - It won't always be this way! :hugs:

[duckpondatdusk]

I've been struggling too. At 12 months and 2 weeks, I started giving DS a warm bottle of a blend of unsweetened almond milk, organic whole milk, and pasteurized goat's milk. It's crazy after going 12 months without any kind of bottle feeding, that this is what I've resorted to, but it's helping. so. much.! I put the animal milks in with mostly almond milk just for the warm milk tryptophan effect. He gets one little bottle (5 oz) at bedtime, nurses if he wakes up again and gets another warm bottle when DH wakes up which ultimately wakes DS (between 5 and 6 am). I don't know if it's the textbook solution, but I was at my wit's end and I'm getting more sleep now.
ETA: we do co sleep as well and are still cosleeping.

[duckpondatdusk]

We cosleep also and boy do I wish Brian would sleep for even an hour! He is such a poor sleeper that he doesn't have a bedtime :blush: :blush: and I almost always hold him while he sleeps :blush: Sometimes if he is napping he will sleep next to me, but eventually he will wake up and I have nurse and hold him until he wakes up.... The house is always a mess, there is always laundry to be washed and I never get to cook and barely get to eat well :blush:
Its really embarrassing sometimes. I still want to cosleep, but I guess I could part with that for a few hours each night to get some sleep!!!

I've got to say your guy sounds just like mine!

[LauraA1212]

Honestly I would not mind him in a seperate bed at this point. We are bringing his crib into our room tonight and hopefully using it at some point. I have tried bottles, but ds just will not accept them no matter what is in them. When i was in the hospital last month, he went over 12 hours without eating until he got to the hospital and I nursed him :rolleyes:

He gets histerical when he cries and I don't know what to do. Should I give in, just hold and rock him or ignore it?
I feel so bad for him, plus I feel like a failure and like I really did ruin him by never letting him cry; although if I had let him cry I would feel the same way! I feel confussed :cry:

[LauraA1212]

I've got to say your guy sounds just like mine!

Has it gotten better for you? Its so hard when they are so clingy. Even though I secretly love it when certain people are around....

[duckpondatdusk]

It's only gotten better since he started taking those bottles. It took a while for him to warm up to them, but now he looks forward to them. I don't know what else to say to try as this has been the only thing that is seeming to help my guy night wean. I hope some mama will have help you find a solution.

[Faithfor12]

:hugs: My lo would nurse anywhere from 2-7 times a night. I had to wean him completely tho just after his first birthday. I was/am ok with giving him a bottle. It was hard- VERY hard the first night. He cried and cried asking for his mum mums.:cry: I was crying with him but knew it had to be done. In the end, he drank the bottle- I used a Breastflow bottle- and now rejects the breast if I offer it. He still wakes up 1-2 times at night but he's drinking 4oz each time so I know he is hungry. If you can get him to take a bottle, you could see how much he's really drinking at each feeding and then you could determine if he really needs those nursings. And yes, a lovey can make all the difference. Oh, and if you look thru here a bit you'll find a link for Dr Jay Gordon's Sleep Solution. Or buy his book Good Nights. Its a good read.:thumbsup:

[LauraA1212]

Thank you all so much for your advice and experiences!

Did any of you mamas have to nurse throughout naptime too? Brian takes 1 *maybe* 2 naps a day and will only nap if I nurse him. He sometimes will have a 20 minute stretch during his nap and I will try and leave him and get some work done, but if I don't get back to nurse him quick enough he will fuss and get up and be rested enough to stay up for the next 4-6 hours :banghead:
I'm wondering if its a good idea to tackle this all at once or start with bedtime and then naptime once we have bedtime under control?

I just read Dr Jay Gordon's article online and it sounds like what I want, its just the crying that will kill me!

[duckpondatdusk]

I have always nursed him down at naptime and I'm lucky if he sleeps 45 minutes, when he wakes up cheerful and rested and ready to go. I've started alternating giving him a bottle to nap with nursing. The first day he napped after warm milk in a bottle, he took his longest nap ever (almost 2 hours)-he has yet to repeat this, though. I would say my guy is a highly alert baby and I remember reading once that this can be a sign of high intelligence and inquisitiveness. I'm adhering to that as my great hope for why DS doesn't seem to need as much sleep as other babies :giggle2:

[mia&seansmom]

try this...it sounds good and once i work up the courage, i'm going to do it :) LOL
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp

your LO sounds just like my DD. she just turned one last week. she DOESN'T go to sleep for anyone else...just me. well...she'll go to sleep if DH is rocking AND singing to her, but if he stops either one, she immediatley wakes up and screams some more :) LOL

just know that there are LOTS of other options other than no sleep and CIO. try that link and go from there if that doesn't work for you. i know a lot of people have had luck with the "pick up/put down" method.

[sdevonh]

try this...it sounds good and once i work up the courage, i'm going to do it :) LOL
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp



This sounds very similar to what I did with DD, just a more gradual process and I did it with her in her own bed. Now that I think about it, I did transition from standing with my hand on her back to just sitting beside her crib. She did cry and it did break my heart. But I could take comfort in knowing that she was not being left alone to deal with her anger on her own. She knew that I was there and that I would stay with her until she was asleep.
Soneone mentioned the "pick up - put down" method of the Baby Whisperer. To me that is an exhausting process for an already exhausted parent and not something that I would ever recommend, though I know it has worked for some.

[sdevonh]

He gets histerical when he cries and I don't know what to do. Should I give in, just hold and rock him or ignore it?
I feel so bad for him, plus I feel like a failure and like I really did ruin him by never letting him cry; although if I had let him cry I would feel the same way! I feel confussed :cry:

Please do not call yourself a failure. You have not "ruined" your baby. You've taught him that his mama can be depended on to love and comfort him when he needs it. There is no shame and no harm in that. You should be commended for your strength in lasting this long and your trust in your own instincts. You're doing great. :hugs:

[annya25]

hey mama!

Just wanted to let you know you are not alone...my DS has gotten significantly better with a bedtime routine. At this age, they sort of fall into a need for consistency and it helps a LOT to signal to them that it is sleepy time! My DS does much better now that he gets naps around 10 and 2, and has an 8 o''clock bedtime. (All estimates, I don't believe in a schedule so much as a predictable routine.) My DS gets dinner, playtime, nursing, bath, reading, rocked to bed. It has helped a LOT! (nevermind the teething that is throwing him out of whack!)

[vanillabean]

I feel for you mama! My son is almost 11mo and I am in the same boat as you for sleep :banghead: I am bfing and have decided to night wean. He does not sleep with us (because he does not want to), he sleeps in his crib in his nursery. We have used cio in the past for sleep issues with success and he only ever cried for 30min max....not too bad although it was hard it usually only took him one night of crying to get him on track. Things would go haywire when he would teeth and start waking up frequently again...I would revert back to nursing. Well, we have gotten to the point where that just can't be the answer anymore, it disrupts everything about our family and we have to find a new solution.

Last night was the first night. He went to bed at 7:30 with little fuss (maybe 2min) I then went in and nursed him at 11ish before I went to bed(he had not woken up yet, but probably would have soon). I did this because I know he can go 8 hrs, he has done it many times. The plan was to not nurse him until 7am. I did stick to it but he woke at 1, 3, 4, 5, 630, then 8 when we got up. REALLY rough night!! He nursed well at 8. He went down for his am nap at 10:45 with hardly a fuss(maybe 15 sec). We will see how tonight goes.

Stick to your guns mama, whatever you decide to do...be strong! It may be hard at first but you are implementing something to make things better in the long run...for you and your baby. We all need better sleep. Including the LO. Good luck :hugs:

[vanillabean]

I have always found that tackling night time issues spills over into the day. I suggest start with the night.

[hlstevens]

I also recommend the Dr Jay method!
We used it to night wean my son (granted he was 20 months) he was still nursing5-6 times at night. We co sleep, but moved him into his toddler bed just before this.
Its great b/c you can modify it to best fit your needs. We took longer than three days with each step.
No matter what you do, if you are going to do it, stick with it and be consistant. Its going to be hard, and you will probably lose the little sleep you are getting. But if he is ready and willing, and it goes well, it will be worth it in the end.
I wish you lots of luck:goodvibes:

[misstinytoes]

Hey mama. I haven't read all the responses, but I just wanted to tell you we are going through a very, very similar situation which has only recently started to get a LOT better.

Q will be 12 months on Dec 3 and he is totally addicted to the boob. I let him nurse whenever he wants during the day and until recently I let him do so at night too. He is/was a TERRIBLE sleeper. He would sleep so poorly that I just let him fall asleep whenever and would nurse him back to sleep every time he woke up during the night (we co-slept) and we would wake up on average about 5 times.

I literally felt so tired, cranky and unhappy about it one day I decided to make a schedule and routine for him and just really make him follow it. Having a specific routine I think has really helped a lot. Babies naturally crave familiarity so I think it is comforting to him. Every night we eat dinner at 6:00 then at 6:30pm he has a bath. During his bath I play some soothing classical music and I don't play with him in an excited way, just a calming low key way, kwim? Then I get him into his night time diaper and pj's and sit down and nurse him. Before he was a chance to fall asleep I get up and go into his room with the lights off and rock him and tell him it's 'bed time'. Then while he is still awake I lay him down with his stuffed puppy (I only keep this in his crib) and I cover him up. Then I walk straight out. Half the time he whimpers for a second or two and then goes to sleep. Sometimes he starts to cry, but he usually has stopped by the time I get to the top of the stairs (no more than 30 seconds) and then he goes to sleep. Of course the 3 times I did this it didn't go as easily, but it only took about 3 times of him crying for less than 5 minutes for him to figure out that this was bed time and to go to sleep.

He still is not a great sleeper, but we are working on it. He will wake up another 2-3 times per night and I was nursing him and then laying him back down in his crib. This past week I have been walking/rocking him for a couple minutes and then laying him back down in his crib. The second time I might do the same, then usually the third time I will nurse him and then lay him back in his crib. It's a slow process, but it's getting better and a little more comforting than cutting him off all at once.

For me, I just had to move him into his own room. Part of him being such a terrible sleeper was that he slept so lightly, so when I would roll over in bed or get up to go to the bathroom, or snore, it would wake him up and then he would need to nurse to get back to sleep. The straw that broke the camel's back was that he just kept trying to get off the bed multiple times per night and because my 4 year old has to come through my room to use the bathroom she often will leave one or more of our bedroom doors open and one night he found his way to the steps and fell down a few steps.

Anyway, long story short, that's what was been working for us. Eventually (hopefully sooner than later) I'd like to have him down to only waking up once and then hopefully not at all. I also wanted to add that now that I have him sleeping in his own room and gave him specific nap times at the same time every day (9:30am and 2:30pm) he naps sooo much better during the day too. I hope you are able to find a good solution and get some sleep. You really don't realize how much better you feel until you get a good night's rest. Good luck!

[jesibsmith]

Dr. Gordon's that pps mentioned worked for us at 12months. We cosleep and he was nursing throughout the night...

Ditto what pp said on consistency... The first night of no nursing from 11-6 he screamed bloody murder... in hysterics off and on for 2 hours straight the first time he woke... i felt awful... but i cuddled and held and talked to him the whole time... the second time he woke he did the same for 1 hour, and the 3rd time he woke it was after 6 so i fed him!

The second and following nights were much better, no more screaming or hysterics, a couple cries for 30 seconds, and now... sleep! but yes, the key is for it to be clear to dc that from 11-6 or whatever time you set, there will be no nursing no matter how mad they get... if you give in and sometimes bf during those times, it will make the adjustment that much harder for you and dc...

i love having ds in bed with us and am so glad that I found a night weaning solution for co sleepers!

[amberbamberbabyfluff]

I feel so good that you ladies are going thru what I am right now, I felt so alone and so much pressure from my parents and friends to wean abruptly and force him to sleep in a separate room b/c I am not sleeping well and in turn an angry housewife! I am so relieved at your advice and encouragement thanks so much ladies. I am going to try these new methods i had not heard or thought of. THANKS!

[LauraA1212]

Alright, so last month we had to abort our night weaning mission because DS wanted no part in it. We tried, but after a week of no sleep we gave up, plus I was sick so that didn't help.
Well, now DS is almost 13 months and is waking every 15 minutes with one 2 hour stretch some nights and I can't take it anymore! I am cranky all day and then I go to work tired at night and come home angry because I am soooo tired. So I have taken 2 weeks off of work to hopefully fix this situation! I have taken from the 18-31 off. Should it take longer than that, DH will have to handle it on his own the nights I work.
The most common things I have been told to try are ottles and pacifiers which DO NOT work, he doesnt even accept them anymore and CIO, which really isn't an option because I can not handle it.

Does anyone have any other tips or tricks that have worked?
Please I am litterally losing my hair from the stress he is causing and still rethinking TTC#2 because I am afraid he will never get better!

[LauraA1212]

One more thing: DS got a precious moments doll for Christmas that he loves.:giggle: It was suggested by a mama to get him a lovey, how can we try and use this as a lovey?

[jesibsmith]

Give us details on what you tried for a week when you tried the first time. Maybe if you moved him out of your bed and that wasnt working you could try the dr. jay gordon tips mentioned in previous posts and keep him in your bed. Honestly it worked great for us, on the first night of no bfing from 11-6 he screamed bloody murder while i held and patted and talked to him, but after that he was just fine... and he's still in bed with us and we all sleep more now! Consistency is definitely key, if you give in and bf him after so many minutes of crying then he learns that crying gets him fed and makes nightweaning much more difficult. So stick to your guns and try the Jay Gordon process with no giving in if that's not what you tried the first time, or if you didn't follow the rules the first time.

I am so sorry mama! I know it's crazy when they won't sleep! Oh also, Melatonin (given in smaller than adult doses) helps regulate sleep cycles, maybe give 1mg of that 30 mins before bedtime... HTH!

[LauraA1212]

We followed Dr jays plan to a T for 9 days and then it got to be way to much. He would scream bloody murder for hours on end and then no naps during the day, DS and I were zombies.
We started a serious bedtime routine and stuck to it then I would lay him down and nurse him to sleep, I don't know maybe that should stop too? Then when he would wake, I would hold and rock and walk and talk to him and quietly hum or sing his favorite song. He would usually fall asleep after 3-4 hours, but only to awaken anywhere between 15 minutes and 2 hours later to repeat the whole process. Some days I did give in and feed him at 4 or 5, but never before that. I didn't nurse the first three nights when he awoke because it put him into hysterics. It is seriously all a blur, I am trying to remember what I did... I might have to come back and post more.

What is Melatonin?

[jesibsmith]

What is Melatonin?

It's the hormone our body naturally produces to regulate sleep cycles... if we are sleep deprived (if your LO isn't sleeping at least 45mins at a time he isn't going through a complete sleep cycle, and thus is getting sleep deprived) then we are short on Melatonin.

I would also maybe google some sleep pattern stuff online cause it seems that if by this age he still isn't sleeping very long on his own, then there might be an issue that needs to be resolved with his sleep patterns... I don't know who would be an expert on those things, maybe another mama has a suggestion.

You can usually find melatonin in the supplements section at a health food store or maybe even Walmart.
HTH!

[etsdtm99]

My DD is a pretty horrible sleeper (not as bad as your DS, but pretty bad) and now at almost 3 yrs old we finally figured out she had obstructive sleep apnea and she had her tonsils and adenoids removed a few weeks ago and it has made a huge difference.. i would go to your pedi and tell them right off that you are not asking for advice on sleep training but want to make sure there is nothing wrong.. kwim? I wish i had pushed more, (sooner) because i knew something was keeping my DD from sleeping .. she still has some sleep issues but it just made such a HUGE difference.. she doesn't fight sleep anymore because she (or her body?) knows she can still breath even if she relaxes..

my DD also has issues with night terrors -- where she partially wakes and screams hysterically .. asks for mommy but hits me etc. .. we have figured out that if she wakes and is crying we have to get a wet wash cloth and 'wake her up' and then work on getting her back to sleep ..

really though.. to me, it doesn't sound like your DS is a horrible sleeper - it sounds like something is bothering him.. does he eat well? is he happy when he is awake ?

[gideonsmommy]

When he eats, how long does he eat for? If he only nurses for a few minutes and then stops and a little while later eats a little more, he's only snacking and not getting the good hindmilk that will help him sleep. Try getting him to nurse a little longer at a time. And I agree about going to the doctor and getting him checked...something could be bothering him enough that prevents him from sleeping.

[musicalisa]

I remember being in your shoes with my daughter when she was about 15 months old. I finally night-weaned her, and she cried in my arms for a few nights. Honestly looking back on it, it was a mistake for us (though I'm not suggesting that it is/would be for you). She was taking in a lot of calories at night, and not during the day (she has some food allergies that had yet to become clear), and she ended up losing weight. :( Now that I'm a second time mama, I feel much more chilled out about it all, and don't forsee myself in that situation with my son. I was really afraid though, at the time, that my daughter was going to night-nurse FOREVER! I was scared!

Even after she night-weaned, we had to repeat the process several times that year because she would get sick – and then all bets were off.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.

[mommy_have_it]

subing to the thread so I remember in the morning to read all the posts. NAKing now.:cry: :banghead:

[LauraA1212]

It's the hormone our body naturally produces to regulate sleep cycles... if we are sleep deprived (if your LO isn't sleeping at least 45mins at a time he isn't going through a complete sleep cycle, and thus is getting sleep deprived) then we are short on Melatonin.

I would also maybe google some sleep pattern stuff online cause it seems that if by this age he still isn't sleeping very long on his own, then there might be an issue that needs to be resolved with his sleep patterns... I don't know who would be an expert on those things, maybe another mama has a suggestion.

You can usually find melatonin in the supplements section at a health food store or maybe even Walmart.
HTH!

Thank you, I will check that out

My DD is a pretty horrible sleeper (not as bad as your DS, but pretty bad) and now at almost 3 yrs old we finally figured out she had obstructive sleep apnea and she had her tonsils and adenoids removed a few weeks ago and it has made a huge difference.. i would go to your pedi and tell them right off that you are not asking for advice on sleep training but want to make sure there is nothing wrong.. kwim? I wish i had pushed more, (sooner) because i knew something was keeping my DD from sleeping .. she still has some sleep issues but it just made such a HUGE difference.. she doesn't fight sleep anymore because she (or her body?) knows she can still breath even if she relaxes..

my DD also has issues with night terrors -- where she partially wakes and screams hysterically .. asks for mommy but hits me etc. .. we have figured out that if she wakes and is crying we have to get a wet wash cloth and 'wake her up' and then work on getting her back to sleep ..

really though.. to me, it doesn't sound like your DS is a horrible sleeper - it sounds like something is bothering him.. does he eat well? is he happy when he is awake ?

I wonder if that could be the problem? I had huge tonsils that would block my airway when I was younger and caused tonsillitis, I had them removed at 10 after all those years of them making me ill :yuck:
He doesn't eat solids very well. He likes things made with dairy, but they make him sick so its a struggle. He loves avacados, eggplant, chicken, bread, but won't always be willing to eat somedays. He does nurse all day whenever he wants though.
He is happy half the time and miserable the other half, but I think it has to do with him not sleeping enough

When he eats, how long does he eat for? If he only nurses for a few minutes and then stops and a little while later eats a little more, he's only snacking and not getting the good hindmilk that will help him sleep. Try getting him to nurse a little longer at a time. And I agree about going to the doctor and getting him checked...something could be bothering him enough that prevents him from sleeping.

Last night he woke every hour, up to 4 times and hour, and at for 10 minutes at a time, I think he is taking in a lot at night although some nights, yes he does just need to suck to get back to sleep.

I remember being in your shoes with my daughter when she was about 15 months old. I finally night-weaned her, and she cried in my arms for a few nights. Honestly looking back on it, it was a mistake for us (though I'm not suggesting that it is/would be for you). She was taking in a lot of calories at night, and not during the day (she has some food allergies that had yet to become clear), and she ended up losing weight. :( Now that I'm a second time mama, I feel much more chilled out about it all, and don't forsee myself in that situation with my son. I was really afraid though, at the time, that my daughter was going to night-nurse FOREVER! I was scared!

Even after she night-weaned, we had to repeat the process several times that year because she would get sick – and then all bets were off.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.

Its good to know I am not alone! I still want to rip my hair out though! I have thought he might lose weight if we nightwean, but maybe he would be more willing to eat solids during the day? I would try and nurse longer at each feeding during the day, in addition to using my freezer stash in a cup, since that hasn't been touched in months.
Having to repeat the process is a scary thought aswell...

subing to the thread so I remember in the morning to read all the posts. NAKing now.:cry: :banghead:

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: I too was up all night last night! I even started recording what time he woke and how long he ate for :banghead:

We haven't been in for his 12 month well baby, so I think when we go I will bring up the sleep issue. etsdtm99 thank you for pointing out I have to say I don't need help or advice with sleep training because everytime we have brought it up I get the same info: only feed for 5 minutes, unlatch him and let him sooth himself to sleep... Tell your wife no more than 5 minutes of nursing during the night and then let him cry if she has to... I am also looking into a new pedi because she kinda annoys me and has different beliefs

[lilnellasmomma]

We finally decided to try and move my daughter to her own room. I slept with her in her room for a few weeks and would try and remove my nipple before she was completely asleep so she could put herself down. After a few weeks of that, with minimal success, daddy took over nighttime routine. When she was really tired he put her down and she wined for a few minutes and fell asleep. When she got up in the night he went in and comforted her back to sleep. This actually and surprisingly really only took a few nights and she was sleeping pretty well. I would bring her in around 4 am and nurse and snuggle. I guess taking the boobs out of the bedtime routine was our solution. I finally got really good sleep and still got my snuggling time and waking up together. It was a nice balance.

Now we have my second daughter (5 months) in our bed and nursing all night long. :)

[gypsy54]

I hope it has gotten better for you... if not I feel your agony on the lose of sleep.
Something that worked for my nite time snacker was to keep her asleep! My midwife suggested we fill her up and prop her up. So before bed I feed my 11 month DD a bowl of oatmeal (she started solids at 4 months), and nurse her to sleep in a propped up position. Some babies get heartburn, gas or reflux that wakes them up. I also cut out one of three naps and shortened the time I had her in bed for at night so she made good use of the time in bed. We go to bed @ around 10 and co sleep until 8am.

The frequency of nite time nursings went down considerably and sometimes I can just place a hand on her and she will go back to sleep. If she really needs the third nap I let her sleep. She naps for 20-30 minutes only. I also let her run and climb all she wants after dinner to tire her out (she started walking at nine months).

So basically some babies dont sleep much and are still healthy happy (usually more alert) babies with very tired mommys.

Also Hylands teething tabs and motrin at night have helped us considerably. Hang in there it does get better.

[meagank24]

B is an all night nurser at 15 months.. A friend did this with her DS and I am thinking about it
Still cosleep but once asleep for the night no nursey til daylight.. She said the gorst night was h#ll, seconf night better, after a few nights he doesnt wake at all
If you LO us an early riser then get up and nurse someone else with lights on if its dark still

[HMDocsLady]

Anyone have issues with thier supply going down after night weaning? We are starting night weaning and I am afraid it will lead to early day weaning because my supply will go down. I want to continue to cosleep as long as possible, but we both need better night sleep and I think night weaning might be the key.

[MotherMoonPads]

Honestly I would not mind him in a seperate bed at this point. We are bringing his crib into our room tonight and hopefully using it at some point. I have tried bottles, but ds just will not accept them no matter what is in them. When i was in the hospital last month, he went over 12 hours without eating until he got to the hospital and I nursed him :rolleyes:

He gets histerical when he cries and I don't know what to do. Should I give in, just hold and rock him or ignore it?
I feel so bad for him, plus I feel like a failure and like I really did ruin him by never letting him cry; although if I had let him cry I would feel the same way! I feel confussed :cry:

Our son sleeps in his crib only because he sleeps SO much better in it. He comes to bed with us around 6:00 AM. Moving him to his crib has been a really good thing for us (much as I love cosleeping).

[jesibsmith]

HMDocsLady: We nightweaned almost 4 months ago (when DS was 12 months) and I did not have any daytime supply issues... In general your body adjusts your supply because it learns which times of day your LO is nursing... So when nightweaning, your body learns to not produce much milk at night anymore (so you don't wake up engorged) but still produce enough during the day.

So far the only time my supply went down a little was right before and during AF (first ppaf 3 months after nightweaning).

HTH!