Cutting out night nursing?
Hi all!
My son Landon had his 6 month check up a few weeks ago (he's now 7 months), where the doctor told me to cut out his night nursing (currently nurses before bed around 7:30, falls asleep happily drowsy in his crib, nurses once per night, then again around 5 a.m. and sleeps until around 7). It was suggested that we give him water. We tried this for three nights....I caved each time. I have never heard my son cry the way he did....almost hyperventilating. I tried rocking him/holding him, pacifier, lovie, singing (sorry Landon), etc (crying it out is not an option for us). He would fall asleep, then wake up 20 minutes later each time....until I nursed him. Only then he would sleep through until morning.
Just wondering what other nursing moms have been through/are going through, and if your babies naturally cut out their night nursing on their own when they were ready.
Thanks!!
Mary Beth
Views: 125
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on -
Gosh-- he actually sounds like a pretty good sleeper for his age. Does it bother you that he is getting up to nurse? If not, maybe you can try it again in a few weeks. I want my friend Elizabeth to comment as she was successful in weaning and getting her son in the crib. Her sleep training method did not include crying it out--at all.
Also check out this link to askdrsears.com--Alternatives to Night Weaning http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/night-weaning-12-al....
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Permalink Reply by Mary Beth on -
Thanks Steph! Helpful article.
It does not bother me at all that he nurses at night, and did not think there was a "problem" at all until the doctor told me that he shouldn't be nursing at night any longer. I've decided to keep the night nursing in tact until he shows signs of being ready to cut back. Trusting my instincts here.
Definitely curious to hear other moms stories...success or not.
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Permalink Reply by Amy L on -
Hi Mary Beth - I was fortunate that Sam weaned himself at around 2 months so I can't give you any advice from experience. But one thing that stuck out to me from reading "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" was that Elizabeth Pantley stressed that unless something with your child's sleep schedule is bothering YOU, don't feel pressured to try to change anything simply because other people expect your child to be doing something differently. It's not like there's a concern that he's eating too much since you're nursing him, so I wouldn't worry about it if you're fine with it. There are so many things about parenting to stress out about, so why add something to the list that doesn't have to be there?
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Permalink Reply by Mary Beth on
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Thanks Amy. You know, that is so true. It's hard not to worry that I'm doing something wrong with so many strong opinions out there. I'll have to get Pantley's book.
And that is amazing that Sam weaned himself from night nursing at 2 months! Did he sleep straight through from that point on (aside from teething, etc)?
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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth on -
Hi Mary Beth - you definitely need to trust your instincts on this. You are the only one who will know when he's ready to start cutting back.I recently had my younger son's 1 year appt, and I mentioned to the doctor that I was thinking about night weaning. He still wakes up once a night to nurse, and my pediatrician encouraged me to continue nursing him at night. My older son weaned at 13 months, so I just assumed I'd follow a similar timeframe with my younger one, but because he's a bit of a picky eater, my doctor thinks he's probably waking up because he's hungry. It does not bother me at all that Dylan is still waking up once per night to nurse, so I'm going to continue until he shows he's ready to cut it out. When Dylan was your son's age he was waking up at least 3 times per night to nurse. At around 8 months I began testing the waters to see if he was ready to cut back, which consisted of my husband jumping on board for night wakings. So when Dylan first woke up at night, I would nurse him, then the next time he woke up, my husband would attempt to rock him back to sleep. If he cried inconsolably, I would nurse him to sleep, then my husband would try to soothe him the next time he woke up, and if he wasn't successful, I'd nurse him again. When we first tried this, he made it clear that he was not ready to fall asleep without nursing, so we put it on hold and tried again a few weeks later. It was a gradual process, but eventually Dylan got used to being rocked to sleep, and by 11 months, he completely stopped nursing to sleep. Now, at 13 months, he's still nursing about 4 times per day (when he first wakes up in the morning, before nap, before bedtime, and once during the night), however, he never falls asleep at the breast anymore, which is key to eventually getting him to sleep through the night.When I was weaning my older son at 13 months, we used a pick up, put down method to teach him to put himself to sleep in the crib, which consisted of us rocking him until he was drowsy, then placing him in his crib. As soon as he started crying, we'd pick him up and sooth him until he stopped, then put him back down. Within a few days, he learned to fall asleep on his own, (without EVER crying it out), and has been sleeping through the night ever since. However, I do know that had we tried any sooner, he just would not have been ready for this, but every baby is different. We are gearing up to use the same technique with my younger son over the next couple of months, when I feel that he's ready.
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Permalink Reply by Katherine A. on -
I breastfed until my daughter was almost 12 months and only stopped because I had to take an antibiotic. When she was 7 months she had the same schedule you describe your son having. It never occurred to me to wean her and my pediatrician never said anything. She did, however, stop her 5/6 AM feeding on her own by 11 months. If you can stick it out another few months and the schedule isn't bothering you, I'd say stick with it. I nursed my daughter as often as she needed (no real schedule) and have no regrets about that. It's such a short period of time and I feel she was truly hungry and it wasn't just for comfort.. I don't know if this is helpful but just adding my 2 bits. I loved nursing and never minded the night nursing. (I did let my daughter cry it out on occasion after she had nursed but she never cried for more than 15 minutes- just her temperament, I guess.)
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Permalink Reply by Shannon on -
Hi Mary Beth,
I agree with the other moms that you should trust your instincts. Do whatever works for you and Landon. Harper was waking at 2am to nurse until she was 11 months old. She eventually started sleeping through that feeding. Every baby is different, so do what you think is best for you!
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Permalink Reply by Amy L on
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Yes, that's when he started sleeping straight through the night! We were so lucky with that, and it makes me scared to have another because I know it won't be that easy and I won't know what to do! That being said, though, he is not the best napper during the day so the days were a lot of work. Not complaining, though -- I wouldn't trade naps for my sleep!
Mary Beth said:
Thanks Amy. You know, that is so true. It's hard not to worry that I'm doing something wrong with so many strong opinions out there. I'll have to get Pantley's book.
And that is amazing that Sam weaned himself from night nursing at 2 months! Did he sleep straight through from that point on (aside from teething, etc)?
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Permalink Reply by Mary Beth on
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Thanks so much ladies. It's so helpful to hear your stories.
Amy, I would also take night sleep over naps ; ) As easy as Landon goes down at night...totally different for naps. He needs to either nurse, or be moving until he falls asleep (car, rocking, swing, stroller...doesn't discriminate). I think he just finds the daytime really exciting : )
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