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January 2024 Babies
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CelineH88
I did night 3 of night weaning last night and it seems like each night is getting worse. The previous nights I had my husband do it but he’d cave after an hour of trying to comfort our son and come get me so I figured last night id just do it so at least one of us could get some sleep. Anyway, last night my guy was up from 2:45-4:45 am before finally falling asleep until 7:30 am. It seemed taking him out of the crib and rocking him made him more angry so I sat there rubbing his little head and singing him songs til he’d settle but as soon as I’d leave his room he’d cry for me again. We did taking Cara babies sleep training at 6 months old but I opted to keep the motn feed and nursing to sleep at that time. My baby is a year old now and the pediatrician said he doesn’t need the calories he’s just looking for comfort. I feel like a terrible mom keeping my boob from him while I know it would instantly settle him and put him to sleep. Please share your experience and any tips/solidarity you have! Thank you!
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mellaphant
Solidarity. I’m working on night weaning slowly to and my girl gets so upset when I say no milkies and offer a pacifier and rocks instead. She will thrash and scream and smack. It’s heart breaking. But I need her to start sleeping longer stretches
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mellaphant
@CelineH88,
I wish I could get to that point ��. Unfortunately my husband can’t really help because she gets even more upset when he goes in to resettle her
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pancakes246
So, likely an unpopular perspective, but since my guy was such a brutal sleeper (up 6-8 times per night until 10 months), when he naturally (and suddenly) started waking only once, I continued to offer breastfeeding because its comfort and works. IMO, comfort is a need. I can handle getting up once (and sometimes he sleeps through) because it used to be so bad. One thing I refuse to do is cosleep rn because then he’ll nurses all night and I cannot handle that at all. I feel like your babe will stop waking for that comfort when they no longer need it. (Of course there’s other ways to comfort and patience will be your friend as you transition to different comfort, but sometimes weaning doesn’t stop the wakings.)
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CelineH88
@pancakes246,
I agree so much. I’m going to give this a few more nights and if don’t see improvement I’ll go back to nursing.
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eNapper21
Yeah there’s nothing wrong with nursing for comfort, whether he needs the calories or not. If you don’t mind feeding him to settle him, I wouldn’t change it just because he doesn’t “need” it for calories. Follow your mom gut
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CelineH88
@eNapper21,
thank you!
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Rosemaryenthyme
@eNapper21,
Fully agree! As long as you are okay with feeding for comfort there is no need to night wean. We have done 1 motn feed since like 4 or 5 months and he still wants the boob most nights. But sometimes he doesn't ask and just STTN. He has also slowly been moving the motn feed back, so a I trust that he will drop it eventually...
As long as you're happy with it you can follow your baby's cues.
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CelineH88
@Rosemaryenthyme,
thank you!
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Yasmin25
My little one is still waking once a night after 4-5 hours and sometimes twice. I recommend trying to slowly cut down on the feedings rather than an abrupt taking them away, it’s all they’ve known for a year and so gradually reducing the feeding time by 1-2 minutes every few days should eventually lead to them naturally stopping (is what I’ve read anyways!). For example her last feed before bedtime routine always takes 15 minutes but for her night waking I’ve capped jt to 10 minutes. She’s usually so sleepy anyways she’ll hardly protest when I gentle take her off and then I’ll do a few bum pats and put her back in the crib - hoping to have her weaned off completly in the next 2 months but also i waking up once a night till she’s 18 months, she’s still a baby even if she is running around �� and knowing how fast this year has gone, I don’t mind holding onto one shortish feed a night, she will eventually stop x
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CelineH88
@Yasmin25,
thank you for your advice and hope your strategy continues to work and 2 months you’ll be home free!!
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violetandvelvetsmum
Is there a specific reason you are actually wanting to stop feeding him at night?
I know my girl doesn’t need the calories and hasn’t for over 6 months but that doesn’t mean I won’t feed her overnight even tho I know it’s only for her comfort
I sometimes have to nurse back to sleep like 10 times throughout the night. I’d love if it was only 2-3 times but it is what it is lol
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CelineH88
@violetandvelvetsmum,
So I caved last night. I think I wanted to see if he was ready to sleep all the way through, but after 4 nights with no improvement my mama gut said to nurse him. I used to cosleep from birth until sleep training at 6 months bc he was on my boob all night long. He did so well with the sleep training and picked up sleeping independently in his crib within a couple nights. He’d still wake to nurse every 3-4 hours but stayed in crib all night. Once he hit 9 months he started doing 6-8 hours stretches. Now that he was a year I was curious if he could do the whole 11-12 hour stretch without milk but it’s clear that’s not the case yet. I don’t regret trying, but my mom heart feels better nursing him than continuing to push for something he’s not ready for yet.
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violetandvelvetsmum
@CelineH88,
I am glad that you are happy and there is nothing wrong with giving things a try to see if it works for you and baby just like there is nothing wrong with it if it doesn’t work out! When he is ready he will be ready ��
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Rmama2be
solidarity, and hope! We started night weaning this week since my son was down to one feed around 3-4am. The first two nights were brutal. On and off crying from 1:45-4:45am, husband and I switching on and off. The next night I didn’t go in at all and it was a better night. And now he still woke last night, but settled for my husband so quickly. So I’d suggest having your husband commit, as your LO may get more worked up with you not feeding him!
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CelineH88
@Rmama2be,
good luck over there! Happy you guys are seeing improvement. I decided to wait longer. My guy is clearly not ready but it was worth a try.
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Jrn2009
Hi mama!
My opinion only, but I feel like that’s such a general statement soooo many peds say to parents (“they don’t need the calories”) …how do they actually know? Babies go through growth spurts beyond the age of 1 and the CDC apparently now recommends that mamas breastfeed until 2 if possible. These professionals don’t always trump your mama instinct and I’m so glad I read that you offered the boob! Sounds like he wasn’t ready (emotionally and maybe nutritionally too). Comfort is a 100% natural thing babies need. I stopped trying to wean my baby off of the breast at night and he’s been waking only 2x/night most nights. When he wakes, he’s not up for long when offered either milk, formula or cuddles/rocking (he won’t get milk if he was just given some and wakes again). He woke up at 11p, 1:30a, and not again for the rest of the night last night (he’s still asleep and it’s 7:36a!) We didn’t do any formal sleep training at all either. Just meeting him where he’s at and following his lead.
You got this!❤️ *hugs*
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CelineH88
@Jrn2009,
thank you! ♥️
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DustyCupcake
My baby cosleeps with me and she frequently nurses through the night for comfort. And while I want her out of my bed at some point, I’m savoring these moments because they are so fleeting. I know the days are long, but looking at my 7, 8 and 9 year old… the years, they fly by. And these little nursing babies turn into independent self sufficient personalities who don’t even need tuck in’s anymore ��
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