amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Q:

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My 19 month sleeps with us and has always nursed throughout the night - but I am not sure if it is the right thing for us now - and I have no idea if I should somehow stop the night nursing - and if so how. (I really do not want to fully wean - just the night feedings). I work full time - and I am just exhausted - always. I feel like I am awoken at least 4 or 5 times every night.

Also - I feel like nursing is interfering with her eating. She would much rather nurse than eat - she usually does not want to eat breakfast (of course she is not too hungry - she has nursed all night long) - for lunch she will usually just have a bite or 2 of things - she will usually eat a little more for dinner - but not that much more. - So of course by the middle of the night she is starved -and wants to nurse - and thus the cycle continues.

What do I do ? How can I stop her feeding at night and still have her in bed with us (I just can not bear to listen to her crying for me in her crib all night long). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

A:

I can empathize with you about being woken three or four times a night for nursing - it used to be that DS wouldn't wake me, he would just nurse and I slept thru it. Now, he wakes me up and some mornings I'm really groggy.

Maybe your DS wants to nightnurse because it the best time for you to be alone - even with Daddy in the bed. I don't mean to sound as if you shouldn't work - just that nighttime you are together.

Some of the methods I've heard are that the Mommy tells her nursling that nummies (or whatever you call them, we call it chichis or yummies) are asleep and won't be awake until morning when the sun shines.

Another is to have the nursling sleep next to Daddy - him in the middle and Mommy on the end. That way he can comfort baby and give baby security.

You state that you're not sure it's the right thing for you to do to keep sleeping together; is it because of the night awakenings or from other sources (like friends). Only your family can decide what's right....listen to your heart.

I'm sure the more experienced Mamas will have more and better ideas for you!

HTH

A:

We just went through the same thing with DD @ 17 1/2 mo. I couldn't stand nursing all night long anymore! So, I just quit. I gave her a very soft blanket and a sippy cup of water. She cried for about 4 nights, but I just talked softly to her, told her that mommy loves her, but she has to wait intill 5:30 am to nurse. Now she wakes up and asks for her ke-ke (blanket), grabs her cup, drinks the whole thing, cuddles up and goes right back to sleep. Getting through the first 4 nights was hard though. And for a few days she wanted to nurse all day long, so you might be doing some extra pumping for a few days!!!!

About the eating. Don't worry. I have felt the same way. DD eats like a bird, but she is healthy so I try not to worry.

Q:

iTrader: 0 / 0%

Thank you both for your help! Great idea with the blanket and sippy of water - I am going to start that tonight.

Thanks again!