Calling all breast feeding co-sleepers!

[Mrs Wibbily]

Does anyone else's baby seem to latch on for comfort through the night? My LO is almost 8 months old and is waking every1-2 hours. I could cope with it when he was smaller but I think it's now just habit!

He screams blue murder if I try a dummy yet he will have a dummy during the day!

Any advice?!xx

 

[Ammdaz]

My DS used to do the same at that age, I think the fact they are so close to us when co sleeping means they can smell the milk and are so aware that its there that its just too tempting for them not to take advantage! Night feeds didn't really reduce for us until DS moved into his own room around 15 months but to be honest I didn't put much effort into stopping them earlier as it was easier to just lay and feed him whilst dozing rather than create world war three by refusing!

I'm guessing you would like to continue cosleeping - if so I would have thought if you gradually reduced the length and frequency of the feed he will get the message eventually that the all night milk bar is no longer! Make sure you wear something that he can't pull down and doesn't give him such easy access to your boobs, this might help to stop him smelling the milk so much as well. If he normally feeds every 2 hours see if you can get him to go three hours between to start with then 4 etc, you'll have to find other ways of getting him settled back to sleep such as shushing and patting his tummy - it might not be easy but give it a go. Also try reducing the length of the feeds, as soon as he starts to get sleepy unlatch him and see if you can get him to settle back to sleep off the boob to help break the association with sucking back to sleep. There isn't a quick fix and it will take patience and determination on your part but if you persevere he should slowly start to realise that it's not worth waking up for the little bit of milk he's getting anymore.


Hope this helps a bit and good luck xxx

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

Thanks for replying. Yeah I love co-sleeping as I did with my first and don't plan to stop anytime soon. I think with my first I tried harder to get him in his own room quicker but this time I'm not so bothered. Not having anymore so him getting bigger is something I'm trying to hold back on! Lol!

Thanks for all your advice I will defo try things however I'm sure I will continue to wake up with my boobs on display! I am kind of one for anything for an easy life when it comes to the babies! Well apart from when they get past the age of two and become little horrors!!xx

 

[HL28]

My first was latched on all night at around 7/8 months it did start to drive me mad. I was her dummy! My second was due in 5 months so I did attempt to get her in a cot but it was lots of crying and it didn't work. She also started on bottles by then as I wasn't convinced she was getting milk due to being pregnant. I could maybe suggest covering up so access to booby is harder for baby and you. I latch them on without even waking! Try cuddling her to sleep instead of feeding too. My second had a dummy from 2 months so was easier with him. And by 9 months I put him in his own cot due to constantly scratching and pinching me and driving me potty lol. I had been co sleeping with this little one before she scared life out of me after her jabs and had to go to A&E so now is in a cot most the night with angelcare mat so I don't keep waking panicking she's not breathing!! We co sleep sometimes early morning xxx

 

[Ammdaz]

Thanks for replying. Yeah I love co-sleeping as I did with my first and don't plan to stop anytime soon. I think with my first I tried harder to get him in his own room quicker but this time I'm not so bothered. Not having anymore so him getting bigger is something I'm trying to hold back on! Lol!

Thanks for all your advice I will defo try things however I'm sure I will continue to wake up with my boobs on display! I am kind of one for anything for an easy life when it comes to the babies! Well apart from when they get past the age of two and become little horrors!!xx

I'm the same with wanting an easy life lol! That's why I didnt do much about ds's sleeping when he was younger, I just coped by cosleeping. At the end of the day I think it just depends on what you are happy with and can cope with, if you and he are happy with him continuing to feed at night then there's nothing wrong with that but if you're struggling then with a bit of hard work you can make it better. Like I said I waited until ds was 15 months as by then be was getting quite big and disturbing us lots in the night so I was struggling. We moved him into his own room and he no longer fed at night but he did still wake and would end up back in our bed most nights. He didn't actually start sleeping through reliably in his own bed until he was three lol but again that's because I never really pushed him and was too lazy to do any sleep training. He probably would have slept through earlier if I'd been stricter but like you, as much as I wished he would sleep better, I wasn't in a rush to make him grow up and I think it's actually paid off because he sleeps really well now and we hardly ever get nightmares or any funny worries at nighttime like most children I know. Sorry for the ramble lol but just wanted to reassure you that it's fine to carry on as you are if you want to but if you need to you can change things around xxx

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

You sound like my kinda gal!

DS 1 has always been welcome in our bed and even now he's 4 he comes in through the night (a big squash with 4 of us in)! However I wouldn't have it any other way. I honestly think this is just a bit of a wobble cos I feel knackered at the moment.

I am far too lazy to do sleep training found it so hard with DS1. Only problem is is day time naps cos they are shit! 20 minutes at a time and he needs longer! He's a little grump on cat naps! Wonder if I should do something to try train him into sleeping better but that just takes time away from DS1 and when he's at school I just sit cuddling DS2 and nod off with him!! I totally contradict everything I say I am noticing through this thread. Ha ha. Xxx

 

[Ammdaz]

I was thinking when reading your posts that you sound like my kinda gal too!

You sound just like me with ds, I'd get a bit fed up and think I should do something about it, people would say do this that and the other and I'd think ooh no I don't want to do that or that sounds like far too much work lol and so we'd just plod on as we were. Ds was terrible with daytime naps too, he gave them up quite young. I used to find that if I timed it right I could get him to sleep when we were out and about and he'd sleep a bit longer in the car or pushchair.

I'm naively hoping that this next baby is going to be a naturally excellent sleeper lol! If she's not, well... I'll cross that bridge when we come to it! Xxx

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

Well of course she will. This is just how I thought about Finn!! Although he was fantastic at the beginning then 4 month sleep regression put an end to that!! How exciting a little girl. Do you have a name picked?xx

 

[Ammdaz]

Oh you have a Finn too? My DS is Finley but he gets called Finn most of the time now he's getting bigger

Yeah I'm really excited about having a little girl, although I'm so used to having a boy I'm not sure I'll know what to do with her! Our two favourite names at the mo are Seren and Sophia. My DS insists she is going to be Sophia but I think OH prefers Seren! So I think we will wait to see what suits her best when she arrives

I think I'd be quite chuffed just to get four months of decent sleep this time round even if it does go a bit squiffy for a while after that! Xxx

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

My Finn is just Finn and I love the name. Took us ages to find a name for him, if he had been a girl he would have been Jemima. Finn's middle name is a bit out there, he's Finn Corky and he so suits it!

I love both of your name choices, they are both beautiful. I have a step daughter so I have no yearning for a girl, she is Mia. Another beautiful name. 2 step sons too so totally out numbered Mia and I! Lol. Xx

 

[Ammdaz]

I love both Finn and Finley, it took us ages to find DS's name too and I would've been really stuck if this baby had been a boy too because there isn't another boys name I love as much! Other than the name thing though I would've been perfectly happy with another boy, boys are great lol but it will be nice to have a girl to even things up Finn Corky, that's very unusual but it has a great ring to it, makes me think of a cheeky little chappie!

Thank you, I love them both, it's going to be very hard to choose between them. Mia was actually another name we considered for a girl.

I've just noticed your ticker for your DS1, he's very close in age to my DS, when is his birthday? My DS is 26th May xxx

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

My first was latched on all night at around 7/8 months it did start to drive me mad. I was her dummy! My second was due in 5 months so I did attempt to get her in a cot but it was lots of crying and it didn't work. She also started on bottles by then as I wasn't convinced she was getting milk due to being pregnant. I could maybe suggest covering up so access to booby is harder for baby and you. I latch them on without even waking! Try cuddling her to sleep instead of feeding too. My second had a dummy from 2 months so was easier with him. And by 9 months I put him in his own cot due to constantly scratching and pinching me and driving me potty lol. I had been co sleeping with this little one before she scared life out of me after her jabs and had to go to A&E so now is in a cot most the night with angelcare mat so I don't keep waking panicking she's not breathing!! We co sleep sometimes early morning xxx

I keep meaning to reply. What on earth happened to your bubs so you had to put her in her cot?x

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

I love both Finn and Finley, it took us ages to find DS's name too and I would've been really stuck if this baby had been a boy too because there isn't another boys name I love as much! Other than the name thing though I would've been perfectly happy with another boy, boys are great lol but it will be nice to have a girl to even things up Finn Corky, that's very unusual but it has a great ring to it, makes me think of a cheeky little chappie!

Thank you, I love them both, it's going to be very hard to choose between them. Mia was actually another name we considered for a girl.

I've just noticed your ticker for your DS1, he's very close in age to my DS, when is his birthday? My DS is 26th May xxx

I love Finley too but my friend said I wasn't allowed to pinch it so I was a bit naughty and just pinched half of it!

June 1st, thought it only right I put him a ticker on too! Lol. Where does the time go, he is such a big boy now, enjoy the time you have left it being you two because when baby arrives it's hectic, in a lovely way of course! But getting that special time just the two of you is hard! Although now Sam loves it more when it's just us two he says "Look at us eh! Out together"! True Yorkshire boy!

Yes my Finn Corky is definitely a cheeky chappie, started giggling when he trumps now so that's delightful!! xx

 

[Ammdaz]

Sounds like a fair compromise with the name!

I know, I'm worried about having less time to spend with Finn when the baby comes, I don't want him to feel pushed out bless him. The good thing is I finish work at the end of July and he will finish nursery then too so we have the whole summer hols off together to do lots of fun stuff before he starts school and his sister arrives.

Aww bless your ds1, he sounds like a real sweetie! And lol at Finn laughing at his trumps, what is it about boys finding that funny?! My OH still finds it hilarious and he is way past the age where that is cute!! Xxx