Urgent Advice Required re Night Weaning a Toddler

[Slavetominidictator]

I have a 22 month old dd who is still breastfed purely because I can't get her to sleep otherwise. She doesn't feed during the day, just to go to sleep and when she wakes during the night as we co sleep. She does fall asleep with the buggy or car too, if tired.... Not a solution for during the night.
She has never slept through. I am intending to start the Jay Gordon method of weaning tonight (I'm a teacher so have two weeks off work in which to do this).

My question is, do I need to stay in bed while I try to get her to go to sleep? I know walking up and down the hall will help her go back to sleep but will it defeat the object (also the thought of doing that 3-4 times a night is even worse than bfing!). So, is it a case of doing whatever it takes to get her back to sleep without bfing or staying in bed and patting or whatever to get her back to sleep there? I am bracing myself for serious screaming for hours on end........ Thanks v much for any responses.

[Slavetominidictator]

I'm feeding her to sleep as I type.... There must be someone who has tried this before?

[picklesrule]

Yes I have done it it is painful but do-able. Don't rock/walk etc unless absolutely at end of your tether!!
I stayes there shushed, patted, no boob, offered a bottle of water,
First night 4 hour tantrum essentially, ended up pushing in buggy at 5am went to sleep
Second night two tantrums approx an hour, went off with water bottle
Third night woke once, gave water, went back to sleep.

You can do it but you have to be determined. Remember when they are screaming you are there, they are fine, it is a tantrum because they want boob.

Good luck!! Will try and think if I did anything else

[sandyposy]

Mine is 2yrs 2months, and we're in exactly the same position as you. Also going to try jay gordon method over easter.Don't think you are meant to get up, on his site it's a gradual withdrawal of feeds over a week: feed to sleep, then next night pick up and hug but don't feed, then next night just pat/ talk. I need to read the web page again though. And I feel your pain, I feel like a sleep deprived lunatic after all this time ....

[picklesrule]

Also wear a high neck top so your boobs aren't accessible!

[picklesrule]

I haven't read jay Gordon and think I went against all advice by going totally cold turkey..worked for me though, I am a bit too impatient for so gradual also not very good at sticking to such plans!

[Slavetominidictator]

Thanks so much for responses so far. I tried the gradual proper Jay Gordon approach when she was 14 months but she went completely crazy and I just concluded it was too soon and stopped.
I also worry that now she can talk and reason to a small extent, that telling her there will be no bfing in the night is a more understandable prospect than you can have some at certain times and not others. I've done quite a lot of preparation in terms of talking it through and using a helpful if slightly odd book from the US called Nursies When the Sun Shines, which I've had to adapt.
So cold turkey in terms of during the night is my plan but still a feed to sleep and a feed at waking. I don't think I would do cold turkey entirely as it just seems too harsh given her attachment to it. But I have to get a proper night's sleep sometime soon or I will lose it.

[Slavetominidictator]

Pickles, did you keep your baby in the bed with you throughout? She's been asleep in her cot since 7.15 but am lying here waiting for her first wake up.....