Sleep training 14 month old - to stay in her bedroom or not?

[SallyMischievo]

Dear all,
After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to start sleep training with our 14 month old towards the end of last year, we are determined to try again next week. I have always breastfed her to sleep but I am keen to stop feeding now, (I have phased out all other feeds apart from the bedtime one although I also feed her if she wakes up in the night) and I feel she is ready too as a couple of times in the last few days she has asked for cow's milk at bedtime! But she howls when I put her in the cot awake and is inconsolable and rather pathetically, I have ended up caving in and putting her back on the boob where she has promptly fallen asleep!
I know we need to brace ourselves for a difficult few nights and be brave! But should I stay in her bedroom with her once I put her down in the cot or leave the room and come back every few minutes? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you.

[Coconut0il]

No real expert advice but I can tell you about my DS1. I fed him to sleep till he was about 18 months old, at first I just said 'all gone' when he wanted milk. I stuck to it as I had started to have really painful nipples when he fed. We had a story and I still lay next to him (co sleeping) and cuddled him to sleep for about a month. Then just the story and a kiss. I never had any success with transferring to cot and I'm too soft for anything that involved crying! He's 12 now and has no sleep issues. DS2 is 6 months and im doing the same with him.
Good luck

[SallyMischievo]

Thank you! Although we don't co sleep, I will give a version of this a try. I have tried rocking her to sleep but I know I need to teach her how to fall asleep without any 'props' to help!

[SleepForTheWeak]

There's a thread on here called 'what worked for us' - give it a read

[SallyMischievo]

Thank you, I will!