Do all co-sleeping breastfeeding babies.......

[IlanaK]

stay permenantly attached to the breast all night?

My 8 week old is doing this. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I would put him back to the middle of the bed after a feed (he didn't usually come off the breast by himself, but I would decide he was finished feeding and put him there). He would then sleep there until the next feed (roughly 2 hourly). Now though, I have learned the art of falling asleep while he feeds. When I wake periodically, he is still attached. I change sides every now and again.

The problem is that I get to about 3 or 4 am and have had enough. I want a bit of space back. He will not settle though unless he is on the breast. When he was sleeping between us, he would settle with my dh cuddling him. Now he won't.

So, is this just a part of co-sleeping and i will get used to it? Or is he extreme needing to be attached to my breast all night (it is not a hunger thing, just a sucking thing)?

[IlanaK]

No co-sleepers on here tonight?

[bluejelly]

I seem to remember 'unhooking' my dd as soon as she fell asleep, so that she didn't get too used to sleeping with a nipple in her mouth... have you tried that?

[policywonk]

Erm, no, neither of mine did that at that age. Not to say it's wrong mind, just that mine didn't.

If it's disturbing your sleep then that's a problem, but I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest - 8 weeks is (obviously) still so young. Can you hang on in there for another eight weeks or so and hope for an improvement?

[IlanaK]

Yes, I think the problem is he is getting used to sleeping with a nipple in his mouth. But unless I keep myself awake during feeds, I can't unhook him. And staying awake seems like such hard work!

[OldieButGoldie]

Yes, my DS does this if he can get away with it

[RoRoMommy]

My guess is that he's going through a phase, and he'll grow out of it. Mine has gone through those, and he is currently in one of them, but then again he is getting eight teeth all at once and has a cold, so he's craving comfort. I'm okay with that because I know it won't last forever. I'd say hang in there for a little while, and if it continues then invest a few nights (or weeks) of sleeping through the feeding to stay awake and unlatch him so he'll get used to sleeping without the nipple in his mouth.

HTH

[anonymxxx]

My DS was like this and I sympathize. I am all for bfing and attachment parenting, but I started to have back pain, because I was not moving in my sleep while he was attached. Then at some point, he wouldn't nap in the day without the nipple in his mouth.
In short, at some point it was too much and I fed him sitting up only (so I couldn't fall asleep) and then I moved him on his own mattress next to ours. He didn't like it, but after a few nights (I think 3), I got so much more high-quality sleep and napping become a lot easier. Well, we has my relapses and it's seems to be a constant balance thing. But you know best what works for you and when you need to change something.

[Shooflypie]

My DS hasn't done this till the last couple of weeks (he's 24 wks) so I think it's a phase. I've found that I can gently take the nipple out of his mouth and if I let him rest him cheek and mouth against the rest of my breast he will root for a few seconds but remain asleep.
I think it's the warmth, smell, closeness as much as the actual nipple. After 10 or 20 seconds I can move away.

[StealthPolarBear]

i've only co slept since 10ish mo but my ds goes through these phases - tend to be when hes teething or ill. don't know if thats the case for such a young baby tho