not a biggie, just after a bit of support for a feed-to-sleeper please!

[hairymelons]

Hi
My 12 month old son feeds to sleep every nap and bedtime and wakes wanting to feed during the night. Usually only once or twice nowadays (unless teething or poorly which is often!) so that's not too bad but I worry I'm doing the wrong thing by not teaching him to go to sleep by himself. CC is out of the question as I nearly weep every time I contemplate it- wimp, I know.
I was just wondering if anyone had done this and now has, miracle of miracles, a good sleeper? Or am I kidding myself that he'll grow out of it. I can't imagine EVER being able to put him to bed without him feeding to sleep, not that I'll be doing it when he's 12 years old of course!
Thanks

[HumphreyCobbler]

Yes I fed my son to sleep for the first two years or so of his life. He now will settle down awake and only wants a cuddle or drink of water when he occasionally wakes in the night. It just happened naturally.

[mears]

I breastfed 4 babies to sleep and they were all good sleepers. If it doesn't bother you then continue with it. It is only a problem if you can't cope with night feeds.

[barbareebaa]

hi hairymelons
I think that you are not a wimp - you have chosen a very natural and lovely way of helping your wee boy to sleep - lucky him I have only 7 months experience of this parenting lark but after all the 'advice' and talk of rods etc i totally believe i'm doing the right thing for us(although tres reassuring to read that they do get the self settling thing eventually!!)

[LaDiDaDi]

Well I fed to sleep in the early days and once I stopped bf I still cuddled to sleep. Dd still likes to go to sleep at night with me next to her (3.2 now) but will settle for others if I'm not there and will go to sleep on her own if already sleepy enough iyswim.

[GreenMonkies]

I feed mine to sleep, DD1 now goes off without a boob, DD2 still nurses off. Don't sweat it, I promise you'll not be rocking him on your lap when he's 15.........

[ShowOfHands]

Honestly they will naturally do it. 26 month old dd still feeds to sleep but can self settle too.

If you're happy to do it, don't worry, just enjoy it.

[ches]

Personally, I think that if a child is not sleeping through by 12 or 18 or whatever months then they're a crappy sleeper and how you put them to bed makes no difference. If you're getting up in the night anyway, it's helpful to have a quick-fix to get them back to sleep.

[hairymelons]

Thanks everyone! Nice to know I'm not alone

[KnickKnack]

My 5 and 7 yr olds are fantastic sleepers, have been for several years...it is often been commented on, apparently "I'm so lucky"
I fed them to sleep for yonks (not very specific I know, but it went beyond breast and into the bottle feeding stage too)