How can I stop newborn feeding to sleep?

[teacher1984]

I realise this sounds a bit cruel - surely a breastfed 5 week old can be fed to sleep? Well, that's what I thought but it's causing us problems -

• He's too sleepy to burp so is absolutely full of wind.
• He gets completely furious at the breast, crying and pulling away, then back on as he just wants to suck to sleep but milk comes out. Very frustrating and exhausting for both of us.
• My husband can't ever help settle the baby or put the baby to sleep as he literally has to have a boob in his mouth. This is causing resentment as I literally do everything baby related and husband does very little.
• Baby is throwing up sometimes as takes in milk to fall asleep when tummy is already full from feed when first woke.
• It's just way too much time in the day for baby to be 'on' me - I can manage feeds no problem but I'd prefer him not to use me as a dummy for so many hours each day.

A dummy would absolutely solve this problem as all he wants is to suck to sleep but we've tried 4 types and he point black refuses!

Any advice or ideas most welcome!!

Genuinely concerned that he won't naturally grow out of this and I'll still be doing it in a years time!

[Coconut0il]

DS2 has always been fed to sleep. Slightly different situation as I'm quite happy to do it. He's 6 months now. He's never had bad wind or sickness so no advice about that but although DP has never been able to settle DS for sleep he has always done nappies, an hours playtime (now DS is older), taken DS out in the pushchair or car to give me an hours break.
At 5 weeks DS2 was pretty much permanently attached, like your DS he wouldn't take a dummy. I know he's my last baby so just went with it and watched a few box sets. However if your not happy have you tried expressing or an occasional formula to give you a break? DS2 refused a bottle but DS1 would go between breast from me and a bottle from DP with no issues.
I would also try a bouncy chair. DS would sleep in this. Either me or DP would bounce it with our foot. Good when you feel a bit touched out.
Also he will grow out of it. DS2 was on the breast so much at 5 weeks but now he's 6 months he goes about 4 hours between feeds. I think at 5 weeks he might still be building your supply up too...

[caravanista]

It's the most normal thing in the world. Please don't stop.

[Lindy2]

Being able to feed to sleep can be very handy at times. The burping, taking in more milk than he wants will very likely settle down in the near future.
Your husband can get involved in lots of other baby things, nappies, dressing, taking baby out in the pushchair/a sling, bath time etc, etc.
Feeding to sleep is completely natural.

[Monkeymonstermum]

Totally agree with the bouncy chair - some furious foot bouncing can do wonders!!
It's so bloody soul destroying when they want to feed constantly - I do think sometimes they're windy too. Have you tried your hands under each of his arm pits and bouncing - good triceps exercise and often settles my little boy when he's crying (ie I think its sometimes his tummy hurting not hunger when he's crying).
When he's screaming your husband can take him out for a walk in the pram which will often settle them. If he's just fed and got a clean nappy then send them off! All of mine have been much more settled out and about than when we're in the house. Doesn't help for night time but does in the day if you've got someone who can take him out while you're catching an hour of two of sleep.
Lastly, it will end - but I know what you mean about thinking that's how the next years will be....but it does pass, otherwise people would never have more than 1!
Hope you find something that works. Xxx

[WhataMessEh]

We found my dd liked the dummy much more when she got used to having a feed from a bottle - so you could EBF a feed, let DH feed her and then gradually re-introduce the dummy that matched the bottle teats - so tommy tippee dummy and teat for example. Not easy though to EBF - that's a whole other pain in the neck. When you're done feeding, get DH to walk the baby around in the baby carrier. We had an ergo baby and the infant insert was snuggly so used to transfer her to the bouncy chair cocooned in it. It'll pass though, you don't have to do anything really.