going to sleep on breast

[Evita]

Hi, this is my 1st message here though I've read everyone elses for ages. My daughter's 1 and has been breast fed from the beginning. She only has a morning and evening feed now and at the evening one ALWAYS falls asleep. She sleeps well generally at night though and can settle herself if she wakes and always goes down for daytime naps wide awake. I guess I'm a bit worried that I'm going to create a big problem for the future if I don't stop the breast sleeping in the evening. On the other hand it is lovely and she goes off to sleep in such a heavenly state. What should I do?

[codswallop]

They always say dont let them , dont they...

[Bekki]

If you're happy with it and shes happy with it then leave it like that for a while. You'll only have that closeness with her once, enjoy it while you can.

[bobthebaby]

Sounds like a lovely way to go to sleep. Once you are no longer breastfeeding you will find another way, a story followed by a cuddle for instance. Why miss out on a lovely experience for you both now by trying to make the change before you need to?

[Evita]

Well, yes, I think so too, I mean about it being a lovely experience. And it really is. She's not exactly a 'cuddly' baby usually but this gives us a chance to really snuggle up together and she strokes my face and hair and I kiss her hands and she giggles etc. There's no doubt it's a lovely experience. But what I worry about is if it's going to make it hard for her to eventually fall asleep alone.

[bluecow]

Our ds always fell asleep after a breast or bottle feed and we always put him down asleep no matter what time of day. He slept through from seven weeks so it didn't do him any harm, and he is brilliant now (at one year old) about going to bed at night.

[mears]

The fact that she can settle herself if she wakes means she doesn't rely on the breast to sleep. I fed all 4 of mine till they fell asleep on the breast at bedtime. I don't have any problems regards sleeping. Keep going as you are - it will be over before you know it. Enjoy

[eyelash]

Evita - I echo what everybody else has said. I bf ds1 and ds2 to sleep at night until I stopped bfing at 10 months and 13 months respectively. We just replaced the last feed with stories, cuddles and lullaby tapes and they both adjusted pretty quickly. So my advise is value what you have now, and you will find another alternative when the time comes to stop the night feeds. You shouldn't have too many problems if she is already settling herself in any case.

[Evita]

Gosh, you're all so reassuring, thanks!