Night weaning... tell me your stories!

[MoreSleepPlease6]

DS is 8mo eating well and breastfeeding a lot during the day. I'm going back to work after Christmas and want to get the nights cracked sooner rather than later. Currently he wakes between 2-4 times for a feed.
Planning to do it in a few weekends time once his cold has properly cleared. DH will stay in his room with him fri, sat and then I will do Sunday onwards... how long is it likely to take?
Planning on either cuddling back to sleep (although not sure this will work as he gets pretty irate if he can't feed when he wants) or some sort of pick up put down - don't want to get into the habit of rocking or bouncing back to sleep.

Tell me your stories!!! Is it going to be hell?

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

At 9mo ds was bf several times a night. Sleep deprivation was killing me. Sent dh on with a bottle, drank 1oz then slept through!! Next night dh offered water, refused and slept through. Next night slept 12 hours without waking once!! Ds is 3.2 and asks to go to bed at 7 for 12 hours!!

[MoreSleepPlease6]

Wow! Thanks for replying
Fingers crossed ours is similar as I have heard it can be difficult

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

Stick to dh going in is my advice!! And no pickup if you can help it!!

[MoreSleepPlease6]

Bump ... anyone else?

We are now starting tonight last night was the end of my tether

[johendy]

The first 3 nights are tough going but stick at it. At that age he doesnt need milk in the night and is capable of self settling and sleeping through - but only if he's taught. (I learnt the hard way). I managed to night wean my 7 month old myself in 3 nights. Something like 2 + 1 hours crying night 1, 1 hour + 45 mins night 2, 30min + 15 mins night 3, then night 4 on he'd just need a hand on his back to go to sleep. But my hand on his back became a sleep crutch and his wakings actually became more frequent.

Be consistent and see your plan through for 5 nights before even thinking about changing it. It's better to settle the baby in the cot than pick up for cuddles if/ as soon as you can (easier for them to learn to self settle) and move as quickly as you can from physically soothing him (patting, juggling, rubbing etc) to just being in the room with them with him calming just knowing you're there. Then you'll be able to leave him to self settle. And think about not sleeping in with him on night 3, after DH breaks the routine and attachment to you over 2 nights - it might make for a tough night or two for you, but would be good to get out of his room asap so as to not build another sleep reliance.

Good luck

[crazycatlady5]

But my hand on his back became a sleep crutch and his wakings actually became more frequent.

I do know various people who cut out night feeds and still had the same night wakings for quite some time, so beware of that!

[MoreSleepPlease6]

Ah @crazycatlady5 I know however the way i'm feeling currently it's either night feeds or breastfeeding that needs to go. At least me and DH can share the night wakings if they're not for feeds. I feel so trapped with it all and really regret not getting him used to a bottle when he was little little. The only time I've been out without him since he was born was to the hairdressers last week because he's always been so irregular with his feeds!

[crazycatlady5]

The only time I've been out without him since he was born was to the hairdressers last week because he's always been so irregular with his feeds!

I’m in exactly the same boat with my little one and the hairdresser last week was the only time I’ve successfully left her 😂 I feel your pain x

[chloechloe]

Hi there! How did you get on last night?

I've recently night weaned my 11mo and it really wasn't as bad as I feared! She was waking every 30-120 minutes all night every night. The first two nights were the hardest and I didn't get much sleep. She had a few episodes of full on crying for 10 min or so and then was awake for over an hour as she couldn't fall asleep. She has a full size cot bed so I tried to pat and shush her in the bed and when she was really worked up I lay in the cot and cuddled her. On the 4th night she slept for 4 hours for the first time ever, increasing to 5-7 hours over the coming nights! For a baby that has never slept more than a couple of hours that was amazing!

We are now 3 weeks in and we have gone a few steps back as she's teething and has a cold. So on some nights I have BF her as she's been really struggling to sleep and been awake for 2 hours.

I would say just trust your instincts as mother. Try and cut out all BFs in the first few nights but don't worry if you have to go a few steps back.

With regard to settling you just have to see what works best for your baby. I prefer settling in the cot as it's less back breaking than pick up put down (pupd). But some babies don't like it. I'm also a huge fan of shushing! I've found with both of mine that it's often enough to shush them - it reassures them that you're there without you having to move an inch!

Good luck!

[AprilShowers16]

We night weaned at around 10 months, the only way we could do it was for my DH to take over the nights as he went crazy if I tried without feeding him. Gradually I was able to settle him more and I stopped feeding him altogether at around 13 months and then was able to settle him with cuddles and rocking. Now at 16 months he settles just with shushi g and patting. Still doesn't sleep through the night though 😁

[FortheloveofJames]

How do you currently settle baby when originally going to sleep?

[MoreSleepPlease6]

So DS has rotavirus which has meant that we haven't started yet he's so poorly bless him. We are waiting until he is fully over it to start!

In answer to your question @FortheloveofJames he settles in the cot but I have to have my hand on his chest effectively pinning him down, otherwise he just rolls over starts crawling and pulling himself up at the edge I had moved his last feed to after bath but before bedtime routine and now I have managed to move it to before bath.

[MoreSleepPlease6]

@chloechloe generally he won't be settled in the cot apart from when initially going to sleep, if that makes sense?... it's something we are working on. I'm hoping once the novelty of cruising around the cot wears off that we might be more successful with that!!