reassurance please - that it is okay to feed my baby to sleep!

[babber]

Hes 4.5 months old and i feed him to sleep at night and for most of his naps... and everyone from the HV to best friend to mum seems to think this is a terrible habit to be into...
Me and DS both love it so trying to ignore everyones well meant advice that i am creating some kind of overly dependent monster who will only ever settle if i'm there (which, given that i'm not going anywhere isn't really a problem anyway).
please can i have some reassuarnce from other mums whoi have fed their babies to sleep that i'm not creating a future problem for myself...
incidentally he does sometimes settle himself anyway if he wakes when i put him down after a feed so I know he can do it if he wants to,. and he falls asleep happily in his pram when we're out and about...

[weebob]

yep, did it and strangely enough he hasn't turned into a dependant monster.

It was the only way I could get him to sleep sometimes. All babies are different and somethings work and somethings don't. Do what you think is best for you and your sanity x

some people really need to chill out.....That's not directed at you

[Weegiemum]

I fed all of mine to sleep.

they are now are all primary age, they have never had any trouble going to sleep after bf was over - for dd1 at 12 months, for ds at 15 months and for dd2 at 23 months.

It was the easiest, best way to get ours to sleep. They were all happy with it. So was I. Then they stopped, when bf was over!!!

Dont worry - do what is best for your ds. And at 4.5 months you are hardly setting in a pattern!

[SuperSoph73]

babber - did it with both of mine and like weebob they're not dependent monsters either DS2 is 13 months and I still feed him to sleep most nights. He is more than capable of settling on his own during his naps & will sleep quite happily in his pushchair, in the car, other people's houses. He just likes to feed and snuggle at night and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. They're only babies for a short period of time and if you and your DS are happy with the routine you've got into then to anyone else

[amidaiwish]

i did it
stopped when bf stopped
do what you have to do to get some sleep imo.
time to "sort out" any bad habits when they're bigger and you're rested! (not saying this will cause a bad habit as didn't with mine)

[CMOTdibbler]

I fed DS to sleep until he stopped feeding to sleep (at bedtime he was 1, at night until he slept through). He is the most independant little boy I know at 3 - sleeps like a log with no problems at all.

And he'd go down for a nap at nursery, or be put to bed by DH with no problems either

[babber]

brilliant - thanks for the responses... just what i needed to hear! I love our cuddles and am happy for them to continue as long as he needs them!

[ChairmumMiaow]

We did, and still do it. DS at 16mo (and for some time now) will settle at bedtime for DH so long as he has had some milk between bath and then, and will sleep for his auntie and at nursery. He also sleeps in the sling and pushchair quite happily.

I'd only worry if your DS won't sleep without your nipple in his mouth. DS went through a few short phases like that, and they were a real problem for us (but always when teething or unwell in some way!)

[vesela]

I did it nearly all the time until DD weaned at 15 months. She had no problems going to sleep by herself after she weaned - there was a week or so when she was a bit grizzly, but nothing that a bit of cuddling couldn't settle and she soon made the transition.

She's 2 and a bit now and still a great sleeper.