Night weaning

[fromdespairto]

I'm looking for some advice on how to night wean. I have a 1 year old that feeds like a newborn and I have to wean. I'm completely done with BF and for the sake of my MH I need to be done with it and hopefully start sleeping.

I have no idea how to start. Any and all advice gratefully appreciated.

Slowly. It’s a huge adjustment for your baby and your boobs.

Do you cosleep or are you getting up and going into their room all night?
If the former, tackle that first. If the latter we found giving baby some porridge before bedtime helped fill their tummy and then I would feed to sleep (but it was a tiny feed) as usual but only go in for cuddles & reassurance during the night.

Took s few nights but she adapted quickly then I dropped the feed tobsleep feed.

Don’t recommend cold turkey as baby won’t understand why life as they know it has abruptly changed and you’re at risk of mastitis

We did a slight variation on the Jay Gordon method where basically I fed at bedtime then went elsewhere for the night and came home before the first feed of the day (6am). Did it for 3 nights. DH had DS who he basically just held, cuddled and rocked all night.

After 3 nights DS got the idea and was much better. He also slept for longer stints and would be comforted by a cuddle from either of us, meaning we could take the next in turns and I finally started getting sleep!

It was a bit brutal for that 3 nights but I had nursing aversion and PND and was sinking fast so was very necessary. It enabled me to successfully continue feeding in the day for another 12 months which was very very slow weaning.

We did the Sarah Ockwell-Smith gentle night weaning two months ago.

First night comfort and cuddle for five mins before feeding, second night for ten mins, third night 15 mins up to 30 mins

The first three nights she cried for the cuddling part, the fourth night she went back to sleep before the feed. There was one more night about a week later where she was awake for two hours but then started to sleep through.

Now she mostly sleeps through and can usually be settled with a quick comfort.

Jay Gordon is very effective. DS2 is...getting there (2.5 years). Good luck!

Thank you all.

We are still cosleeping and I would ideally like to continue with this as I think stopping would be too much change for them. We only feed at night and occasionally naps but the nights are relentless. I wish I could use a dummy but he has never taken one.

I will look at the method recommended, I want to be as gentle as I can but it really really needs to stop. I think I've developed an aversion, my skin literally crawls when feeding now.