Breaking the night feed trap

[fuzzfoster]

My son is 13 months old and should have been sleeping through the night a long time ago, I am told. I am so jeaous of all the well-rested mums I see at toddler group!

He is waking twice a night still and I have been guilty of being one of the 'anything-to-get-him-back-to-sleep-and-let-me-crawl-back-in-my-pit' mums, giving him a breastfeed to get him back to sleep.

Has anyone got any advice of how to break this habit, or is it just tough love??
We tried (unsuccessfully) to not feed him last night when he woke. We tried a beaker of water and cuddling him last night and the result was absolute blood-curdling, neighbour-waking screamiung for an hour until I relented and fed him (I know, I know...).

Help please??

Offer him water, give him a cuddle, put him back to bed and leave him to cry for 5 mins, then repeat, worked for me. It took an hour for DS to give up and each night that got less but he did stop waking for feeds. Unfotunately he does still wake at least once a night so have still got that problem to sort out, he just wants cuddles rather than milk now!!!!

Thanks. Sounds like strong will and patience is in order! Will try that tonight. Wish me luck!

How did it go?
I know that its really hard and I have given in so many times because I have been tired or just feel guilty at seeing him so upset. It is worth it though.

Would agree with LUCIA22, but try to avoid lifting kiddo if possible. I was still feeding my dd during the night at 17 months for similar reasons to you. We decided that we would try to do things differently, told her, STUCK TO IT, and she was sleeping through in 3 nights and has done so ever since. I just kept reminding myself that I was helping her break unnecessary and problematic habits, not torturing her, and that better sleep would help us all (it did!).

I'm having the same trouble, although DS is only 9 months.

I was bringing him into our bed, feeding him, then both going back to sleep but it has stopped working and he just fidgets for an hour and won't settle back down.

Last night he was awake from 4 til 6am . My question is, is it better to let them cry or try to settle them (I know you're not supposed to rock but hey). Is cuddling him back to sleep instead of feeding like sitting someone in front of a trifle when they are on a diet!

Some babies are ready to sleep through at a young age and some aren't.
Feeding the baby back to sleep is fine.
Don't feel you have to change things just because 'they' say you should.

Wasting, it's not that I feel I shouldn't - just that it doesn't seem to work anymore .

If I could feed him in bed and he went back to sleep happily, I would carry on. But he just keeps everyone awake.

Nothing I can suggest on that score fruitstick, sorry. I hope you find something that works.