Is this the end? Illness and extended feeding

[blackteaplease]

My dd had just turned two and up til Monday was feeding enthusiastically somewhere between 4 and 8 times a day including at night. DH has been on at me to stop as we are ttc no 2 with no success.

Anyway, back to the point. DD is teething her lower pointy teeth (Canines?) and also seems to be coming down with hand foot and mouth. She hasn't had a feed since monday lunchtime. She has asked a couple of times for milk but it is too painful for her to feed, so the requests are getting fewer and further in between. She has been at nursery during the day Tuesday-Thursday.

Part of me is relieved as it was very difficult to discourage her from feeding previously but I am wondering whether she will start up again when feeling better? And if not, how the hell do I settle her to sleep without the trusty feed? Last night I left her to cry for 30 minutes and she eventually fell asleep but it was heartbreaking for me.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What was the outcome?

Oh no, poor thing .

It sounds like things are really horrid for her at the moment and I would imagine things are likely to go back more to normal once she feels better. A little holiday like this might be enough to boost your fertility anyway.

Have you thought about rocking or cuddling her to sleep, or does that make it worse for her?

I hope she feels better soon.

Hi Woollyhead, she won't let me rock her to sleep. She just wants to be up and out of bed, I guess she's not getting the sleep cues without the feed. It's odd though as she has been put to bed by dh with a bottle in the past with no problem. I think its tied up with the illness and disruption to routine over Christmas.

Time will tell I suppose.

What's the rest of your bedtime routine like?
Let her get over her illness and teething (ashton and parsons teething powders are wonderful) and then try with the routine and being a bit firmer.

As for the feeding, do YOU want her to continue?

I don't know, I'm torn really. It's nice not being pawed at all the time, but I feel she's lost a comforter. I'm not as bothered as I thought I would be about not feeding her and I was quite adamant that I would give up when she was ready.

Bedtime routine is bath, stories, breastfeed and bed. She has happily accepted a beaker of warm milk instead of the breastfeed but is not up for going to sleep at the end of it. This is the 4th night, and she is currently in her cot wailing mummy, cuddle, mummy on and on.