Night breastfeeding at 15 months?

[HTandB]

Have 15 month BF toddler who still wakes for a 'feed' once in the night then again about 5am.
We could never do the cry-it-out thing and have brought him into our bed when he wakes.

Anyone else doing the same? Keep reading 'advice' that says he shouldn't need a feed at night now. Worrying that will have problems later.

Thoughts anyone?

I have co-slept with all my 4 and feeding in the night isperfectly natural and normal. Dd2 is nearly 15m and wakes at around the same time for milk.

Hi HT, this night feeding is only a problem if you don't want it to carry on! If you are happy with broken night's sleep then that's fine - it's certainly doing no-one any harm eh? However if you want to try and get him to sleep through then you could try offering him water or just patting/stroking his chest to get him back to sleep.
I saw your other thread tho about his lack of solids so he could well still need your milk?
One tip tho - if you are thinking of having another baby you may want to get a few good nights sleep in before it all starts again!

normal. if you are happy with it, no need to change it.

I co-sleep with DD (also 15 months) and until last week fed throughout the night (probably every two hours). Although the feeding was never too much of a problem, I was starting to feel, how can I put this, like I wanted my body back? Not to mention perhaps a better nights sleep. I decided on a boundary time of 11-7 and would not feed during this time.

DP and I were expecting it to be really hellish but actually the first night she only cried for ten minutes or so before dp was able to settle her. I?ve been shocked at just how easy its been since then. I feed as I get into bed just before 11 and she is now sleeping through till about 4, when she stirs briefly but then sleeps through again till breakfast. I can?t quite believe it! Possibly it?s been easier because we?re co-sleeping?

What I would say is that her appetite has picked up - it was this that stopped me night weaning her before, because she was a tiny prem baby I felt she needed all the milk she could get, but actually this just goes to show that she?s adjusting for the lack of nighttime milk by eating more during the day.

I?m wondering if I was caught in a bit of feeding/waking circle - now that I?ve stopped feeding, she?s not waking.

Anyway, thought I?d share my experience, but would agree with everyone else - if it?s not a problem then don?t worry.

htandb
i am all for breastfeding but in the night after 12mths i feel, only me, the child doesnt need it for nutritional value, and would one not like a good 8hrs sleep at that/this stage.
dont beat me , i fed my 2 but night feeds stopped at 8 1/2 months. and both are strapping eaters and great sleepers at 2 & 4

Another passionate b/feeder who stopped at about 10 mths (night feeds)

HTandB - probably not what you want to hear but ds usually has feeds as follows:

5am - approx 6.30am, comes into our bed and feeds and feeds and feeds.

10am - another usually

pre-nap 12.30 ish - another
post-nap 2.30 ish - another

4pm - tries for another but often don't let him

6pm - pre-bedtime-feed feed

7.30pm - bedtime feed

approx 11pm - another feed

ARGH, need to sort it out. He was two at beginning of the month.

I also was still bf'ing my 15mo during th enight but as I was 4m preg as this time and it was becoming more uncomfortable - I decided to slowly reduce the night feeds he started to sleep through properly (7-6 with v occasional waking) by the time he was 18m and when he was 21m and his sis 6w we stopped BF'ing entirely. I had a brief period therefore of about 4 weeks where I wasn't co-sleeping or bf'ing at night at all then it all started again with dd! If I hadn't been pregnant I would still have reduced the nightfeeds by 18m as that was followed by ds going into his own room and big bys bed which he loves

HTandB my 2.3 dd was co-sleeping & feeding on/off all night till she was 19months.

She was always put to bed in her cot asleep, I would always feed her to sleep, & within an hour or two she would be in bed with dh & I for the night. At 19 mnths she suddenly stopped waking for the feeds & has slept through (most) nights since then.

We recently had a month in the states where she had to go back to co sleeping with us (No cot & kept falling out of the single bed she was put in). We co slept for 4 weeks & were V.worried that she'd refuse to sleep in her own cot when we got home. Need not have worried, she's back in her cot, no feeding to sleep again, So PLEASE do not worry about 'Making a Rod for your own back'.

You sound like a Lovely mum who'll have a v.well adjusted little boy

If he eating solids reasonably well and the sleepless nights don't bother you I see no reason to stop

However by this age if he is breastfeeding to extent that he won't eat solids I would consider gently cutting down on some breastfeeds and the ones that make most sense to cut down would be the night ones (unless you work and want to feed at night instead of the day).

Also if the sleepless nights are really getting to you you may want to cut out the night feeds.

The problem is no matter how you look at it some crying will be involved though it may be very little and there is no need to let him cry alone.

If none of this is a problem for you then let it be - sod all the advice.