Will night weaning help my DS sleep through?

[ButWeWereOnaBreak]

DS is 14 months old and comfort feeds a lot through the night. I am KNACKERED and just want my sleep back now. Struggling to cope in the day and am just tired all of the time. Thinking about night weaning but have a few questions...

1. How do I do this? Do I just get DH to go in for all night wakings for a while?

1. How long roughly should I expect this to take i.e. midnight meltdowns because of no boob being available

1. Please tell me this will help him to sleep longer stretches. The longest stretch I have had since he was born has been 4 hrs.

I night weaned I think around 18-20months, so a little older with a bit more understanding. We did a lot of cosleeping though so was still with me. Cant say he slept any better however, and wasn’t getting 4hr stints until he was well over 2yrs.

It may help but definitely not a guarantee. Do you feed then put them back in to their bed?

It worked for me. I think my DS was about 18 months, maybe younger. He had gone back to waking every hour through the night for comfort nursing so I cut it out one night. It was tough as he was quite upset but I sat with him the whole time and offered cuddles which eventually he was ok with. The next night he slept through and has been really good ever since (about a year or so)

Didn’t work for us. However: she did go from waking hourly or 2-3 hours and feeding every time to randomly sleeping through on occasion, age 19 months. So I might weaned at 20 months just because I was fed up, frankly. She still woke up but we just plonked her in our bed instead, or patted, or said shush.

And now she sleeps through 50% of the time, wakes 50% of the time. But I’m much happier now I’m not night feeding – I was starting to really hate and resent and physically be revolted by breastfeeding. Just get off me!

Oh god do it. Pick a week when you are both reasonably well rested/time off work etc. Make sure they have porridge or something before bed so you know they arent hungry. Put some comforters in the cot (dummies, a favourite soft toy), and just give it a go. You will need to stick with it for a good four or five nights and it's awful. But it works.

If you're bf it's recommended that you don't attempt night weaning until 18m at the earliest. I night weaned ds1&2 around that time successfully but it didn't result in more sleep.

Would co-sleeping give you more sleep?

If you do decide to night wean make sure your lo has something filling just before bed. Fingers crossed it gets easier for you soon

The trouble with night weaning for me was that DD still woke up but there was no easy way to get her back to sleep!

We kept night feeds (when she wanted it) until we stopped altogether about 16m.

Unfortunately she still didn’t sleep then but that’s just my child!

My son nigh weaned at 8 months and is now 3 and still has never slept well!

Night weaned at 9 months. Was life changing. Helped night time sleep as she leaned how to get back to sleep by herself, and also helped day time naps too. I did as a PP did - just cuddled instead of fed. Took 2 nights and changed my life. It might be harder with an older child so be prepared for it to be hard! You can do it!

The trouble with night weaning for me was that DD still woke up but there was no easy way to get her back to sleep!

Exactly the same for our first. The second one decided of there was nothing on offer she'd rather sleep. She still likes her sleep now

If you're after a method of how to do it, Dr Jay Gordon's is supposed to get very gentle.

31 ways to get your baby to sleep and stay asleepp and 12 alternatives for the all night nurserr might help you as well

Thanks all for your responses. DS is highly sensitive so I am wary not to replace night feeds with a new problem if you know what I mean.

@User0ne can I ask why this is the recommendation? Is it because they have a bit more understanding at that age?