Night weaning - help please!!

[Froggles1]

Hi all,

DD is coming up to 11 months. Sleep has been iffy since just before 4 months (standard!)

I am thinking of night weaning as I am soo exhausted- some nights DD wants to be in my arms from 11pm - 7am on & off the boob & cries when put down/holds on to my neck until I pick her up.

I think it’s for comfort as she doesn’t feed much at all just likes the boob nearby I think. I posted on a breastfeeding support group I am part of but I felt they shared a lot of biased sources that basically said night weaning won’t improve sleep until 18 months and over. The articles were interesting but felt one sided as I know a lot of people who night weaned and had better sleep as a result. However I am now fearful that if it doesn’t help then I will be worse off trying to settle her in other ways! I have a 5 yo too so I tend to feed her quickly so she doesn’t disturb him.

I will add she naps twice a day in her room (but on me after feeding) and I don’t bother with cot transfer. At night, she is really good at feeding then being transferred (asleep) into her cot. Between 7:30-10:30 her dad will settle her if she wakes. Then she tends to dream feed at 11 (I don't initiate unless she wakes!) then if I put her down (sometimes works well) she will wake at any point between 12-2 and then come in with us.

It isn't sustainable when I go back to work so I want to try gently changing things now! Any tips appreciated

Following with interest!

Between 7:30-10:30 her dad will settle her if she wakes.
Making assumptions here, I'm guessing this is to give you a break, but he works so can't do it past this time?
We decided something similar where DH would settle DC1 up to midnight, then DC stopped waking up before then, so we pushed it to 2am which worked for a bit but unfortunately DH couldn't keep it up, despite catching up on sleep in the day (had holiday at the time). I just couldn't wake him up so we quickly slipped back into me doing it all. Feel like this might have worked if we persevered.
Eventually I took advantage of an extra tiring growth spurt at 14 months and just cuddled back to sleep. Couple of nights of this and DC started sleeping through.

We now have the issue with DC2, also 11 months, and I think we have no choice but to try controlled crying now since he just wants to sleep on our bed but won't lie still, crawls around everywhere. I woke up with a start the other night to see him wriggling away from me to the end of the bed. Quickly grabbed his ankles and pulled him back. Now have to wait until he's been out for at least 10 minutes and put him into his cot. But only sleeps 2 hours then 😔.

@Badgersonthedoorstep yeah exactly right! He gives her a bottle before bed some nights too but in those in between hours he either just gives her a cuddle or ssh pat. He has leave in August so we have said if it doesnt improve by then we will try something but thought I could make some gradual changes now xx

One thing I would suggest is sleeping with the cot sheets for a couple of nights so the cot smells the same as the bed, or at least similar.

Are you thinking of doing Dr Jay Gordon's gentle night weaning method?

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto thanks for the tip! That’s a great idea 😊

yes! Funny enough I saw it mentioned on a previous thread so have the article open on my phone. Did you follow it? If so, how did you get on?