please help - DS2 a total boob monster and wont sleep without me

[fledtoscotland]

DS2 is 27 weeks old and is BFed. I have started weaning and he has put the odd bit of food (sticks of carrot & broccoli) in his mouth) and quite likes apple puree but nothing much.

during the day he feeds pretty much every 3hrs but come darkness, he turns into a boob-monster feeding 8 or 9 times between 8pm and 8am. he likes to fall asleep on the breast (we co-sleep) and if DH tries to cuddle him so i can get uninterrupted sleep, DS2 screams the house down.

I love BFing but am rapidly getting to the point that i need more than 4 hrs sleep a night. Sleeping during the day isnt possible as i have a 18month old who doesnt nap during the day but sleeps 7pm til 7am reliably. plus i dont have any family support in the county.

i really dont want to give up yet (want to feed until at least 1yr) but dont really know what to do.

TIA for any suggestions

Stand by for the CC advice.

If that's not where you're coming from(and I suspect it isn't, from what you say), have a look at www.askdrsears.com - he's American, but has written loads of books and researched in to sleep problems and parenting, which come from the opposite end of the spectrum from the likes of Gina Ford.

thanks nontoxic but apart from the fact i dont really want to go down the CC route, i am actually looking for advice to stop him feeding all night long.

But doesn't the feeding all night long tie in with not sleeping properly?

If you can find a way to help him settle at night, he might not wake up so much.

(Have to say that I just ended up going with the flow, but I don't think any of mine woke up more than four or fve times.)

it does NT but i dont want to stop co-sleeping. He used to be great sleeping from 11pm til about 5am cuddled into me but now i'm just a human dummy (even though he is actually feeding).

i suppose i do know i will have to go with the flow but just wanted to post on the off change someone had a magic wand

This guy Dr Sears is an advocate of co-sleeping and atta hment parenting - his site has a section on sleep problems which views it from this standpoint.

I wouldn't suggest stopping the co-sleeping and I don't think you'd get that advice there either.

Have to go now but will try and find some suggestions later - can't do C+P on my itouch or I'd do it now.