nocturnal snacking

[Bobbinogtastic]

Am bf-ing and co-sleeping with dd 9 months. She has always been a nocturnal snacker, feeding regularly through the night. She wakes up, moans a bit and wriggles, I half-wake-up and get her latched on and she drifts off again on the boob really quickly. This happens around ten times per night.

I was happy just going with this, but am now getting so tired. And it seems like the frequency she does this is increasing, not decreasing like I had hoped.

I want to carry on bf-ing and co-sleeping, but just get her sleeping more and feeding less. Any ideas ?

No ideas but just wanted to say Snap! I am in exactly the situation...DD is 7 months. She recently went in her own room, was doing great. One feed a night maybe or some nights she would sleep until 5.30 / 6 am.

Then suddenly it all went wrong lol. She goes down in her own room then squeals when I go to bed (how does she know???). I inevitably give in and take her into bed with me where she wants to sleep with my nipple in her mouth all night. Occasionally she loses it and moans and wriggles ...or decides she wants the other side. Sometimes I wake up to find a baby suctioned onto my cheek or arm lol - she isnt fussy!

I am beyond exhausted - have a toddler too, am back at work and studying and starting to go a bit crazy.

I dont want to stop feeding nor do I particularly want her in her own room (secretly enjoy those feeds in moderation). But I need sleep!!!

Have just been through this for last few months with my 17 month old. Didn't co-sleep, but had him in cot next to me til 8 months, then in his own room. But because he kept waking I started going and feeding him in there and would lie down with him due to exhaustion. This was fine to start with, but after a few months he took to really mithering me all night - would stop snacking, and roll away, then just as I thought I could nod off, h'd roll back, or roll off up the other end of the bed! In the end I decided I had to start putting him back in his own bed after a quick feed and this does seem to have helped. We're down to feeding at bedtime, then maybe once in the night and even occassionally, not til morning. phew! I have to say that now he's running around I think his sleeping is improved by being exhausted. Good luck!

Hi

Could the issue be the fact that because baby is still in your bed, you are aware of all her moves and wriggles throughout the night and inevitably respond to them? Whereas, if baby were in her own room, you just might not as much? This is how it was for us. We co-slept until about 6/7 months - and the quality of our sleep was pretty poor really - i usually ended up with an inch of bed and my husband had an inch his side - and baby spreadeagled the entire width, tossing and turning all the time. We decided enough was enough and bought a cot. Now, our 10 month old still has the odd disturbed night - when we go in and tend to him (usually got himself into an awkward position, or coughing with cold etc) - and very rarely we bring him into our bed - but it is amazing when you just don't share the same bed, you can't be woken by them and suddenly everyone seems to sleep through the night! Funny that! Babies do move around during the night an incredible amount, although I don't think a lot of this is 'waking' as we would think of it - there's a danger it could be interpreted as that, though, when it needn't be.

hope this thought might help.

Read that as nocturnal SMACKING

LOL at Peppapig's DD who latches onto her cheek. Bless....

have no suggestions but just wanted to say that i'm in the same boat. DS2 is nearly 8months old and only feeds a few times during the day now, goes into his own room at bedtime (6.30pm) but wakes at midnight and wants to sleep next to mummy all night. he just helps himself during the night and only really wakes me when he wants to swap sides.

i have no idea how to break this habit (or am entirely sure I want to )