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Parenting

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Original poster

bf baby to sleep and fed up of everyone saying I won't do that

32 replies

littleredmonkey · 21/09/2013 19:33

I have bf my ds of 11 months to sleep and find it a lovely natural calm way to get him to sleep. Yes he does wake twice or more a night and yes I am knackered but I enjoy doing it. It is a special bond we have.
Does anyone else do it and have no intentions of stopping regardless what anyone else says? I can't be the only one. Dont get me wrong I would love him to sleep through but I can't leave him to cry. My dp is great about it and is happy most days to be a zombie like me. All my friends think I am nuts. Not asking for any help I know just nice to hear like minded ladies who feel the same

OP posts:

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Judyandherdreamofhorses · 21/09/2013 19:37

I do with 14 month DS. I did do some gentle sleep training around 11 months and he falls asleep on his own at the beginning of the night. But I can't/ won't do it during the night so feed him then. It's generally only once (around 4am) unless he's poorly, and I don't feed him much in the day anymore.

peanutbuttersarnies · 21/09/2013 19:39

Same here!

IShallCallYouSquishy · 21/09/2013 19:40

DD was bf to sleep until about 11 months old. Stuff them. If it works for you go with it.

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ZiaMaria · 21/09/2013 19:40

I've stopped now, but I bf dd until 9months and she often dozed off until about 6 mths. She then stopped falling asleep by herself, and instead would self settle in the cot. I assumed she would stop when it was time for her. I only tried to keep her awake when I knew she hadn't got enough milk yet.

GroupieGirl · 21/09/2013 19:41

I did it until it didn't suit me any more. Sod everyone else!

peanutbuttersarnies · 21/09/2013 19:42

Actually ds is 18 months now. He doesnt feed to sleep anymore. But still has bedtime feed. We're visiting inlaws soon and i am a bit annoyed that i feel embarrassed and like i am hoping i can feed him without anyone knowing. Cos by 18 months people start frowning on it even more.

AnotherStitchInTime · 21/09/2013 19:44

I did this with both of mine until they stopped naturally around 18 months.

defineme · 21/09/2013 19:45

Did it with all my 3, and I rocked ds1 to sleep in my arms when he was a hefty 2 year old some nights! It was trial and error, dd1 and ds2 I put down awake a lot sooner at night, but they had every day time nap in a pram/buggy!

They are all over 8 now and get off to sleep no bother!

thewhitequeen · 21/09/2013 19:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tedder · 21/09/2013 20:00

I bf my 9 month old to sleep, co sleep half the night and he then feeds 2/3 times through the night.....but, unlike you I don't want to do it anymore. My DH has been in the spare room since DS was born, I'm absolutely shattered and walking round like a zombie, I have no patience for my 4 year old DD and I want to stop!!

But DS has other plans...tried CC tonight...big fail! He was all hysterical and snotty so I caved and bf him...asleep in 5 mins. Arggh!!

Wish I'd put him straight on the bottle at birth...friends I have who did that now have babies who sleep through no problem.

Tedder · 21/09/2013 20:03

Forgot to say though....do what you want OP and ignore everybody else....if it works for you both then that's the right way.

whatsaduckdo · 21/09/2013 20:07

My DS is 10 1/2 months and I still bf him to sleep. I love it. He does wake 1 or 2 times a night but this is more for hunger as he is BLW and doesn't eat a huge amount in the day yet. He can also self settle when he needs to. I've stopped listening to all the 'advice' and will carry on as long as it suits us. I cherish our night time cuddles, especially now I'm back at work and I love the bond we have. Keep going as long as you're happy to OP!

happydaze77 · 21/09/2013 20:19

If you're happy OP, then that is all that matters. It's very easy for others to say 'just let him cry' but it isn't their baby that they have to hear getting distressed. Good for you I say.

BruceyBaby · 21/09/2013 20:23

I bf my DS to sleep until he stopped of his own accord at 12 months ... DD was 18 months when she stopped, or actually I stopped her as she took to biting when she dropped off . I know I was being judged by some others that thought they "knew best" but I enjoyed my time doing what came naturally. My DS settled fine in his cot and in his own room and my daughter did too and they are now 17 and 14 . DD having sleep issues now but that's another story ...! Definitely recommend bf'ing for as long as it works for both of you

Original poster

littleredmonkey · 21/09/2013 20:24

Loving hearing your thoughts ladies. Glad to know in the wee hours there are others who love the experience. They are soooo small for a short period of time. Also if one more person says oh you still breastfeeding him AHHHHHHH! ! I am so positive about it it throws them off. You are all right sod em

OP posts:

LoonyLouLou78 · 21/09/2013 20:24

Sod everyone else. The people I chat to regularly at baby groups don't judge (not to my face anyway). Both of their babies are bottle fed and they don't sleep through yet either! I'm delaying starting some sort of night weaning as he's so easy to get down by bf. Might try what a few have said about rockng to sleep at the start of the night (as long as he doesn't get too upset) then feeding him if he wakes in the night. Surely they'll grow out of it themselves eventually?!?

My DH is also very supportive though he did contemplate going back into the spare room the other night when ds was up about 4 times!

LoonyLouLou78 · 21/09/2013 20:28

When people seem judgy about me still bf I just throw back the "well the world health org do recommend bfing until they're 2". Sod em - why should we feel bad about doing something that obviously gives the babies comfort.

TarkaTheOtter · 21/09/2013 20:29

I stopped feeding to sleep at about 9 months because my daughter was waking every 1.5hrs, but in your situation I probably would have continued. Do what works for you it's no one else's business. Pregnant again and this time hoping for a baby I can feed to sleep who will then sleep all the way through...

BarberryRicePud · 21/09/2013 20:31

I'm currently trying to stop but that's because I know I can't always be there once I'm back to work. If that wasn't an issue, I'd carry on just like you.

Tedder I'd really recommend reading the no cry sleep solution. Lots of sensible gentle ways to stop feeding to sleep. We're taking it v slowly, but it is working and defo no tears.

lola88 · 21/09/2013 20:34

I don't BF but I do bottle feed to sleep and DS is 19mo it's lovely i'm in the process of starting to put him down so he isn't doing it any more at 2.

Someone commented that I should stop because quote 'it's not like your breast feeding so you don't have to hold him' which really upset me because feeding to sleep is about closeness and calm time not anything else for me bottle feeding to sleep is natural.

ThePuffyShirt · 21/09/2013 20:35

I breast fed mine to sleep every night, co slept & fed back to sleep lying down. Loved it all.

BruceyBaby · 21/09/2013 21:02

I did the same as Puffy ... worked v well for me but I'm behind the times when it comes to co-sleeping/feeding and what's "recommended" these days being so ancient. Loved my time nursing my babies

Shootingstar100 · 21/09/2013 21:07

My DD is 24mnths & I only stopped feeding her to sleep a fortnight ago!! Do ot if it suits you, I always found it really handy!

SoYo · 21/09/2013 21:18

I feed my 7mo to sleep at bed, through the night and sometimes for her afternoon nap. I went through a phase of thinking I was making a mistake but the longer I do it for, the more I realise this is such a short phase in her life and will be gone soon and I know I'll miss this snuggly time. I go back to work in 3mo so I'm going to have to stop daytime feeds which I'm dreading as she's a bottle refuser but I'm hoping to keep up morning and night feeds until she naturally stops.

itsonlysubterfuge · 21/09/2013 21:24

I breastfeed my little girl to sleep, she's 14 months. I don't plan on stopping until she wants to. She does wake during the night, she has never slept through the night and most nights only wakes 2 or 3 times. We also co-sleep and I love it.

Tonight she breastfed for a little while and then I set her in her bedside cot and she crawled on top of me and said "cuddle, cuddle". In the morning she wakes me up by tapping gently on my arm, whispering "Mom". Then crawls over and gives me a big kiss. I don't know how people could resist having that.

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