How to stop nipple twiddling? After breastfeeding!

[SFrancis1]

Hello,
My daughter was exclusively breastfed until she was 14 months old. She self-weaned in the day but we were thrown into the deep end with stopping night feeds. I didn't realise my milk would stop whilst I was pregnant.

She is now 17 months old and I am 8 months pregnant. We have worked hard in those 3 months. She has transitioned onto formula during the night (cow milk was not filling her up enough). She wakes for 2 feeds a night and no longer dry nurses or wants to latch on.

However, she MUST twiddle my nipple to fall back asleep. I am struggling to wean her off it and now that I am nearly full term, the twiddling is stimulating some nipple leakage. Thankfully she hasn't noticed, but I really don't want it to entice her to begin nursing again.

Does anyone have any tips on how to stop the nipple twiddling? If I simply don't let her do it, she cries, constantly pulls at my top and wakes up. It can take me hours to get her back to sleep. I do all of the nighttime routines! (that is a conversation for a different day - no need to comment please)

I have tried redirecting her hand to the side of the breast. I have tried giving her something else to hold, a teddy/muslin. I have spoken to breastfeeding support organisations - they suggested agreeing on an amount of time with her that she can twiddle for…. She won't understand that yet.

Please help and tired Mama out. I am running out of time before the newborn arrives!

Mine used to use ears. Mine or DH’s.

You could redirect while wearing inaccessible clothing.

Is there someone else that can help at night for a few days, your parents or sister?

It is a tricky one. One of mine switched to belly button, and the other to ear.

Of course it's all up to you what you do. But you will have a new baby soon so routines will change. Why make life difficult for yourself and reject sound advice re stopping night feeds

Two feeds a night is too many

Yes. Imagine 3 feeds a night with newborn
2 with older kid

jwsus. When will you sleep?

Get syringe and harvest that colostrum for new baby if you can!

@SFrancis1 ”Parenting is tiring, endless and at times, lonely. Yet when we reach out, it can cause more issues than started with.”

YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YET!😀😀

Her 17month old getting up in the night isn’t the issue, yes she will have a newborn waking in the night too soon but 👋 hello how do you think people deal with twins? The issue is the nipple twiddling not the night time wakings xx

It’s not difficult @SFrancis1 , just don’t let her do it. You are a grown woman, your child does not get to make decisions about your body.

Bluntly. This.
No she won't like it. Yes she will probably cry or take longer to settle. There's no magic answer.
Distract with something else. Dress in a way that prevents access.
But you do need to be able to enforce sensible and appropriate boundaries with children, even toddlers.