Handholding needed-am stopping bf tonight...

[teacher123]

Right-after much heart searching it is the right time to stop bf 9 1/2mo DS-he's been weaned in the daytime for about 3 months, only having first and last feeds and any overnight since then. Last night he slept at grandparents for the first time without us and went down fine without bf, didn't wake overnight and happily had a cup of formula first thing. So he hasn't had a feed for 36 hours, so I figure I may as well capitalise on that and not feed at bedtime tonight. However I am sad and worried-how the heck do I settle him in the middle of the night without it?!?? He hasn't fed to sleep for months, self settles for all naps and at bedtime. I've been trying not to feed him in the night if he wakes and it seems to be working most of the time. Is it going to be ok?

Yes it is!! Sounds like you've had plenty of evidence that he can manage quite happily. It migh help if your partner can be the one to get up and settle him in the night. This is how we are currently weaning our 12mth old DD off night BM feeds and it's working really well.

He went down ok at bedtime but is now whinging a bit

No advice to offer as not been to this particular place myself, but recognised the 'what do I do if...' worries.

Stay positive, you will all get through it.

Good luck!xx

Be strong, Teach. The first couple of nights when my DD cried for about an hour, I was a wreck but I knew she was being comforted and cuddled by her dad... And she's been absolutely fine since. I waited this long to try as I was worried about her weight, but as she went up a centile at the last weighing, I felt it was ok for her not to feed in the night anymore (well, til 5am anyway).

I understand it is sad, though.

49 hours and counting...! He called out a few times in the night but settled back without intervention. Then this morning I went and got a cup of formula before I went and got him and gave it to him in his cot-he drank it all down in about 5 minutes. Currently rolling around on the floor talking to his toys!

Well done teacher :)

Well done!!

Thank you! He's currently being a nap refusing monster, but last night was good! Fingers crossed for this evening...!

Join the club, my DD is being a nap refusenik at the moment but I'm trying not to complain as her night sleep is so improved.

73 hours!!! He cried for 30 seconds at bedtime last night and then slept through till 6.15am my boobs are frigging massive right now though-I look like Dolly Parton!

Hehe - yes, that bit is not pleasant, nor the part where you wake up in a pool of your own breastmilk.

Oh god, I remember that from the early days... A month of just being generally sticky, urgh!

Day 5-hoorah! However for some reason his naps have got worse, a puzzling link which I don't really understand, but there we go!

Same here with naps - maybe because they sleep more/better at night??

Well it's happened-he's woken up in the middle of the night and won't settle back have given him some milk in a cup and a cuddle but he's still awake/crying. I've lost my fail safe settling method-dammit! Not sure what to do now...!

Well he settled after an hour... I then couldn't sleep.... Zzzzzzz

Yes, again! Her night sleep has gone tits up but that may be due to her grandad visiting. She slept for 8 hours last night (improvent on night before) but then wouldn't go back to sleep.

He's come down with a cold, so that's explained some of the crapness of the last couple of days. However we've managed to not bf so by tomorrow morning we've done a week I honestly couldn't have imagined that a month ago! Bloody naps doing my head in though...!

They giveth and they taketh away and in-between they pooeth.