15 week old will only fall asleep feeding...

[solenneguest]

Hi - I need some help to break my baby boy's habit of only ever falling asleep on the breast. In the evenings it isn't such a problem as it ensures that he goes down quickly but he won't nap anywhere than on me and also when he wakes at night not hungry only feeding will settle him... he spits the dummy out instantly, won't settle rocking, or with music or shushing.
I have tried to put him to bed in the daytime for naps but he cries for ages, gets very angry and won't settle down, by which time he is definitely overtired, needs to sleep and won't settle unless he is fed.
I would be quite happy to start sleep training him but everywhere says to wait until they are 6 months old. Also, where to start? with naps? bedtime or night time wakings? HELP!

And....breathe.

You can only do one thing at once. I'd try with naps first. Maybe persevere with the first nap of the day when he's most receptive? Does a sling work? Or the pram?

He won't BF to sleep forever (though it may feel like that now!)

Too early to sleep train in my opinion. Have you tried feeding then popping him off your boob as he's falling asleep?

You have my sympathy I know it's tough. My 6mo DD is the same. But really why do you need to break the habit? He's a tiny baby who needs his mum and he won't be this little forever. I can get my DD to sleep in the sling now and then put her in my bed where we co-sleep. Just my perspective on things but what could be more loving than being fed to sleep in your mum's loving arms?

Thank you both. Maybe I should try again with the pram for naps. If I put him down from the boob he wakes within five minutes. I hate the way everything you read is counteracted by the opposite argument, it's just stressful when all you want to do is teach your baby healthy habits!

I remember feeling the same as you and really stressed out. I thought 'this isn't normal, why won't my baby go to sleep on her own?'
All babies are different though, I've got a high needs baby who needs holding a lot hence using the sling.

Once I accepted this is how she is and what she needs it's made things a bit better. Don't get me wrong life is still mega tough but she can't tell me what she wants so if I give her my boob and she stops crying then that's fine with me.

Hang in there. My DD would only nap on me for ages and I thought it would never end. Now I can feed her to sleep on her tummy and slip away after a while. Don't give up hope as he'll continue to change so much still.

Just go with your instincts honestly, because you're so right - the advice is very contradictory and what works for one person won't work for another. Just do what you feel is right for your baby

I meant to say - my ds was also like this and I worried too. He's now a year old. Sleeps well and drinks milk independently from his sippy cup. It will happen, don't stress about it. Good luck OP.

Thank you ladies, I seem to go from stressing about it to 'going with the flow' - it happens in phases - my very own wonder weeks ;-)

I have a 14 month old and I have always fed her to sleep. As she has got older, I can feed lying down and then slip away once she is finished /asleep. As a previous poster said, enjoy this time, they grow up quickly. "training a baby" has always felt wrong to me and I believe in going with the flow. You must go with what feels comfortable to you, as you said, there is plenty of conflicting advice out there!