Attempting (and failing) to stop breastfeeding 10 month old at night...

[yourmyforever]

DS is 10 months old and was EBF until we started BLW at 6 months. He has taken to food better than I could imagine and eats 3 huge meals a day with snacks in between (he has a tiny amount of formula milk in the day from a beaker but won't take anymore) however he is still waking between 2-3 times a night which I don't believe can be due to hunger and is more due to habit. I figured if I can try and stop breastfeeding at these wake ups then he may eventually start to break the habit and wake less.

So far I have tried everything at these wake-ups, rocking, patting, cuddling, bringing him into the bed with me, giving water and giving milk in a beaker as a last resort but NOTHING will settle him! I have been spending between 1-2 hours in the middle of the night trying all these before finally giving in and breastfeeding.

I'd just like to know if anyone has any advice on this as I'm trying so hard to do the right thing to improve his night time sleep but I've run out of ideas of how to settle him without a breastfeed...

Thanks in advance!

I have no good advice, but lots of sympathy. My DS was just the same. We co-slept through it, and I tried again with night weaning after a year, when it has been much more successful.

Maybe take a break and try again? I had a false start trying to night wean DD (9 months) and I think she figured if she continued crying I would eventually cave and feed her.

I went back to the usual 2 or so feeds a night and tried again when I was feeling calmer and more patient and just decided that I would stick with it no matter how long it took (in theory!).

So I went with leaving her in the cot when she woke and just shushing/singing/rubbing her belly and offering her her soother while I pretended to be half-asleep lying my head on the side of her cot. She cried a good bit the first time- some of it distressed but much of it more outraged. I didn't lift her up at all as that has always previously resulted in a screaming match if boob is not forthcoming, but I was with her verbally soothing her (trying to!) the whole time. Next wake was the exact same. Took a good while of soothing etc till she drifted off.

I did this for about three nights and then, when she was calming more quickly, I'd soothe her till calm and then move to the couch in her room- still there but not right beside her, but still going over if she ramped things.

So I guess it was gradual retreat really, but always going back to lying beside the cot if needed. Now about day 14 I can go in give her a kiss and a pat and her soother and (maybe 70% of the time) leave the room! She still has the odd more needy night when things take a bit longer but she hasn't had a night feed since and I am definitely getting more sleep- she's almost dropped her previously regular 12/1am wake and now sometimes goes till 4 or 5am. And as an added bonus she'll take her 6am "breakfast" feed, which used to be the start of the day for her, and now frequently go back to sleep till 7/7.30 if I put her down again.

Needless to say I feel aaaaaamazing and slightly baffled that this has actually worked. Sorry for the essay but hope it might be of help! I used the "What worked for us, hope this helps" mumsnet entry as a template.

I night weaned DD at 15mo by cosleeping and giving water in a spouty cup when she woke. Did this for about a week and then moved her back to her cot. Within a month she was sleeping through. Not sure it would have worked earlier though. Maybe try again later if it's not working for you now.

I night weaned by asking DH to deal with dd every time she woke. He offered her water. After 2 or three nights she got fed up and started sleeping through. It was difficult for me as I just wanted to go and cuddle her but I was so fed up of night wakings, so stood firm (she was about 5/6months).There is no way that it would've worked for me to deal with her... I'm sure she could smell the milk/boobies