Breastfed One year old wakes every two hours

[Justtryingtobeagoodmum]

Hello. I'm having huge sleep deprived issues with my one year old and I. She wakes so often for comfort. She isn't a big eater during the day either.

She shares a room with me at the moment but we are looking to move soon, so she will have her own room then.

I can't handle feeding her so often at night anymore. I really need some help. I'm considering stopping breastfeeding altogether so when I'm in the bed she can't smell my milk! Ideally I want to stop just at night, but I don't know where to start.

That is madness, tbh, you've got to stop BFing IMO if it's causing that. Your mental health will be affected. And it can't be good for her either, she's never going into deep sleep.

Does she have a dummy?

Are you co-sleeping? Do you wake properly for each feed? What happens if you don't feed her when she wakes? Is she having a proper feed at each waking or just sucking a bit to get back to sleep?

You can night wean and still continue feeding her, say, first and last thing. Take a look at the Jay Gordon night weaning method, it's gentle but I know has been very successful for a lot of people.

DS2 was still waking for feeds at 16m when DS3 was born. I was certain he was taking proper feeds rather than just comfort suckling, but waking to feed him and a newborn was killing me. After a couple of months, then-DH persuaded me to let him take DS2 for a couple of nights, when DH would offer him cuddles and water but (obviously!) not breast feeding. And lo and behold, DS2 woke the first night but settled after a cuddle, and didn't wake at all the second night! He did wake early, hungry, at 5ish for the next few months, but that was so much more manageable.

Anyhow, just our anecdote, but thought it might help to share.

Yes I sent DH in, it wasn't quite a smooth as Chacha but it did work.

I think now sounds like the perfect time to stop feeding overnight. It will take a few days to get into a new routine. When I did it I dropped it by time. My dh and I said, no feed until say 4am from midnight, when that worked we dropped the 8 to midnight, then the morning feed. During those times my dh took baby into a dark room and cuddle and shoosh until she generally went back to sleep. Good luck. If you don't want to give up breastfeeding don't, you can still offer a morning snuggle feed and pre bedtime.

No she doesn't have a dummy. I agree with her not being able to go into a deep sleep by herself. I'm worried I'm not doing any favours for her. I don't co-sleep and yes I tend to wake up each time she wakes. If I leave her even for a minute she starts hysterically crying. Sometimes all she needs is a little suckle, but she does feed a lot.

I will look at Jay Gordon, thanks for the recommendation.

I would love my my husband to step in and help, but he works nights.

Dropping feeds by time sounds great. But I don't have my husband as support.

I just feel she won't settle any other way whilst I'm still feeding her.

I'm hoping when I move it will help both of us to get out of this bad habit.

I wouldn't mind so much if I could nap with her during the day. But I have an older sibling to look after too.

My DD did this. I was at the end of my rope. I moved her to a different room and nightweaned. On the fourth night, she slept through. It totally changed my life!

Surely your dh gets a couple of nights off? He can help then.

I night weaned ds by sending dp in. I fed him until 12. Then dp went in until 5am with a sippy cup of water. By night 3 he was sleeping from 8p until 5am which gradually stretched to 7pm to 6am.

Buy a dummy. The correct age - too small and it won't be satisfying. You never know, it may be all she needs.

DUMMY.

Would she start taking one? Honestly I had the same problem until my boyfriend plonked one in our daughter's mouth one night when he didn't want to wake me for more milk.

Oooooohhhh my god hello sleep!

We consciously chose to give them to our second two. Fantastic things. Happy babies.

I'd combine bedtime supper meal like porridge or weetabix with a dummy too - some babies a just sucky babies who need that for soothing

Dummies are amazing. I'm just not sure you'd get one introduced at this late stage. Defo worth a try though.

(And if you have another baby in the future, introduce a dummy early!)

Thank you for your help and advice. I will take it all on board x