Did anyone regret breastfeeding to sleep?

[3month]

Hello, I have a 13 week girl, who I am currently co- sleeping with and BF to sleep, both for naps and during the night.

She used to only wake once or twice during the night, but since her jabs at 8 weeks has begun to wake up maybe 5/6 times. I’m thinking initially it was then jabs that unsettled her and now we have moved onto a growth spurt, and that’s why she keeps waking.
This isn’t so much of a problem, I am happy to feed to sleep during the night.

However, I am thinking of trying to train her to self settle during the day for naps. I was wondering if anyone regretted just letting their child feed to sleep indefinitely, until they just one day fell asleep by themselves?

Or is self settling something I have to teach my baby?

I am hoping to become a childminder later on in the year; and won’t be able to spend hours upstairs feeding her to sleep if I have children needing looked after downstairs. So I need to have naptime sorted.

Has anyone got success stories of babies just one day self settling themselves, where previously they had fed to sleep?

It seems like all my antenatal friends/family have got babies of a similar age to mine, who will simply drift off to sleep by themselves for naps and I’m left wondering why my Tootie won’t do that?!

Lastly any advice for how to ssshhhh/pat to sleep, instead of feed to sleep?thank you all for any advice

Thank you everyone.

Ok,
So my next question is...

If I feed her when she wakes, then bring her downstairs for play/activity and watch carefully for signs of her being tired, upstairs to a dark nursery, nappy change, lullaby on, tiny feed and straight off to sleep, why does she wake after 20 mins when I have left the room?

I don’t think she is under/over tired (although I could be wrong!)
And she has a bunny comforter, she doesn’t wake in a panic, just happily cooing away to herself.

How can I get her to nap for longer by herself? Sometimes she does nap for a hour or more by herself, but more often than not, she will wake too early.

You won't like my answer The only thing that helped mine was getting older. At 13 weeks she's still so tiny and not used to being away from you, she's waking up because she needs you to be near because you make her feel safe and secure. At that age her need to feel secure is just as important as her need to eat.

Well, sounds like I should just snuggle up in bed with her for a few more months then! fine by me..... dishes and housework will just have to wait!!!

I agree with dust. And supporting a baby to settle independently does not have to mean cry it out.

It’s completely normal for babies to sleep longer with/next to their caregiver. It makes them feel safe. But my little one has always been a cat napper, she only now at 13 months has about an hour here and there. Sometimes they just don’t need that much sleep.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/sarahockwell-smith.com/2017/11/01/in-defence-of-cat-naps/amp/

Yep snuggle up! Rest when she rests! Dishes and stuff are boring and you’ll have loads of time to do that when she’s crawling about like mine is now.

I stopped napping with him at about 7 months when I started sloooowly transitioning him to a cot for naps. Didn't succeed until maybe 9 months but now he'll have a 2-3 hour nap in the day, I pop him in crib and by the time I've turned to get his blanket he's made himself comfortable and is asleep before I've left the room (now 17 months but has been doing this since about 11 months)!

Are you putting her down after you've fed her to sleep in a Moses basket or something? If so, it's the fact that you're transferring her that's waking her. So ideally she needs to fall asleep where she's going to stay asleep.

Also, you know that they should be napping in the same room as you? The SIDS guidance is that they're always in the same room as you up to 6 months.

Their survival depends on keeping their mother close. If you want her to sleep longer, do t take her to a quiet dark nursery away from you. Leave her in the living room with the hustle and bustle of life going on around her. You can also wear her in a sling or snuggle up and snooze with her.

@teaandbiscuitsforme
No, we go upstairs, quick nappy change and then we lie down on the bed where I want her to sleep, and I feed her and she drops off to sleep. Then I slowly get up.

The last few days though, she has been feeding until fairly drowsy and then she herself came off, looked at me for a few seconds and then thrashed her head for a bit and drifted off to sleep! Does that sound like progress?

With regards to the fact they should be sleeping in the same room as me, does watching on a monitor count?

Not really at 13 weeks. Read up on the SIDS guidances - the advice is in the same room as you at all times until 6 months. It's obviously your call but I do believe that 2-3 months is the peak risk time for SIDS.

Being breastfed is one factor to help reduce the SIDS risk (BF babies don't sleep as deeply so less likely to stop breathing). Being in the same room is about making sure the baby doesn't fall into too deep a sleep, then being able to hear your heart and breathing to remind them to breathe.

Obviously it's your call and your risk to manage. I know plenty of people would say just leave them and others who stick strictly to the guidance. Just wanted to make you aware in case you didn't know.

That’s good advice, thank you, I actually didn’t know. I knew about sleeping at night time until 6 months, but didn’t realise it applied to daytime naps too.

Oh well, more naptime cuddles for me!