Hi all
I have a 6 month old, breastfed baby. I've settled him for every bedtime since he was born, but I have a few evenings coming up where I'll need to be away from him. The problem is he is fed to sleep and won't entertain any other form of settling. I don't want him to be too distressed on these nights so want to have a go at changing this habit this week while his dad has some time off work.
He used to self settle for most naps and some bedtimes after a feed, but then he started rolling and crawling and that went out the window. We started feeding to sleep again and he's become very attached to that! If we try to rock him etc instead, then he works himself up into such a state. If he goes into the cot awake, he just crawls and rolls for a bit then starts crying. I can unlatch him when he is very very sleepy and put him in, leave my hands on his back for a bit and ssssh and he will go off... but he seems to need the breast to get drowsy.
Bedtime routine is a bottle downstairs (he's getting used to drinking neocate, will now take about 3 oz), upstairs for bath, pjs and book with daddy, before I feed him in rocking chair with the lights off and white noise on. Does switching the timing of the breast and bottle feed seem like a good idea? Or if we're doing this should we go the whole way and try and remove the feed to sleep association totally? Any tips on gently sorting this out to make the nights I can't be here with him easier for everyone?!
Thanks!