How to stop 3mo comfort sucking to sleep (nipples are killing!)

[kickingk16]

I have a 3mo old DD and nearly 3 year old DD. In early months 3mo old was very colicky / strainy on an evening so never went into full sleep til about 10.30/11pm despite much rocking, sushing etc. That has now passed but she’s in a late sleep pattern that I’m trying to break.

She self settles ok in her basket during the day but I can’t get her to do it at night (at any time) - she’ll be super drowsy but will still fight and fight it and I’m worried she’ll wake Older daughter up (who’s a rubbish sleeper too so last thing I need). She either feeds on and off and sucks and sucks and sucks (ouch!) using me as a dummy or it takes (literally) hours of walking her around, up and down stairs etc. which is soul destroying.

Once she is asleep she’s a great sleeper through the night and often goes straight through but I’m dreading 4mo sleep regression if she has to comfort suck to sleep every time - I’ll have no nipples left!

Any ideas welcome!

Have you tried an actual dummy? (I assume that's a stupid question )

Ha! Not stupid at all. We haven’t yet but might give it a try soon. The reason we haven’t is that her sister is obsessed with dummies. She never had one but she stares at kids with them and still puts dummy-like objects in her mouth and pretends she has one, so I think it would cause major jealousy! But could be worth a try, maybe just on a night time after her sister is out.

We did actually try one with the older sis when she was a baby and she wouldn’t take to it - the irony!

Second a dummy. Saved my nipples (and my sanity!).

Yep I'd agree with the dummy, even if it's for night settling. At 3 months based on my experience I wouldn't bother with orthodontic ones - none of mine could keep them in their mouths! Cherry teats were better at a young age because their gums held it in even when they were relaxing into sleep., whereas the orthodox one would fall out as soon as the baby's jaw relaxed and they woke up again
Good luck!

Even if it's JUST for night settling*

Ah, thank you all - I was wondering if we could just use for night settling. I’m a bit clueless on dummy types so teat advice very welcome @edwardcullensotherwoman

I fed all 3 of mine to sleep and didn't get sore. Is there an infant feeding team support group you could access to get your latch checked? My just turned 4yo still likes to nurse to sleep and always has done. Babies need to suckle and at 3 months all mine were evening cluster feeders and would only settle on the breast. Over time they dropped the cluster feeding and just had a bedtime feed before being out in their crib/cot.

Yep I second using a dummy. I missed the boat with ds1 and had him attached almost constantly for comfort, he wasn't cluster feeding. Ds2 I gave a dummy about 3days old and it was transformative. Managed a great feed/ sleep routine. He would feed very efficiently 10/15mins, then wind, then sleep for 3/4hrs. I was amazed.
Ds1 would be there for an hour then fall asleep and wake 40mins later and want to be latched on again (he needed winding properly, but as a first timer I had been told breastfed babies didn't get wind) .
Anyway, good luck.