I've ruined my babies sleep!!

[Katie17isabella]

So my bubba is nine months.
When she was around two months old she slept through the night, every night, all night. Until she got to five months 😭 since then we're up every few hours. The only way I know how to put her back to sleep is put her on my boob. Some times she falls right back to sleep, sometimes she doesn't and we're up for a few hours.
I realise her problem is either separation anxiety or her inability to self settle.
How do I stop feeding her during the night?
How do I sleep again?
What do I doooo 😭😭😭
Thank you ♥️

Have you thought about sleep training?

I always fed mine back to sleep - it was the only way I'd have ever got any sleep myself.

Where do I start?! Sign me up

Sleep regression. Very common

BF is there to help your baby (and they're still very much a baby) go back to sleep. It's not a bad habit or rod for your own back etcetc

She doesn't have a 'problem'

I second you haven't made a problem, you're getting your little one to sleep the most quickest and snuggliest way possible which means you get more sleep too. Night weaning is recommenced from 18 months on wards so they can understand what's going on but it's up to you

This has made me feel so much better. I love feeding her to sleep, it's so easy but I worry I'm creating an issue as she won't know how to go back to sleep without me! (Although she definitely does lots of times)
Thank youuuuu

I'm not going to lie, I have trouble getting her to sleep without my boob, but my husband, grandparents can get her to sleep, she sleeps in the car and pram etc so it doesn't make an issue. She just loves the boob and you're right it's so calming way to go sleep.

I've been told by the health visitor and many others that any "sleep issues" can be sorted out later but you ll never get that time back with your baby and if it's the quickest way you both sleep then so be it.

Hope this reassures you. Trust your instincts, they're always right :)

Don't stress. Seriously.

I fed mine to sleep until she was two years old, it was the fastest and easiest way to get her to sleep. From the age of 2.5 she has fallen asleep by herself. Don't let people panic you that she'll never learn to self settle- she will when she's good and ready. Right now she's tiny so make the most of the magic boobs!

It wasn't you! Read up on the 4 month sleep regression.

It wasn't you. Newborns often sleep easily, lulling you into a false sense of security before the 4 month sleep regression.

She sounds perfectly normal for a nine month old. Do what works for you.

Buy a normal cot, place it next to your bed and remove one side. It means I don't even get out of bed to bf. Baby is then less disturbed and feeds lying down next to me. I did this with DD until she was almost 2. One day she fell asleep on my lap and we never went back! Good luck and don't worry, you are not creating any problem

DS is my second baby- also 9 months- also wakes every few hours for boob. I’m fairly relaxed about it all and just embrace the cuddles. We co-sleep to get more sleep which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but works for us. He’ll be grown up before I know it and we’ll never get the time back. I really stressed myself out the first time around with DD and I really wish I never bothered trying to ‘fix’ her sleep. She was so stubborn and did not respond well to any sort of sleep training (we tried all the gentle methods and couldn’t hack controlled crying). By the time she was 18-24 months she slept pretty well and can go to sleep on her own now she’s 3. It will get better- this too shall pass...

Hey OP!
Mine is also 9mo old, breastfed to sleep.
For naps I let him sleep on me, at night I transfer him in his cot after he's asleep (in his own room).

I think at that age their sleep changes a lot - sometimes mine wakes up every hour, sometimes goes for an 8h stretch... and sometimes it takes an hour to settle him on the boob in the middle of the night.

I plan to keep using boob to sleep even after my mat leave is over.

Is your DD full at dinner? I noticed mine wakes up less if after dinner I give him full fat Greek yogurt for dessert, either plain or with mashed banana in.