How to Stop/Alternatives to Breastfeeding to Sleep

[SamiP]

My DD is 19 weeks old and I have always breast fed her to sleep as it is the only way she will fall asleep. Recently she has had her last feed at about 7pm but often wakes about 1/2 hour to an hour later with wind (how DO you wind a baby that is asleep at the breast!). Sometimes she will be rocked back to sleep but normally I have to feed her again. The last few nights she has woken at about 7.30pm and it has taken numerous comfort feeds, attempts to put down in cot, crying, wind, comfort feed again to get her to sleep. This takes about 2 hours or longer and I just don't know what the alternatives are to get her to sleep. I've tried putting her down awake but she cries and I think she is too young for controlled crying. She also doesn't nap very well in the day and only really sleeps in the car or her pushchair (or on the breast). We put her in her own room this week so I'm not sure if it is that and she may also be having a growth spurt as she is waking more frequently in the night. Any suggestions gratefully received.

don't stress
dd (11wks) doesn't go to bed till we do, just naps on us / in bouncy chair etc during the evening.
If we try to put her down at 7 we have (as you do) at least two hours of rocking, crying, feeding, bouncing, pickup/putdown charging up and down the stairs etc.
We found it much easier to do the last feed at 10 or 11 and all go to bed together.

I agree with MrsBadger. Also, we had an enormous growth spurt at 19 weeks and dd fed a lot at night (less so during the day as there was so much to see and do). My dd sounds very similar to yours. Very sucky, always fed to sleep, cried when put down awake etc. We co-sleep which makes things easier. DD is 25 weeks now and in the last week or so has started settling to sleep on her own. It just happened out of the blue and she seems happy to nod off on her own now. Perhaps the same may happen for you?

re naps during the day. DD wouldn't. Steadfastly refused until we realised that we weren't putting her down soon enough. How often do you put her down during the day for a nap? I forgot that dd really was still a little baby at 19 weeks and 1.5hrs was the maximum she could be awake and happy for. Once they start rubbing eyes or yawning they are often over tired already. Having said that dd is teething and incapable of napping properly again. It's pushchair and carseat all the way.

If you breastfeed her to sleep in a ring sling so that she is in a slightly more upright position, this may help with the wind. You can then gently undo the sling and lie her down when she has had a chance to get rid of the wind. It's really normal for them to want to go to sleep with breastfeeding, or the motion of the car or pushchair. A sling would probably help with the napping as well and you can get on with your day a little more, rather than sitting rocking / feeding / walking with the pushchair

DD 25 weeks goes to sleep after his last b/f on me at 9.30 - any earlier and he would be a fusser too, we decided it wasn't worth it so he naps on us from about 7.30 feed onwards or sometimes he is awake the whole evening. I do sometimes wish he would go to sleep earlier but DP doesn't get home from work until 6.30 ish and 3 nights a week we aren't even in the house until 7.30 pm after gym/swimming etc so it isn't really an option!

This last week he has been having 2 hour naps in his cot during the morning as the DDs have been off school. He won't get that next week when I'm back to my socialising !

Probably not much help, sorry!

Thanks Everyone! I just get stressed thinking she should be down at 7pm and settling herself to sleep. It's so much easier to go with it rather than what the books say. I'm going to try more putting her down for more regular naps during the day and see if that works.

I've just blown my maternity pay on clothes in Selfridges so feeling better!

I used to feed my DD to sleep then at about 20 weeks decided to stop as I wanted her to learn herself.

My HV suggested that my DH put her to bed - so after I'd given her the last bf I'd then make sure she was awake when I handed her over to DH.

He used to hold her closely til she was settled then put her down in the cot and put his hands around her body and hold her securely til she fell asleep - at first it took him about 30 mins to get her to go off, sometimes she as he lifted his hands off her she'd wake again so he went back to holding her. After a few weeks the time spent holding her lessened til eventualy she'd fall asleep almost instantly or learn to settle herself.

It was quite difficult at first as when he was trying to get her to settle I'd be desperate to go in and help him as I know she'd sense the milk etc.

I could also never get DD to wind. Also if she is waking more frequently could she be hungry, ie ready for starting solids?

19wks is classic growthspurt territory - if she is hungry the answer is more milk (probably more night feeds, sorry) not solids. Apart from the fact the govt and WHO guidelines say 6m, the tiny bits she'd be eating have way less calories than bm anyway.

It does feel like we have gone backwards (probably to the last growth spurt!). We had a few weeks of her going down at 7 ish, waking at 8 for a quick feed and then back to sleep. I thought I had my evenings back, but not meant to be just yet.

Thought I had her down then (maybe she thinks it's 9.30pm rather than 8.30pm with the clocks going back). But no, she has just woken up again!

Does anyone have any tips on how to put down awake for a nap in the day?

no clue - dd naps in bouncy chair or pram as 'putting her down' in the moses basket during the day is asking for an hour of outraged screaming

Same here! I got her to sleep in the bouncy chair for 20 mins twice today!

DH just rocked her back to sleep, so far so good..

I disagree with you MrsB - introducing solids at this stage wouldn't mean dropping any feeds this early so would help to complement a bf diet - also the guidelines are just that - guidelines - I'd imagine the percentage of babies that make it through to 6 months without starting weaning is pretty low - and as all babies are so different surely its better to be lead by them rather than following the guidelines.

you're absolutely right - follow the baby's cues re readiness for weaning.
But being hungry isn't a cue for weaning, it's a cue to feed her more...