Introducing a comforter to a 9 month old

[Greengiraffe1]

If anyone has introduced any type of comforter to an older baby, how did you go about it?
LO doesn't have a dummy, doesn't suck thumbs, but I think they need something to comfort them when going to sleep, at the moment it's breastfeeding 50% of the time.
But how do I start replacing the breast with a comfort.

I introduced a comforter like this a little younger. www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Deluxe-Comforter-Blanket-Ribbons/dp/B00V6ADVKO/ref=asc_df_B00V6ADVKO/?hvlocphy=1006868&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309934799037&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-562021165660&hvrand=5295226615760053141

I just gave it to DD for every nap and at bedtime, every time she was upset etc.

I would give as an additional for a while until an association is made

I did; first I slept with it so it had my smell and then consistently gave it to DS at nap times and he took it on. I started with a muslin square cut and tied from a bigger one and once he turned 1 I bought an actual one from the shops and he loves it now. I have 4 and rotate them as they get very grubby

For the first couple of weeks it was an additional thing rather than instead of straight away

I found the No Cry Sleep Solution had some good tips about sleep associations.

Do they have a soft toy that they prefer? DS had a small toy zebra that he adored and used to sleep with that.

Nine months might be a bit young for dropping night feeds though, it's usually not advised until 12 months, plus there's a huge sleep regression right about now.

31 ways to get your baby to sleep might help you to get through it though and once he's reached 12 months, this is a very gentle night weaning method

Mine wasn't breastfed but we coslept until she was over 1, I wore the same old T shirt to bed with her for a few days then gave her that. She's 7 now & still uses it!

Make sure it is something you can have more than one of! My second DS got really attached to a teddy my brother gave him - turned out he had bought it in the US so I had to pay loads for postage to get a spare one...

I recommend a cellular blanket that you cut into quarters and sew ribbon round the cut edges to seal them. And sleep with it in your bra for a few nights so it smells of you. Then just snuggle it up to baby while you breastfeed at bedtime.

Thank you all for your replies, I'll start having a muslin while feeding and hope that attaches. There's nothing else that screams out to me at the moment that I could use.

@BunnyRuddington yeah I understand all that. LO normally sleeps through, so must be the regression then. I'm thinking more of when they stop breastfeeding there is nothing there to comfort so if I can introduce something now then it'll be better for when I do stop feeding. It's also for naps during the day. There's a distinct difference between sucking to feed and sucking for comfort. I'm actually a teddy bear 🤦

Can I just say your not alone, my 9 month old has gone from twice waking at night to every 30 mins and wanting to sleep on me. I put it down to being ill last weekend but it's still going on. I'm on my knees with only 3 hrs of sleep a night.
Goes down for naps fine though

I too am trying a comforter as despite having a dummy for sleep only she won't put it back in herself!

I am a little worried though as sleep safe advise nothing in cot till 12 months. So that's playing on my mind

I think the best thing to do is get something that you can buy pretty much anywhere and have 2 so you can swap them over so they get used to it.

My son at a younger age used to be his muslins then he took to his cellular blankets and at 2 he still has them now. They bring him great comfort and he rubs them under his nose.

@Fightingfirewithfire

Can I just say your not alone, my 9 month old has gone from twice waking at night to every 30 mins and wanting to sleep on me. I put it down to being ill last weekend but it's still going on. I'm on my knees with only 3 hrs of sleep a night. Goes down for naps fine though

I too am trying a comforter as despite having a dummy for sleep only she won't put it back in herself!

I am a little worried though as sleep safe advise nothing in cot till 12 months. So that's playing on my mind

I still take my sons blanket out of his cot once he is asleep. Just remove it when they're asleep .

I tried for months and then in the last few weeks my 15 month old took to a cat muslin square thing. I have no idea why, I just kept offering it and it stuck.