Feeding to sleep - how to stop!

[slowlearner]

Hi - I currently breastfeed my 3-month-old daughter to sleep but would like to stop this so that she can learn to settle herself as I think this would help to reduce night wakenings and make it easier to put her down for naps in the day. Has anyone managed to do this at a similar stage who can share their tips? thanks!

You need the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. It isn't a solution (!) but is gentle and flexible. In your situation she would suggest using your finger to gently unlatch her once she's at the fluttery stage, and just repeat ad nauseum.

I did this with DS (5m) and although he now doesn't meed to feed to sleep he still can't self settle - I suspect he stopped feeding to sleep of his own accord though, and I wish he still did reliably because then it would be easier to get the little bugger to sleep - but that's another thread!

TBH I reckon you could do nothing and still stand a good chance of her outgrowing it but if you want to be doing something then Pantley's nice.

Thanks for the advice - so how do you now settle your baby to sleep then?

I was still feeding to sleep at 9 months. Then she gradually stopped bfing and fell asleep herself. I found that the risk that babies that feed themselves to sleep will have trouble getting to sleep on their own is overstated. So I wouldnt worry too much about it personally.

With great difficulty slowlearner - usually a combination of rocking, feeding, the sling and fervent prayer to the god of sleep-deprived parents.

It's fine though, once you accept your fate everything's much easier .