Breastfeeding and sleep

[SophiaBP]

So I've made the mistake of allowing my baby to sleep on the breast as it was the only thing to really calm him down and have been doing it for a while now but I hadn't considered future sleeping patterns when I started! I was wondering if anyone else had similar experiences and how they got their baby to nap with the breast!

I always fed to sleep, why make life difficult for yourself? They grow out of it.

I don't view it as a mistake. I feed my baby to sleep always, day and night. He's 4 months now and it's a source of instant comfort to him no matter what's upsetting him.

What age is your baby? Why do you think this is a bad idea?

He's 8 months now, and I have to go back to work soon and he literally won't sleep with anyone else! I'm just getting anxious that he's gonna be stressing on everyone when I do eventually have to leave him all day

It's not a mistake but I do understand wanting to stop. As I'm pretty much doing it still with my 16 month old, so when people say they grow out of it.... when? My girl is not breastfed in the day, only to sleep.
However other people can put her to sleep, tears at first, but if you let others find their way of doing it you will be surprised. As for putting them to sleep a different way yourself... I don't know, that's the next thing I'm tackling, it will possibly be easier for you as your baby is so much younger. Good luck!

Maybe start the transition now, with baby steps. Like have the person who's going to be taking care of the baby there while you breastfeed for a couple of days, then maybe pump a bottle and feed while that person is there, then get that person to feed baby for the first minute before switching to you, then gradually increase the time that person feeds baby until they're doing the whole feed. Then you leave baby feeding with that person for gradually longer periods of time til that person is doing the whole feed alone.

Also don't worry overmuch (if you can, it's tough) about how baby might sleep for others when you're not available. I went back to work at 9 months and my little boy had only had contact naps with me and pretty much always on the breast he'd never slept in the buggy or a cot. Within days my childminder had him doing 2-hour naps in a travelcot.

Nursery / childminder etc will find a way to get LO to sleep. It's amazing how they will sleep for others but they will only have boob if it's available!

As for growing out of it, mine was about 2. Just one day went to sleep just in my arms, so I would gently transfer to bed then changed to lying down and holding then lying down and holding hands. Now I just have to be there but I guess at some point we will be able to move on from that too.

Thank you so much for all your responses! It's definitely eased my mind a lot :)
I'm trying to express but in between keeping him occupied and feeding I'm not really getting a chance, will definitely be trying all your suggestions and stop worrying so much!