3m old feeding to sleep

[sleeplessinyork]

Hello,

I currently feed my 3 month old DD to sleep every night, which works well for us at the minute. She usually sleeps from 8:30-9pm until 7am with one wake up for a feed and sometimes even sleeps through.

I am worried that the feeding to sleep won't work for much longer, especially if the dreaded 4 month sleep regression hits, but i don't know how to stop it without ruining her currently brilliant sleep. Does anyone have any advice on this? Can I carry on feeding her to sleep until she's 6 months and we move her to her own room?

I don't feed to sleep during the day for her naps, but they are a bit more hit and miss, sometimes she goes down easily, sometimes she takes ages.

TIA

Honestly, that sounds amazing and I wouldn't rock the boat!
Is there a problem with feeding her to sleep? Do you want to end it? If not, don't feel that you have to!
I still feed my 13 month old to sleep every night as it works, I enjoy it and it's super easy. I did the same for my 2 year old but now she's weaned, she doesn't have a problem going down without. I wouldn't worry unless you want something to change.

It's tricky to plan ahead for possible changes in a baby's behaviour. If feeding to sleep is working for you and you're happy to do it, keep it up. During 'sleep regressions', babies often want that extra closeness and it may be easier feeding to sleep than anything else if they wake more in the night, and you're exhausted.

There's no rule that says you have to move the baby into their own room at 6 months either - if they still wake in the night it might be easier having them in your room.

My baby was up every 1.5-2hrs well into toddlerhood and feeding back to sleep was easiest for us (meant we all got more sleep!)

@WeDontTalkAboutLove thanks, that's really reassuring to hear that it still works for you at 13 months! I don't necessarily want to stop it, I just worry that it will cause issues as everywhere you go the advice is to put down awake so they can learn to settle and fall asleep independently. I've also heard that the 4 month sleep regression hits babies who are fed to sleep or rocked to sleep harder. Not sure if this is true though!

I fed my first DS to sleep for 2.5 years and only stoped when 38 weeks pregnant with the second! Honestly if it’s working for you then it’s fine. I do understand you’re worried about the four month regression but it may not happen. 💐

Never, ever change something that is currently working for fear of the future. Babies change so much it really is pointless. If it stops working at 4 or 5 months then tackle it then.

If it works, carry on. My lo NEVER fed to sleep. Yet, we suffered terribly with 4 month sleep regression!

Good lord. I would sell my arm to have a baby like yours. Mine is 3 months old and is up every 1-3 hours! Will not feed to sleep!

I fed to sleep until it stopped working, that was around 9 months for both of them.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

everywhere you go the advice is to put down awake so they can learn to settle and fall asleep independently.

'Everywhere' is dominated by an American culture of 1) monetising normal baby behaviour and 2) praying on the anxieties of American women who have to return to work ridiculously quickly.

Don't make your life difficult for those two reasons. There's no reason to stop feeding to sleep, you're both doing great.

Mine fed to sleep until age 3.

Do what works for you.

Once they were 1ish though I didn't feed back to sleep at night as I knew they weren't hungry. But for naps and bedtime, or when unwell, then BF to sleep/until sleepy worked a charm for us.

Thanks everyone, that's all very helpful! I was horribly sleep deprived in the first 6 weeks or so and I dread a return to that, but you're right, there is no reason to change anything if it's working for now. Encouraging to hear that so many of you was able to carry on feeding to sleep for so long.

@Favourodds that's a helpful perspective! I have no thought of that but you are so right.

I fed all of mine to sleep til 17-18 months then switched to cuddling and bottle. I hate unnecessary crying.
Just go with the flow!

At this age it is nothing at all to worry about, enjoy the amazing amount of sleep you're getting! I would suggest after about 4 months when habits start to form and you'll want her to start being able to fall asleep without you at naps for example, you could try slightly stirring her right before you put her down. I was recommended this by a sleep consultant and then you can gradually work up to still feeding her but putting her down awake. It feels counter-intuitive to slightly disturb your sleeping baby but the idea is you gradually wake them up more and more after the feed before putting them down so it doesn't become a sleep crutch.

I personally don't think the risk of feeding to sleep long term is worth it as I've heard a huge number of stories of people with 2/3 year olds who still wake multiple times in the night for feeds as they can't put themselves back to sleep. So I'd start a gentle approach of unlatching her right as she drifts off and putting her down. She might squawk for 30 seconds but will then go off as she gets used to it.