18 month old breastfed multiple wakings!

Ladylou17 · 2026-10-12T04:45:43+00:00

any advice please. I’ve planned to breastfeed (just at bedtime) until 2 years but LO wakes 3-4 times per night wanting the boob. Not sure what to do for the best… help! Eats really well no concerns re hunger. Thanks

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Babybaby2025 · 12/10/2026 17:27

Im in the exact same position, baby 15 months, wakes 7ish times a night (cluster of wakes from 8 till 12 then every 90 mins to 2 hours till morning) on a couple of occasions she will accept dummy but mostly she escalates till I give her boob. We have found she sleeps better if staying with nanna or when I went away for weekend and husband did all wakes, so the issue is pretty much me.

We have decided to try gentle sleep training, shes done 2 nights at nannas to allow me to catch up on sleep so I'm not doing this on an empty tank, and also gets a head start on training.

what I'm going to try -

Feed her in a different room before bed, then at bed time read her a book and put her down awake. So the last thing she has before bed isn't boob.

And basically just tonight and next few nights just do everything in my power to not feed over night. She'll be hysterical but we aren't leaving her, just trying to offer alternative comfort to boob. im dreading it as she gets herself so worked up but I have to do something im exhausted and days I should be loving im not as im just so tired and fed up and my performance at work is shocking.

My hope is to first tackle night weaning then tackle the frequent wakes, as I don't think the latter will come till the former is sorted.

ThatLoudCat · 12/10/2026 17:34

You can still breastfeed until two. You just need to stay strong and not give into the boob requests when they wake in the night. It'll be a hard few nights though, I won't lie.

I stopped night feeds at 13 months and it did greatly improve sleep. She's almost two now and just needs a cuddle when she (very occasionally) wakes in the night.

Peonies12 · 14/10/2026 15:49

I BF til 2 but stopped overnight. I moved the bedtime feed to after dinner downstairs, so it removed the association with bed time, also to allow my DH to then take her up for bath and bed. Then he went in if she woke overnight. I'd be cutting the nap as short as she can tolerate, make sure she's really tired for the night.

Original poster

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:06

ThatLoudCat · 12/10/2026 17:34

You can still breastfeed until two. You just need to stay strong and not give into the boob requests when they wake in the night. It'll be a hard few nights though, I won't lie.

I stopped night feeds at 13 months and it did greatly improve sleep. She's almost two now and just needs a cuddle when she (very occasionally) wakes in the night.

How did you first start? It’s so hard isn’t it. I don’t mind the first night feed but want her to be able to self settle if she wakes. Thanks ☺️

OP posts:

Babybaby2025 · 14/10/2026 20:07

Reporting back with some success. My baby pretty much slept through last night.

First two nights were at grandma's.
Third night husband did all wakes, she woke up about 9 times, we set an alarm for 2 minutes everytime she cried, first 4 wakes husband needed to go in, the rest up till 6am she settled herself after about 60 seconds of grizzlies. From 6am I fed her as I didn't want her to risk escalating when sleep pressure is low.

Last night she slept 8-6, quick grizzle at 3am, fed her at 6 and slept till 8.

I've also made sure im not breast feeding as the last thing before bed. I feed her downstairs then take her up to get dressed and read a book. I think that's helped.

No intentions of stopping bf just want her to not rely on it so much.

I'm not getting smug just yet, but its looking very positive. This time last week I was up 7-8 x a night.

Original poster

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:08

Babybaby2025 · 12/10/2026 17:27

Im in the exact same position, baby 15 months, wakes 7ish times a night (cluster of wakes from 8 till 12 then every 90 mins to 2 hours till morning) on a couple of occasions she will accept dummy but mostly she escalates till I give her boob. We have found she sleeps better if staying with nanna or when I went away for weekend and husband did all wakes, so the issue is pretty much me.

We have decided to try gentle sleep training, shes done 2 nights at nannas to allow me to catch up on sleep so I'm not doing this on an empty tank, and also gets a head start on training.

what I'm going to try -

Feed her in a different room before bed, then at bed time read her a book and put her down awake. So the last thing she has before bed isn't boob.

And basically just tonight and next few nights just do everything in my power to not feed over night. She'll be hysterical but we aren't leaving her, just trying to offer alternative comfort to boob. im dreading it as she gets herself so worked up but I have to do something im exhausted and days I should be loving im not as im just so tired and fed up and my performance at work is shocking.

My hope is to first tackle night weaning then tackle the frequent wakes, as I don't think the latter will come till the former is sorted.

How are you getting on? Sending positive vibes. I tried last night to feed earlier and put down asleep but she was so sad I gave in after 30 mins of trying to settle her. Hope you’re getting on ok 🤞

OP posts:

Original poster

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:09

Babybaby2025 · 14/10/2026 20:07

Reporting back with some success. My baby pretty much slept through last night.

First two nights were at grandma's.
Third night husband did all wakes, she woke up about 9 times, we set an alarm for 2 minutes everytime she cried, first 4 wakes husband needed to go in, the rest up till 6am she settled herself after about 60 seconds of grizzlies. From 6am I fed her as I didn't want her to risk escalating when sleep pressure is low.

Last night she slept 8-6, quick grizzle at 3am, fed her at 6 and slept till 8.

I've also made sure im not breast feeding as the last thing before bed. I feed her downstairs then take her up to get dressed and read a book. I think that's helped.

No intentions of stopping bf just want her to not rely on it so much.

I'm not getting smug just yet, but its looking very positive. This time last week I was up 7-8 x a night.

Oh wow! This is great news

OP posts:

Original poster

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:10

Babybaby2025 · 14/10/2026 20:07

Reporting back with some success. My baby pretty much slept through last night.

First two nights were at grandma's.
Third night husband did all wakes, she woke up about 9 times, we set an alarm for 2 minutes everytime she cried, first 4 wakes husband needed to go in, the rest up till 6am she settled herself after about 60 seconds of grizzlies. From 6am I fed her as I didn't want her to risk escalating when sleep pressure is low.

Last night she slept 8-6, quick grizzle at 3am, fed her at 6 and slept till 8.

I've also made sure im not breast feeding as the last thing before bed. I feed her downstairs then take her up to get dressed and read a book. I think that's helped.

No intentions of stopping bf just want her to not rely on it so much.

I'm not getting smug just yet, but its looking very positive. This time last week I was up 7-8 x a night.

Can I ask how do you get her to settle off to sleep? My LO usually drifts off as she’s on the boob

OP posts:

Peonies12 · 14/10/2026 20:27

Are you still using a cot? if so, you might find a floor bed a lot easier as you can cuddle to sleep then roll away. we switched over at 12 months, best thing we've ever done.

Babybaby2025 · 14/10/2026 20:33

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:10

Can I ask how do you get her to settle off to sleep? My LO usually drifts off as she’s on the boob

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Normally, I'd feed her on the armchair in her room while it's dark etc and transfer her while she's drowsy, not asleep but almost there.

Last 4 nights I've fed her downstairs in a bright room, then taken her to a dim room to read a book, she's calm but not sleepy, I’ve put her in cot, kissed her head and said goodnight. She's Normally sat up when I leave room, and after about 5 minutes of just sitting there she seems to send herself to sleep.

I definitely think her starting the night by getting herself to sleep had helped her self settle.

I've always snuggled and fed her to sleep as its just seemed a bit sad just leaving her sat up in bed but its seemed to have helped

ThatLoudCat · 14/10/2026 20:42

Ladylou17 · 14/10/2026 20:06

How did you first start? It’s so hard isn’t it. I don’t mind the first night feed but want her to be able to self settle if she wakes. Thanks ☺️

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I got my husband to do it all. It only took us two nights and she was happy to go to bed with daddy and not be fed to sleep.