Those of you with DCs who frequently breast fed at night and tried getting OH to settle them instead..

[robino]

I know there are some people out there who did but I can't seem to find where I read it...

DD2 is nearly 8 months. DD1 is just 2. Have co-slept quite a lot with DD2 just to make sure I got some sleep, it was ok but I'm trying to work on getting her to stay asleep longer and feed less through the night. She will sleep in her cot (or in our bed alone) quite happily but she wakes up about every 2 hours and won't go to sleep without a BF (if I go to her). If OH goes to her he can rub her back or rock her and most of the time she'll drop off but if it's me she immediately starts rooting. I'm supposed to be going away overnight in 3 weeks time and I'm not sure I can see it happening unless we have a breakthrough soon..

SO, I'm hoping to send OH in this weekend to deal with her and see if we can get her to go for more than 2-3hrs without a BF. Often she doesn't feed much but if she has a big feed she gives herself tummy ache, wakes up and then wants to feed again to drop off - it's a vicious circle.

How did you go about it? Did it work?

Should maybe add that I'm really struggling with reducing her BF at night cos DD1 was a dummy addict and as she got older we always tried the dummy first to test whether she was hungry or not and she gave up night feeds quite easily like this. DD2 will not entertain a dummy. DD1 could also self settle with her dummy and blanket at this age, DD2 is showing no signs of it!

Am probably going to totally jinx myself saying this.....

Have had major problems with DS (9mo) sleep since Nov. Eventually managed to get to the point of him waking at around 12.30 and 4.30 (which was actually a massive improvement).

He is still in our bed so we used a modified Jay Gordon method. Basically for 3 nights when he woke up I fed him but then stopped him feeding while he was still awake. You are then not supposed to feed again until they have had a sleep. On day 2 this meant he woke for the day at 4.30 am as I fed him then tried to hold out - fed him again at 6.45 but he had decided it was day time then.
After these 3 days he had stopped waking for the 12.30 feed but still wanted the 4.30 one.

Day 4-6 you are supposed to console in any way (pick up, rock etc) but not feed. This was when I left the room. Day 4 my sister slept in our bed with him - he woke at 4am and "cried" (not desolate wailing just whinging) for an hour with her before settling himself. Day 5 he slept in our bed with DH, woke at 4 ish, chattered to himself for 10 min or so and went back to sleep.

Now on day 8 and for the last few nights he has essentially slept 7.30 to 6-6.30 without a feed.

So really I was only out of the bed for 2 days and he was never "left".

Not sure how it would go with a child in a different room but I was amazed how quickly he got the hang of it.

wow wuglet that's amazing. Just googled gordon, assume that maybe I should wait before trying this sort of method on my almost 6mo DD? I really want to stop feeding her at night but I'm scared that she's too litle and needs the calories. I assume she needs them as she takes 3oz of FF at 1st feed after bedtime around 11ish.

TBH he doesn't advise using it before 1 year old.

At 6 months a reasonable proportion of babies will need the calories - in fact a fair proportion probably do until a year I would think.

DS is a little chubster above 98th centile though and eats plenty during the day so I think he will be ok....

yes I've seen that it has to be over 1 yr. DD is teeny weeny on 0.4th percentile last time I checked - tho strong as anything and a seriously efficient pooer so not short on calories... - so don't want to deprive her yet. anyway better go and give her dream feed...sigh.