OT - Middle of Night Weaning

[gottalovethem]

Okay, I know I have posted on this before. And several months later we are down to only nursing before bed. My new challenge is what to do in the middle of the night when he wakes up.

Last night he was up for 2 hours, he didn't really appreciate not having Mommy Milk as his midnight snack. I tried water, I tried his music on and holding him, I even tried bringing him to bed with me. Nothing worked. Finally he was just so exhausted that when I put him back in his crib he went back to sleep.

BTW, he's 18 months. We have just this week cut out the before nap feeding and while I did try CIO, during the middle of the night, that's not my favorite strategy.

 

[sara74]

Wish I had advice for you but I am not sleeping so much myself these days!

My theory is to make DH go in first. I figure that DS doesn't associate nursing with daddy and *might* go to sleep for DH. But your little guy is probably not going to fall for that one like mine might!

Is the night waking new? Is he sick? Sounds like you are worried that if you nurse him (just this one time) in the middle of the night you will start a habit - that's what I would be thinking too! So I'd work on prevention of night waking - bedtime routine, humidifier, white noise maker or fan.

Best of luck and happy sleeping!

 

[porterbl1]

I don't know if I could have weaned gradually. My son was almost 3 when I weaned, so I just cut it out altogether. He was old enough that it was pretty easy. It would have killed me to wean a baby that still really wanted to nurse. How old is your child?

 

[porterbl1]

I see he's 18 months, sorry. It must be hard .

 

[java]

We just eliminated the remaining nighttime nursing ourselves. And it wasn't too bad(he was just under 2) First night he screamed his head off- we had DAD deal with it- so that he would understand no way no how is he getting nursed. Second night he took a chocolate milk cup. Third night back to screaming- 4th night right to sleep with the chocolate milk. I can say that when I woke up in the morning I was a new woman. It was the first time I had gotten a full night's sleep in years! (he is my 4th child) Everyone stayed in their beds. I find that it usually takes 3 days for things to stick. He has tried once to nurse after that but it was after a particularly bad day- but he went to chocolate milk after I held him for a bit. Now no problem- just goes to sleep. You can do it! I know that chocolate milk isn't the healthiest choice but I am getting the organic hormone free stuff and he loves it. Water- he threw in my face at night. He'll drink it during the day but not at night. Good luck!

 

[LuvENDisney]

Tough topic. For my DS, I said when he turns 1, I am going cold turkey and that was what we did. I would only nurse him right before bed and in the AM. Eventually, I stopped the AM nursing first and then the bedtime one. When he would wake up in the middle of the night, I sent my DH in to make sure that he was okay and, if he kept crying after that, I let him cry it out. Yes, it was painful for me. I would just stay up and listen to him until he fell asleep. I had to keep it in perspective that he doesn't need to middle of the night feeding and that if I ruled out all the issues other than just wanting mommy, then he would be okay. I agree with the OP, send your DH in if you can. I am not looking forward to this with my DD. Good luck to you!!

 

[rt2dz]

Middle of the night feedings are not necessary for any child (nursing or not) at that age, so I would send your DH in to handle him. It might take a couple of hours of doing everything until he is just so exhausted that he goes to sleep (like for you), but he'll adjust. And don't relent. After he doesn't want to eat, you'll then have the problem of teaching him to soothe himself back to sleep. Baby steps.

 

[amarberry]

When DD was younger, nursing in the middle of the night always put her back to sleep, but when she was around your son's age it almost prevented her from falling back to sleep. She'd night nurse for hours and her eyes would pop open the moment I tried to move her back to her bed. I started just going into her room and laying on the floor (I kept a blanket and pillow under her crib), but not letting her out. Sometimes she'd fall back asleep quickly. Other times she'd just hang out contently for a while. Sometimes she wasn't very happy with me. I'm not a huge fan of CIO, so this was a comprimise to me. I wanted her to know that I was there.

 

[gottalovethem]

Well, unfortunately, "dh" had "other" female interests so he no longer lives here.

Last night he did sleep through the night. This a.m. he wanted to nurse but I just kept up with the distractions. I am trying to stick to my guns and only before bed (I'm actually proud of myself for sticking with it).

Hmm, the idea of laying in the room is an intersting thought. DS too, stopped falling asleep when I nursed him in the middle of the night, and he'd still CIO when I put him back to sleep. I think he's just addicted to Mom LOL

I will hope that eventually he will not want to nurse in the middle of the night and with the support here, I'm sure we can do it!

 

[labst60]

How's it going for you?
It took DD one week (from nursing 4x per night to none). I was getting surgery so there was no option - we had to be separated at night for the first time since she was born and I didn't want it to be tramatic for her (she was almost 20 months). It was a TOUGH week, and she still (24 months) occassionally asks at night (we cosleep), but I never let her, just not wanting to get into that habit again. It was a TOUGH week, but a had a deadline (the surgery) and only a week's notice- so we were motivated. As a side note, she did great with Auntie those nights away from me - and I'm sure already being out of the HABIT of nursing every night helped1

 

[gottalovethem]

Hi. Thanks for checking in. We are down to only before bed. I try to no react when he wakes in the middle of the night -- he has thrown some incredible tantrums during the night, when I did go to him. Hopefully that will cease over time.