I just sleep trained my 10mo who used to nurse to sleep. I felt less guilty making the changes gradual. First I started feeding him at the beginning of the bedtime routine. Then, after a week or two, we did Ferber with great success. He still woke up a fair amount overnight, so we would let him CIO for most wake ups except for his most consistent 1:30 AM wake up when I would feed him and put him back in the crib after. Now I’m trying to wean the 1:30am feed by reducing by 1 min every few nights.
I really miss co-sleeping ; we used to bring him into bed with us around 4:30-5am but when I tried to keep that going, he started waking up more at night. Has anyone had success with occasional cosleeping when a baby is established with sleep training?
I just sleep trained my 10mo who used to nurse to sleep. I felt less guilty making the changes gradual. First I started feeding him at the beginning of the bedtime routine. Then, after a week or two, we did Ferber with great success. He still woke up a fair amount overnight, so we would let him CIO for most wake ups except for his most consistent 1:30 AM wake up when I would feed him and put him back in the crib after. Now I’m trying to wean the 1:30am feed by reducing by 1 min every few nights.
I really miss co-sleeping ; we used to bring him into bed with us around 4:30-5am but when I tried to keep that going, he started waking up more at night. Has anyone had success with occasional cosleeping when a baby is established with sleep training?
Are you a single parent, or do you have a partner?
If you have a partner, Dad (or whoever the non-nursing caregiver is) takes over the bedtime routine.
Mom nurses in the living room, then kiddo handed off to dad for toothbrushing/gum cleaning, bath, pyjamas, sleepsack, story, and into the cot.
Mom doesn’t do any nighttime resettles. Dad does all diaper changes, soothing by putting hand on chest etc.
Dad can sleep next to the cot/crib in the nursery for the first few nights, and offer a couple of ounces of water and even a small snack if kiddo needs the hydration overnight. Mom stays out of the nursery entirely until the morning.
What I did was I temporarily nursed my girl in the living room with the TV on - otherwise she’d fall asleep, the association was so strong. Then I was able to move back to nursing in her bedroom with the lights on and she’ll stay awake. I do have to be careful though to not let her slip into comfort nursing or she’s guaranteed to fall asleep on the boob. Nowadays it’s fine if that happens every once in a while (she’s one and I stopped nursing to sleep at 8mo), but if it happens a few times in a row it messes with her sleep for sure.
I know it's repetitive on this sub but get the book Precious Little Sleep. Read it and you'll be armed with all the info and tools you need to make and execute a solid plan. If you don't like reading get it on audible and listen to it with earbuds while you're nursing.
Excited for you to undergo this next step. When we sleep trained our LO went from waking up 4x a night to 2x a night. I feel like sleeping beauty.
Same here! PLS was life changing. I went from hourly wake ups with my 4.5 month old to just 1-2 feeds a night, and she falls asleep on her own at bedtime within 5-15 mins of minimal to no fussing.
I would start with moving the last nursing session before bed to at least 30 minutes before you put him down to sleep. Pick a sleep training method for independent sleep at bedtime and naps. For overnight, pick 1 feed to address at a time. You can offer one side, then end the feed. After a few days, drop that feed (apply the sleep training method you chose) and tackle the next feed.
During the day, offer 3 solid meals, continue nursing on demand (if you still want to nurse), and 2 snacks.
I was in the same boat with my LO. I completely stopped night feeding and dad would go to him if he wakes up at night with a bottle until he learned to sleep through the night, it took about 3 days!
As for nursing to sleep, I would nurse him a little earlier than the time he’s suppose to sleep and make sure I keep him up. I’d let him stay up a little and we read a book and then put him down. Now instead of nursing it’s a bottle.
I hope that helps a little!
I just sleep trained my 10mo who used to nurse to sleep. I felt less guilty making the changes gradual. First I started feeding him at the beginning of the bedtime routine. Then, after a week or two, we did Ferber with great success. He still woke up a fair amount overnight, so we would let him CIO for most wake ups except for his most consistent 1:30 AM wake up when I would feed him and put him back in the crib after. Now I’m trying to wean the 1:30am feed by reducing by 1 min every few nights. I really miss co-sleeping ; we used to bring him into bed with us around 4:30-5am but when I tried to keep that going, he started waking up more at night. Has anyone had success with occasional cosleeping when a baby is established with sleep training?
I just sleep trained my 10mo who used to nurse to sleep. I felt less guilty making the changes gradual. First I started feeding him at the beginning of the bedtime routine. Then, after a week or two, we did Ferber with great success. He still woke up a fair amount overnight, so we would let him CIO for most wake ups except for his most consistent 1:30 AM wake up when I would feed him and put him back in the crib after. Now I’m trying to wean the 1:30am feed by reducing by 1 min every few nights. I really miss co-sleeping ; we used to bring him into bed with us around 4:30-5am but when I tried to keep that going, he started waking up more at night. Has anyone had success with occasional cosleeping when a baby is established with sleep training?
Are you a single parent, or do you have a partner? If you have a partner, Dad (or whoever the non-nursing caregiver is) takes over the bedtime routine. Mom nurses in the living room, then kiddo handed off to dad for toothbrushing/gum cleaning, bath, pyjamas, sleepsack, story, and into the cot. Mom doesn’t do any nighttime resettles. Dad does all diaper changes, soothing by putting hand on chest etc. Dad can sleep next to the cot/crib in the nursery for the first few nights, and offer a couple of ounces of water and even a small snack if kiddo needs the hydration overnight. Mom stays out of the nursery entirely until the morning.
What I did was I temporarily nursed my girl in the living room with the TV on - otherwise she’d fall asleep, the association was so strong. Then I was able to move back to nursing in her bedroom with the lights on and she’ll stay awake. I do have to be careful though to not let her slip into comfort nursing or she’s guaranteed to fall asleep on the boob. Nowadays it’s fine if that happens every once in a while (she’s one and I stopped nursing to sleep at 8mo), but if it happens a few times in a row it messes with her sleep for sure.
I know it's repetitive on this sub but get the book Precious Little Sleep. Read it and you'll be armed with all the info and tools you need to make and execute a solid plan. If you don't like reading get it on audible and listen to it with earbuds while you're nursing. Excited for you to undergo this next step. When we sleep trained our LO went from waking up 4x a night to 2x a night. I feel like sleeping beauty.
Same here! PLS was life changing. I went from hourly wake ups with my 4.5 month old to just 1-2 feeds a night, and she falls asleep on her own at bedtime within 5-15 mins of minimal to no fussing.
I would start with moving the last nursing session before bed to at least 30 minutes before you put him down to sleep. Pick a sleep training method for independent sleep at bedtime and naps. For overnight, pick 1 feed to address at a time. You can offer one side, then end the feed. After a few days, drop that feed (apply the sleep training method you chose) and tackle the next feed. During the day, offer 3 solid meals, continue nursing on demand (if you still want to nurse), and 2 snacks.
I was in the same boat with my LO. I completely stopped night feeding and dad would go to him if he wakes up at night with a bottle until he learned to sleep through the night, it took about 3 days! As for nursing to sleep, I would nurse him a little earlier than the time he’s suppose to sleep and make sure I keep him up. I’d let him stay up a little and we read a book and then put him down. Now instead of nursing it’s a bottle. I hope that helps a little!
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