https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 07:04:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-968277 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 21:50:56 +0000 ALV91711 968277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: He is 4 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967942 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 19:06:53 +0000 heartonastring 967942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, thank you all for your helpful and substantive replies!</p> <p>Most of you said if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I think you hit the nail on the head. It works right now. If it stops working then we'll address it at that time.</p> <p>I think I need to stop reading so many sleep books/sites. They are very alarmist and are constantly saying things like, "If you nurse to sleep your child WILL start waking up a trillion times a night and you WILL NOT ever sleep again! So stop nursing to sleep IMMEDIATELY!" </p> <p>It just seems to me, kind of like @septemberlove said, that I feel like nursing IS so very comforting for our LOs, and it's completely natural that nursing to sleep comes so easily and seems to instinctive to so many of us. And, as @Kemma said, as babies mature their capacity for self-soothing increases.</p> <p>Thank you all again. You've helped calm my anxiety. I never realized how much of an over-reactor I was until I became a parent! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967910 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:50:23 +0000 Smurfette 967910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We nursed to sleep but it would take an hour every night. The 4 month sleep regression hit us early and the only way to get her back to sleep, 3-5 times a night was nursing. I couldn't do it anymore and function at work. So we did sleep train. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967867 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:19:34 +0000 sarac 967867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: Five years! You're amazing. Part of me would love to continue to nurse Beatrix that long. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967860 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:08:04 +0000 PrincessBaby 967860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did nurse to sleep, and still do for naps, but her sleep DID get worse and worse (started STTN @ 8 wks, then 4 mos regression hit us, we recovered after a week or so, but ever since she started rolling, she would have a million wakeups moving all over her crib and I guess not knowing how to put herself back to sleep.). Also, it got longer and longer and longer to get her down at night. Sometimes over an hour. Draining! So it basically just quit working for us, and I hit a breaking piint and sleep trained. Now she goes down w/o too much fuss- tonight about 10 secs of whining. Then she sleeps 10-12 hrs. So THAT is working:)</p> <p>Basically I'd leave it be until it doesnt work. It may always work. It may not. But you'll know when it isn't working anymore, and when you get to the point of losing your mind, you'll sleep train.</p> <p>Sleep training is only for the desperate. Not for the mildly inconvenienced or someone trying to prevent future bad sleep. It is crappy and awful and you can not survive it unless you were already ripping your hair out:( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967831 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:49:59 +0000 hilsy85 967831@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: we sleep trained at 6.5 months...how old is your LO? before that, we kind of just toughed it out because I was worried about weight gain, so I didn't mind nursing him, and I wasn't ready to sleep train. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967801 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:38:25 +0000 autumnlove 967801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed to sleep until she was 9 months old when I had no milk left. She was a good sleeper before and after I weaned! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967790 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:34:57 +0000 Mrs. Twine 967790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: I think this is absolutely true, and a very perceptive observation! Another great thing as they get older is they can talk with you about different strategies and you can work together to find things that are appealing. Ellie got to choose a nightlight that she liked, pick her own relaxing music, and decide how she felt most comfortable in bed. And those sleep patterns do seem to change and develop more 'maturity' as children age. I've noticed with both my girls that as they get older their ability to sleep alone will gradually increase. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967763 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:24:54 +0000 KT326 967763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed to sleep until 10 months when he weaned. Then we rocked to sleep with a bottle until almost 14 months. Once we got rid of the bottle he would fall asleep on his own. I think it took about 3 days for him to transition to no bottle or rocking to sleep. Now at 16 months when I tell him its time for bed he grabs his lovey and heads over to his crib. We turn on his music and he goes right down. I don't think nursing to sleep hindered him at all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967759 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:23:50 +0000 Kemma 967759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: I'm thinking that maybe as babies / toddlers get older they become more receptive to and capable of falling asleep in other ways whereas a younger baby has more of an instinct to nurse to sleep? I'm thinking of things like back rubbing, story reading etc.</p> <p>I know that for my LO, she needs the nursing to relax and wind down otherwise her little body just seems to pop itself up again in bed if she's not asleep but as she gets older I'm thinking she's going to lose the physical compulsion her body has to sit up (if that makes sense!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967749 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:16:00 +0000 Mrs. Twine 967749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: We were really surprised with how easily it went for Ellie. We figured after five years she maybe had such a strong association with nursing=sleep that it would be really hard for her to find another strategy. I would say that she took all of about three nights to have it be super easy, and it was even easier because she wanted to and initiated it. She had a much, much harder time not nursing when angry or frustrated to calm down than she did giving up nursing to sleep even though she had only fallen asleep that way for so long. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967727 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:02:22 +0000 ALV91711 967727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: How did you get him back to sleep in the MOTN without nursing? We are there right now. </p> <p>It is rare that he doesn't nurse to sleep, either day or night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967603 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:04:53 +0000 sarac 967603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I find it so tragic that people try to scare/shame people out of nursing to sleep with this line. No, it will not ruin your child's sleep. If you feel done before they do, you may have to struggle to find a new way to put them down, at some point. </p> <p>My 22 month old is mostly weaned, but I still nurse her to sleep if I'm putting her down. She's voluntarily stopped all other nursing, so I'm eager to see if she'll give this one up easily, too. But she's a good sleeper, overall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967593 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:03:16 +0000 Mrsbells 967593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hergreenapples: I nursed to sleep and to be honest it did get hard towards the end but I weaned her from nursing when she was 14 months old and she has slept so much better since then </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967590 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:01:33 +0000 lisa1783 967590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed him to sleep for 12 months and he would wake up 2x a night consistently. When we switched to the bottle he started STTN so it definitely didn't ruin his sleeping patterns and it's been 2 months now. However, he has to have a bottle right before bed so we're working on weaning him off of that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967573 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 15:52:04 +0000 LittleFox 967573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 7 months old and I nurse him to sleep. We've had periods of good sleep and bad sleep and, honestly, I think it's been a lifesaver when his sleep has been poor because of how quickly it gets him sleeping and settled again. The only time it's been a problem is when it hasn't worked. We had to develop other strategies for when that happens. Would it be easier to just lay him in his crib and have him fall asleep? Sure! But we haven't figured that out yet (it just doesn't work) and nursing to sleep is so easy and convenient for me that I see no real reason not to. Don't sweat it if it works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967493 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 15:14:17 +0000 lomom 967493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nurse him to sleep, I nurse him when he's grumpy, I nurse when he's overstimulated, I nurse when he's in pain (like after shots, poor baby) and my family/friends/coworkers have their $0.02 about it. I firmly believe that nursing is the most comforting thing I can do and if he wants to nurse to sleep, I'm fine with that. I don't see it as being any different than rocking him to sleep, playing his mobile for him to sleep, reading a book, or whatever is part of your bedtime routine. </p> <p>I fought hard to breast feed and I really treasure nursing to sleep and watching him drift off to dreamland. It might bite me in the butt later, but for now, it works and its a very special time in our day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967451 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:58:25 +0000 Kemma 967451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://nursememama.com/2013/04/30/its-ok-to-nurse-to-sleep/" rel="nofollow">http://nursememama.com/2013/04/30/its-ok-to-nurse-to-sleep/</a></p> <p>Just thought i'd post a lovely blog post that I often refer back to... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967440 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:56:15 +0000 Kemma 967440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nursing to sleep has been a lifesaver for us ever since we hit six months and Miss A got active and stopped sleeping :-)</p> <p>Forget about all the "should's" and go with what works for your family! Sleep isn't a linear progression and lots of things are going to mess with it (teething, physical milestones, separation anxiety, night terrors, illness) so think of nursing to sleep as just another strategy in your parenting toolbox </p> <p>Enjoy the snuggles Mama, you're doing great :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967221 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:39:37 +0000 ohapostrophe 967221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed as the last step in our bedtime routine until my son was 21 months old (and he decided he was done). Towards the end he rarely fell asleep while nursing but it was always the last step. I say don't worry about changing it up until you decide it's not working for either of you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967210 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:36:24 +0000 lamariniere 967210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed DS to sleep for the first 11 months of his life, but he was always a TERRIBLE sleeper and I don't know how much of it can be attributed to nursing. He didn't STTN until he was just over a year and at that point I was no longer nursing to sleep. But once he STTN, he became and still is an excellent sleeper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967186 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:26:45 +0000 hilsy85 967186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It screwed us up when we hit the 4 month sleep regression because he was waking multiple times and the ONLy wy he could go back to sleep was to nurse--not good for him or me. So we had to change that. But if its not a problem for you now, I wouldn't worry...many ppl are able to keep doing it with no issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967167 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:17:00 +0000 MamaChin 967167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm on the same boat as you. N is almost 9 months and gets a bottle before every nap and bedtime. He sleeps great, usually 12 hours at night with an early morning feeding and 2 great naps. I never put him down asleep though, sometimes he'll roll around and talk to himself for up to 20 minutes before falling asleep so he does know how to self sooth. I am afraid now though that the bottle has become a sleep cue for him. I'm not messing with the formula now though since it works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967165 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:16:35 +0000 Mrs. Twine 967165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed Ellie to sleep until she was five. Then she self-weaned and learned to fall asleep on her own quickly and without trouble. Was it a long transition? Sure. But it worked fine for us. And it's totally untrue that you are creating a child who will never be able to fall asleep alone or soothe themselves. Ellie is very secure at night and has no trouble sleeping on her own. It is natural for children to seek independence. This happens at different rates and ages, but it happens. Go with what feels right to you. If everyone is happy right now, keep on keeping on until someone isn't! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967161 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:13:37 +0000 edelweiss 967161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>if your LO is a good sleeper now, i wouldn't mess with or worry about it! (and btw nursing to sleep for MOTN feedings is not a bad habit--that's how it should be because you don't want your LO awake and hanging out after a night feeding!)</p> <p>you can deal with self-soothing later if/when nursing to sleep becomes an issue or doesn't work anymore--however your LO may just transition to self-soothing without any problems, so just enjoy your good sleeper! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967156 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:12:03 +0000 lovehoneybee 967156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed E to sleep for every nap and at night (we co-bedded). He transitioned into his crib at 6 months and has put himself to sleep easily since. </p> <p>He still wakes up 1-2 times in a 12 hour night period, but he's a light sleeper and is very sensitive to being wet (and the seemingly non-stop construction going on outside). So while he's not sleeping a solid 12 hours through, he usually sleeps 8-9 hours in a row and I'm guessing his wake-ups are for outside reasons. He does not nurse at night. I usually check his diaper, give him a sip of water, replace his paci and he goes right back down. I bet if he didn't always knock the paci out of the crib he'd be able to find it and go right back down without me going in (which is what happens when he doesn't knock it out). </p> <p>I think I might have had an easier time getting him to sleep when he was under 6 months had I not nursed him to sleep (specifically with naps) but he wouldn't sleep anywhere but my arms/curled up next to me. I don't believe his sleep habits now have suffered at all for it. </p> <p>I think they're only this small for so long, and doing what feels natural and right to you is much, much more important than letting outside opinions about what you should or shouldn't do make up your mind for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967141 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:05:30 +0000 Koolbreeze 967141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've always nursed to sleep. I've never worry about self soothing though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967129 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:00:03 +0000 sslm 967129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister nursed my niece to sleep and didn't have any issues! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-diddo-nurse-to-sleep#post-967125 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 12:58:36 +0000 heartonastring 967125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>....did it ruin your LO's sleep as he/she got older?</p> <p>I nurse DD to sleep for every nap and for MOTN feeds. DH handles bedtime, so obviously he doesn't nurse her to sleep and she goes down drowsy but awake and he stays in the room until she falls asleep.</p> <p>I have major anxiety about DD's sleep - even though she's a good sleeper. I think I'm worried she will stop being a good sleeper, which I hear happens frequently around the four month regression (she's three months now).</p> <p>Anyhow, everything I read says nursing to sleep is a terrible habit that will lead to your child being unable to self-soothe etc. etc. etc. </p> <p>Was that your experience? </p> <p>It seems so natural to me, so I'm hesitant to stop, but if a bunch of you tell me that it became a major issue for you then I will certainly reconsider my stance, because I do love me some sleep! </p>