https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 14 Jun 2026 01:59:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468730 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 08:55:36 +0000 Pirouette 1468730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mskeee: thats true about nursing making babies sleepy...it totally makes sense to nurse to sleep!</p> <p>@hilsy85: thats a good point... I think I just worry that by the time it becomes a problem it's too late to go back and do things differently. But that's kind of silly to worry about - there's always going to be something I may have been better off doing differently, and there's no way to know what those things will be ahead of time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468626 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 08:09:01 +0000 hilsy85 1468626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It it ain't broke, don't fix it! I wouldn't worry at all about changing anything until what you're doing is no longer working. Another words, don't stop nursing to sleep just because you think it's "wrong"--it's definitely not! You will know when it becomes a problem :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468457 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 00:21:51 +0000 sarac 1468457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed my daughter to sleep until she was two. Then we gradually stopped and worked out a new routine, when I weaned her. It was wonderful, and I'll do it the same way for another child. Never could understand why people are do opposed to it. If it works, why break it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468320 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:35:40 +0000 Meltini 1468320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 5 months old and still nurses to sleep. I regret letting him get into this habit but everyone is different. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468129 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 21:06:35 +0000 Silva 1468129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As others have said, it works until it stops working. Enjoy it!<br /> My daughter stopped being able to fall soundly asleep by nursing somewhere between 4 and 6 months (for nighttime, we nursed for naps until very recently).<br /> You could try taking her off riiiight before she dozes off. I will probably do that more with my next kid to try to avoid future sleep training. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1468114 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 21:02:46 +0000 KOzsari 1468114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would keep doing it until it becomes a problem for you. For instance, if you need others to put her to sleep (if you're working etc.), or if she starts waking up at night wanting to be nursed, or if she startles awake when you lay her down and wants to be nursed. Once you need her to be able to fall asleep without nursing, it shouldn't be so bad to break the habit. There might be a week of rough nights, but I'm sure she'll quickly form other sleep associations, like singing, shushing, rocking, cuddling, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466893 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:32:33 +0000 Rockies11 1466893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the thing against nursing to sleep in sleep books goes against biology - nursing makes babies sleepy and it's totally natural! I nurse LO to sleep still at almost 8 months. She isn't nursed to sleep at daycare, and she still goes down to sleep! And for the 4 month sleep regression nursing to sleep was literally the only thing that worked for her to sleep ever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466876 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:28:11 +0000 Pirouette 1466876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: right, that makes sense. I guess it just depends how affected our LOs are by that realization. It sounds like many babies can adjust to that pretty easily (judging from a lot of the comments on your post and this one), but some babies struggle with it, and i guess we won't know which kind of baby we have until it's too late to go back and choose the other option! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466866 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:26:20 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 1466866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree not to mess with it, especially this early. My LO is a good sleeper but the 4 mo regression was really hard! We would walk him around the block until he fell asleep and I was really worried about it becoming a crutch. I just only did it when he needed it and we stopped months ago ever needing too (he's 13mo now). I also still give him a bottle (now sippy) before bed. He used to fall asleep while drinking, but doesn't anymore and he still goes down pretty easily. I saw follow your kids cues, give practice falling asleep on own when possible, but just go with the flow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466801 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:16:16 +0000 ShootingStar 1466801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: DH can put him to sleep with bouncing (though it's easier for me than him) and at daycare they use a paci, I think. </p> <p>@Pirouette: In theory it's bad because there will come a point when baby will start waking up many many times a night and realize you're not there and get upset and only be able to go back to sleep when you've nursed them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466800 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:16:09 +0000 regberadaisy 1466800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: well, you're already better off than I am! ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466773 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:10:54 +0000 Pirouette 1466773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: so funny, we have the exact same LOs! Half the time I'm not sure she's awake until I pop her off. And she really needs to eat right before bed, I think it's why she sleeps such long stretches!</p> <p>@locavore_mama: that does worry me a little, but she does fall asleep for naps without me. I don't even know why nursing to sleep is a big deal other than it being listed as bad in sleep books! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466729 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:01:09 +0000 regberadaisy 1466729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: she recently (in the past month) started asking to go into bed herself. So she kinda dictated when she was ready. As for MOTN we're *knockonwood* mostly STTN again. And when she wakes up the past few months DH goes get her.</p> <p>ETA: I think my biggest problem with nursing to sleep for us. Is that that I was the ONLY one that can put her down at night for a very very very long time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466728 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:01:05 +0000 Kemma 1466728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're still nursing to sleep for 90% of all sleep at 16.5 months and it's been a real sanity saver when we've hit various milestones and sleep progressions. Having said that, there's no harm in trying to settle your LO without nursing if that's what you'd like to do and she's ok with it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466711 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:57:33 +0000 ShootingStar 1466711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: So when and *how* do you plan to do it? Right now we do bath, lotion, jammies and nurse. I nurse at the end because wakes up to eat and I want to prolong the time until waking. Most of the time he just eats and falls asleep and he's good for several hours. If I try to pop him off before he's ready (or still awake?) he gets upset and then I have to keep nursing him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466681 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:51:34 +0000 regberadaisy 1466681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: @ShootingStar: maybe I did something wrong or I'm the anomaly. But nursing to sleep is one of the few things I am going to work very hard on NOT doing with #2. My daughter is 22 months and only just recently started not falling asleep at the boob. All previous attempts were met with extreme horrific resistance. You would think I was torturing her by putting her down drowsy!</p> <p>I'm going to try really hard to not let #2 fall asleep at the boob! </p> <p>haha I say that now but if #2 is anything like M I will likely do anything to get sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466652 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:48:05 +0000 ShootingStar 1466652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: I asked the same thing a few weeks ago because it's exactly the same with DS - I nurse him before bed and he falls asleep while eating and comfort nurses after and I have a hard time distinguishing between the two. Most nights to do drowsy but awake, I'd have to wake him up :-/. On my thread, most people said not to worry about nursing to sleep. I did think that was weird though because I see so many people saying they regret having done it for so long. At 15 weeks old we're still doing it and I'm not really sure how to stop. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466651 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:47:51 +0000 ALV91711 1466651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it is working I wouldn't change it. We nurse to sleep most nights at almost 1. Some nights he doesn't fall asleep nursing and I put him in his crib and he goes to sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466627 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:41:33 +0000 Pirouette 1466627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: that's awesome!!! i feel like i'm going to put myself through sleep regression worrying about the 4 month sleep regression ;)</p> <p>@Baby Boy Mom: haha yea, this is probably another case of "ignore what the books/internet say" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466618 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:39:02 +0000 Pirouette 1466618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: she falls asleep while nursing...and generally comfort sucks for a few minutes before i realize she's sleeping and gently pull her off. I don't usually realize when she falls asleep because the change in her sucking is pretty subtle (or i'm too tired to notice haha)</p> <p>@redsmarties: that's great to hear that she seems to be weaning herself! i'm hoping my LO does the same when the time is right, i just didn't want to create problems by continuing for now. </p> <p>@Beyond2: good to know! hopefully this is what she will do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466605 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:34:22 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1466605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Um, my just turned one year old just stopped nursing to sleep and I am so sad. It was much easier to put him to bed before. So basically, I don't think it's an issue. FWIW with my first LO I didn't let him nurse to sleep after 4 months or so (because that's what the book said) and I feel like I just made it harder on myself for no reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466603 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:34:10 +0000 Charm54 1466603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dd sttn very early on too (4 weeks). I was paranoid about the 4mo sleep regression but it never came. I give her her bottle, she falls asleep, I put her in her crib, she sleeps for 12 hours. Not messing with that :)</p> <p>She can finally put herself to sleep for her naps...I think it's just something she has to grow into! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466597 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:30:33 +0000 mrsjyw 1466597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always nursed before bedtime. DS has always been and is a great sleeper. We had no issues weaning at 1+ year and no issues with his sleep habits/etc. DS learned to fall asleep on his own regardless of the bedtime nursing session a long time ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466589 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:29:09 +0000 Beyond2 1466589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't mess with it! Eventually for my son he stopped falling asleep while nursing and I'd just put him in the crib drowsy but awake and he learned to fall asleep. I still nurse him before sleep at 17 months but he doesn't actually nurse to sleep anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466558 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:21:39 +0000 regberadaisy 1466558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does she fall asleep <i>while</i> nursing OR do you nurse her <i>until</i> she falls asleep? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466556 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:21:19 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1466556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't mess with it either! I nursed my 6 month old to sleep up until this week (we started sleep training), and we just stopped for naptime. I still nurse her to sleep most nights, but she seems to be weaning herself off of that. </p> <p>I don't think its a bad habit if its working well for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466552 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:18:54 +0000 lawbee11 1466552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she is STTN and it's working I would not mess with it! I don't nurse my LO to sleep because it stopped working for us, but if I could guarantee she'd STTN if I nursed her to sleep tonight, you better believe I'd do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-to-sleep-1#post-1466542 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:17:13 +0000 Pirouette 1466542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been blessed with a newborn that has slept through the night since about 2 weeks old, but i do nurse her to sleep every night. She's almost 3 months old - should i be breaking this habit by now? and how? do i wake her up after she falls asleep (seems counter-productive!) I hate to mess with something that has worked so well, but I'm also terrified of the 4 month sleep regression and know that in the long run we should teach her to fall asleep on her own.</p> <p>Am I creating bad habits by nursing her to sleep at this age? She is great at getting herself back to sleep when she wakes up in the middle of the night, but I don't make her fall asleep initially on her own...i nurse, she falls asleep, i burp her for a while and then lay her down. Just wondering if this is going to come back to bite me or if it's a case of "don't mess with what's working right now!" :) </p>