https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:27:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2198224 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:07:54 +0000 yellowbird 2198224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I stopped at 11.5 months when we sleep trained! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2198171 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 16:25:11 +0000 Bubbles 2198171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us it just stopped working around 4.5 - 5 months I think? He would feed and feed until he was all docile and sleepy, but just wouldn't actually fall asleep. So one day I just put him in the cot to see what would happen, and he just feel asleep! I couldn't believe it, but that was just the way it was from then on. Sadly, the fact that he learned to put himself to sleep didn't help with his motn wake ups though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2198132 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 15:37:49 +0000 mdf106 2198132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would nurse LO to sleep, then wake him up and put him in the crib. This involved no crying, and I started at 4 months. FWIW I don't think it helped anything, and I wish I continued nursing to sleep at night until he was older. Next time I plan to wait until it is not working or otherwise causing sleep problems. Nursing continued to be the last part of the bedtime routine until 12 months when I moved it earlier with no problems (with my sights on weaning). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197629 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 09:26:22 +0000 Foodnerd81 2197629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Happygal: between 3.5 and 4 months. It felt really early but nothing was working and Dh and I were about to go insane. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197603 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 09:14:12 +0000 FaithFertility 2197603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Happygal: I can't handle her cry, she rarely does so it just kills me :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197570 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 08:57:52 +0000 Happygal 2197570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MenagerieMama: stinker! That would be a fun trick if you were a baby. I do like the first feeding I do when she's asleep for the night b/c she's so calm. </p> <p>@faithfertility: your routine sounds so peaceful and I hope the transition is easy for you. It's funny--I thought I was a CIO person b/c that's just what you have to do, but then the baby arrived and I know I will hate it if it comes to that. I find myself saying, "Oh, please don't cry!" when the lip comes out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197542 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 08:43:38 +0000 FaithFertility 2197542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Happygal: Yes Ma'am!!!!! She nurses to sleep laying down in our bed but I will say is out like a light and I just scoop her up and lay her in pnp... this works well for now!<br /> My plan is July 1st she is moving to crib so I'll start nursing her in rocking chair just to get her used to the crib once that seems ok I'll start nursing before bath then<br /> Boob<br /> Bath<br /> Book<br /> Maybe some rocking<br /> Bed...<br /> That is my plan...lol I am not a CIO person so I try to avoid it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197534 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 08:37:49 +0000 MenagerieMama 2197534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Happygal: I hear you! Mine is too, that's why I actually like it when she nursed to sleep because she got snuggly at the end, haha. Now it's all flailing and kicking and her new trick is popping off and then punching me in the boob so she hits a duct and sprays everywhere. Babies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197527 Wed, 03 Jun 2015 08:33:45 +0000 Happygal 2197527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MenagerieMama: My baby is more of a gymnast than a snuggler when nursing. I wish she was a bit calmer, but she kicks and waves her arm and cranes her neck--busy!</p> <p>@twodoghouse: I felt tired just reading your response! Definitely not selfish--I'd say you earned that beer!</p> <p>@ShootingStar: @mrsrain: that's what I tried to do and there was less than 30 minutes between nursing and doing all the other stuff, but she still couldn't handle it. Maybe I could nurse and then bounce her on the ball for a bit? More like what @Jape14: did.....or just keep trying.</p> <p>@foodnerd81: what age did you switch the routine for your baby? I hate that feeling of getting ready to drop them into the crib and holding your breath.</p> <p>We're a bit all over the map--one night I put her into the crib with eyes open, but she had that far away stare going on and lo and behold, lil miss went to sleep! I wish that could happen every night. </p> <p>@faithfertility: so we're in the same boat? :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197245 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 20:19:46 +0000 Foodnerd81 2197245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Similar to @jape14: I stopped when r was no longer working. I would be sitting in the dark with her for half an hour or more nursing, then taking her off the breast, then sitting perfectly still for ten more minutes, then oh so gently getting ready to move her to the crib.... And half the time she would wake up and scream and I'd have to bounce her to sleep, then start the whole charade of getting her to the crib again. The every time she woke up during the night she needed to be nursed to sleep again because she couldn't connect her sleep cycles. It was a low point. We did CIO and after a few nights, when she really cried no more than she was with all the bouncing and nursing and everything, she got a lot better. It just really sucked for a few days. We waited for naps and I continued nursing to sleep for those for a little longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197163 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 19:17:38 +0000 FaithFertility 2197163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197162 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 19:14:22 +0000 mrsrain 2197162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did it by switching to nursing her downstairs, then taking her upstairs and going through the bedtime routine. For a while my husband would give her a couple of ounces of milk in a bottle and put her down sleepy-but-awake, then we slowly cut that out. Sticking to a routine has probably been the most important thing-- DH does everything in the same order, and always sings the same song before he puts her down. Those have become her sleep-cues in place of milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197147 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:59:32 +0000 ShootingStar 2197147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just moved around the routine. Instead of bath, nurse, sleep, we did nurse/bottle, bath, sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197120 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:39:24 +0000 twodoghouse 2197120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Happygal: They have always been bad sleepers, but it's gone in waves of being particularly terrible where they were up 4-5 Times a night each. They just wanted to be up all night long nursing. They're supplemented with formula too, in addition to solids and nursing, so I didn't feel like they really needed to eat. They just couldn't bridge sleep cycles on their own at night (or for naps, actually). At 12 months I was ok with losing my (already low) supply by starting to stop the motn nursing sessions and nursing to sleep (they still nurse at bedtime but a shorter time), if t came to that. I haven't noticed a decrease in my supply, but they are finally doing well with solids so it's hard to tell. Plus, (and I admit this is really selfish, but whatever) I wanted to be able to have a beer with dinner and not be worried about nursing them to sleep afterward. They will take a bottle at bedtime and go to sleep well now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197108 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:26:02 +0000 MenagerieMama 2197108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO just stopped on her own around 7-7.5 mo. I didn't do it because she needed to by that point, and she could go down without it if I wasn't there, but I liked the snuggles. But about a month ago she decided she was just done! I actually miss it, but apparently I'm a big sap, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197063 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:44:25 +0000 jape14 2197063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I stopped nursing to sleep at night around 4ish months when we sleep trained. (Partially bc nursing to sleep wasn't working and I'd have to do that twice, plus rocking, all with a decent amount of fussing in order to get him to sleep.) I still nursed right before bed, but after he nursed I put him in his sleep sack (which he hates and therefore totally woke him up), then sang a song so he'd form a sleep association with that routine instead of nursing. After about 3 nights (we did Ferber at the same time), he never even fussed. He is now really good about going to sleep on his on for bedtime and naps (staying asleep for naps is a different story)! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197029 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:07:37 +0000 Happygal 2197029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: she's 4 months. Why did you stop? Was nursing to sleep affecting their sleep? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197028 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:07:34 +0000 Zbug 2197028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nursing to sleep stopped working sometimes around 4 mo and most of the time by 6 mo. It was so much easier when she nursed to sleep, and her sleep didn't improve by not doing so. Just my experience, obviously, but I still miss it at 20 mo! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197022 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:01:09 +0000 twodoghouse 2197022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just broke the habit in the last week, but my kids are older (13 months) and had finally starting eating a substantial amount of solids. I think that's the only way it's been working. How old is DD? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/quitting-nursing-to-sleep#post-2197016 Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:57:02 +0000 Happygal 2197016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get the reasoning behind not nursing to sleep and have tried to avoid this the past few nights. DD has NOT been a fan and I've ended up nursing her after an hour of trying to get her down. </p> <p>Anyone successfully break this habit and have words of wisdom for me? </p>