[Loz07]

Hi

This is a bit long, sorry, and I have posted some of this before, so thanks for reading.

So, DD is almot 5mo old. She normally has 3-4 catnaps during the day (last one finishing 430 - 5) but she doesn't 'self settle' for these. I try not to feed her to sleep during the day, but naps always involve cuddling/rocking before being put down asleep. Sometimes I can put her down when she is still awake but VERY drowsy and she will finish falling asleep on her own (and sometimes it makes her 'wake up' and I pick her back up to try again...).

Nigthtime however I always feed to sleep, and settling takes about an hour and a half. MOST nights she sleeps all the way through (the last month or so she has started waking earlier in the morning (6-630 instead of the 7-730 she used to do), and probably has a night waking 1-2 times a week. This has coincided with a 'wonder week' time, and she has also had some longer day naps... Plus I think she is just starting to teethe so I'm not *too* worried about this). Bed time looks something like this:

From 6-630 is bath, pjs etc followed by a quick book/story/song (about 5 mins tops). She then feeds until she falls asleep (sometimes in under 10 mins if really tired, normally closer to 7). I hold her upright for a bit (15 mins?) before putting her down. After 10-15 mins, she wakes up. Sometimes she is just 'awake', sometimes she wakes crying. I pick her up, pat (sometimes, esp if she wakes crying, there's a burp), and after a few mins I feed again until she falls back asleep. Repeat last 3 sentences anywhere from 0-3 times ('normally' only one more wake up). She is usually asleep for the night by 8ish...

So is 90 mins of settling/sleeping/settling fairly common in a 5mo old?

I know feeding to sleep creates sleep associations, and I know it has to stop at some stage. I am reluctant to stop at the moment because a) it works and she sleeps well (even if it takes a bit to get her to sleep) and b) I really struggle with her cries, especially in the evening and when I know I can stop it. To be honest, I also LIKE the feed and cuddles, and would be perfectly happy with the situation if she was asleep by say 715ish every night .

Unless the sleep situation deteriorates drastically (I live in fear that the sleep association means one day she is just going to start waking every hour overnight..... ), I'm thinking I will continue the current routine at least for a few more months until I think she would be better able to handle a change.

So, if you fed to sleep - how, when and why did you stop? Was it because sleep deteriorated? Or did your baby get to a point where you thought they could fall asleep without it (signs?)? Or was it when you weaned?

Interested in people's experiences with feeding to sleep.

Thanks, and sorry this is so long/rambly (I have had a glass of wine....)

[Escapin]

I still 'feed to sleep' and DD is 20mo! She doesn't fall asleep though these days, she just pops off when she's had enough.

Feeding to sleep is a wonderful thing I think! If it works for you, then just keep doing it.

Not sure why you hold her upright once she's asleep? You could try just putting her down then?

[fooiesmum]

I fed to sleep for along time - 3 years 9 months - the last night feed was the last one I dropped. I was away for 2 nights when dd was 2.5 years old, she stayed up and waited for me to come home till she eventually dropped off - she was very glad to see me.

I loved the cuddles & closeness - it just worked for us that way

[BadKitteh]

If it is working I wouldn't change it. It sounds like you've found a nice gentle method that works well. I do think 90 mins to settle at that age is fairly normal. It will get easier & quicker & then you'll long for this time back. I never thought I would but knowing I'm never going to experience that again makes me sad. Try to enjoy it, even though it is such hard work.

[**Mel**]

I fed DD to sleep - loved it.

I went back to work at 4 months still b/feeding, so main priority was sleep. If it meant feeding to sleep so that I got a decent amount of sleep, then so be it.

I actually loved (and miss) that middle of the night feed

We stopped b/feeding at 6 months, but she still woke overnight till about 12 months. I gave her a bottle whenever she woke, she would have as much as she needed then would go back to sleep.

This was more of a PITA than b/feeding obviously, but I still did whatever was quickest to get back to sleep.

I also fed to sleep for naps, when I was at home. DH was home when I was at work in those early days, so he would bottle feed EBM and feed to sleep

At 12 months, she dropped to one nap per day and started sleeping through and would self-settle for nap and night-time

So, it took us 12 months to get to a very easy, self-settling, sleep through the night situation, even though we apparantly did all the wrong things!

DD was also a dummy addict

Now, at 3 and a half, DD still has a 1.5 - 2 hour nap most days and sleeps 11 - 12 hours o/n. (and tonight she has gone to sleep without a dummy!)

[tick]

I fed DD1 to sleep until she weaned at around 2 years old, will probably do the same for DD2 who is now six months old. It works for us, although I'm not so set in my ways that I won't change it if it stops working!

As for taking 90 mins to settle for bed .... I don't think it's *that* uncommon at her age to do that thing where they feed, fall asleep and wake up for more milk a few times before settling properly. My six month old was doing it a month or two ago. Now I tend to load her up with milk while she's still awake, then when she falls asleep on the boob I wake her and give her the other side also..... that seems to do the trick here. If I don't fill her full of milk before bed she will wake at least once in the first hour for more milk before settling into a longer sleep.

[75sx]

It's not bad if it works for you and your baby!

I fed my DD to sleep until she was weaned at 2.5yrs.

[Madnesscraves]

My DD is 1. I still feed her to sleep. I dont see the need to change it. Its just a form of affecting and cuddles. Though, once she is in a toddler bed, then I will be encouraging sleeping without a bottle. But I won't do it until she understands.

[Milamum09]

I still feed my 15 mth old to sleep. She, unfortunately doesn't sleep through though!! Do what works and what gets you through!!! Sounds like you are doing a great job. Do you think she takes so long at night because she is not quite tired enough after her last cat nap?

[password123]

Yep, I feed DD to sleep. She is 7 months and has slept through the night since she was 6 weeks old. I don't know if there will be problems later, but it works for now and she and I are happier for it.

This post has been edited by Mrs_Snorks: 10/01/2013, 10:22 AM