Breastfeeding at night?

Question

My son is 13 months and still nurses at night when he wakes up at least 2-3 times. How do I get my son to wean away from nursing at night and for him to sleep throughout the night? Nursing at night now may cause him to have teeth decay if I continuously nurse.

Answer 1

The first nursing I dropped was the night nursing. When my little one woke, I would hold him, rock him & when he did the "milk" sign I would tell him, "it's time to sleep". He would cry for a minute and then go back to sleep. Of course, every child is different so you may have to try a few strategies until you find what works for you and your child.
I have included a couple of links I found very helpful to find what worked for us.
Good luck!!

Answer 2

I have just now gotten my ten month old not to nurse at night. Most people told me to just let him cry but I couldn't do that. So I would just go in there and pick him up and sing or rock until he would eventually fall back to sleep! You will lose a lot of sleep doing this but evetually it seems to work. He really isn't hungry that late at night he is just wanting you. He's use to your comfort when he wakes. Or since he is 13 months old if he won't settle from singing and rocking you could give him a small bottle of water. The water will not cause tooth decay like the milk!! Good luck! I know that is so hard!

Answer 3

If he is 13 months he should be able to eat baby cereal. If you give him just a baby spoonful or two before the last nursing he may sleep through the night. (My kids loved rice cereal and its a perfect starter) You'd be surprised how a little real food; not just the nurseing will change this little ones whole attitude on this new world!

Answer 4

nursing at night will not cause tooth decay, the only thing that will do that at night is when you let a baby sleep with a bottle in his mouth- as your baby gets older he will sleep more at night-try limiting his nap time during the day or not letting him nap to close to bed time-as far as weening him it has to be a gradual process and i can't make any other suggestions because i don't know your normal rutine. Good luck

Answer 5

Well, you just have to stop offering it. Give him a good supper. If he wakes during the night give him a drink from a cup. I know it's more comforting and most likely quicker just to let him nurse, but if it's something you want to stop doing, you just have to stop. No doubt he'll fuss and carry on, but as long as you are consistant, firm and kind he'll eventually have to accept it. Mine did. Just another one of those little steps we take to may them more independant.

Answer 6

Nursing at night will NOT cause tooth decay. However, you need to let him cry through his waking periods. He should be able to sleep through the night at 13 months without nursing.

For those who can't bear to let their baby cry, remember that your child has to eventually learn to comfort him- or herself. This is the best advice I ever received about raising a baby. My daughter has slept through the night since she was 10 weeks old and is now 8. It works, it is not cruel, and you will raise a successful sleeper.

Answer 7

Keep him up playing with about a 1/2hr of relax time before bed then Bottle feed him a full bottle & baby food at 10:30 pm. try that. maybe he'll wake up at 5 or 6 am. Plus hopefully he'll need a diaper change before he goes to sleep.

Answer 8

I think your son has a problem in his aquiration for breast feeding maybe since you've been breast feeding him uncorrectly when he was borne..I suggest that you contact a doctor and so on cos I'm sure a 100% that if you keep on breast feeding him ( his 13 month ) he might get teeth disorder and dislining and the teeth may grow one above the other and so on......Hope I helped.