Baby sleeping through the night?

Question

I have a six month old who sleeps with us. All three of us agree to that arrangement.
I breastfeed and he stirs quite often and goes back to sleep with a boobie. We refuse to "let him cry", it just seems cruel to us. But some nights he seems to nurse all night and I don't get any sleep.
Any moms experience this? How did he sleep on his own? We decided that he would move to his crib (naptime is the crib) at night when he is a year old, since that is when I plan to quit breast feeding, I don't think I can last another full year (when he is 18 months).

Yeah I have him curled next to me in my arm as we sleep together. Funny last night I put him to the boob and fell asleep. I woke to him several hours later "helping himself" to seconds!

He is also quite needy. He is in a sling right now around my chest because he needs to be held and I have stuff to do. But during the day we play with him or hold him, onlyt for a few minutes to half an hour is he ok by himself. But I will gladly oblige him

Answer 1

first poster is an idiot.

You have become a human pacifier!! Its a natural thing for co-sleeping mothers. Can you try to sleep while he nurses (no real tips, I just fall asleep easily)? Or will he take a bottle of expressed milk? You may want to try it at night so he can fill up quickly.

His nursing will decrease over time, you may find that by one he only nurses to go to sleep. I nursed my firstborn until 2 yrs, by the time he was15 mo or so I rarely nursed him in the middle of the night, usually only if he was sick.

Answer 2

You might want to wean the baby off such frequent night feedings, since when he starts to get teeth, the all-night nursing will probably cause problems with the milk sugars pooling in the mouth--and you don't want cavities in his baby teeth. I would recommend that you not try both weaning AND switching beds at the same time. Try the bed first, and then he won't associate the breast with night sleeping. Does he sleep in the crib fine for day naps? If so, it may be time to consider putting him in the crib at night. You don't have to let him cry--but give it a minute or two before responding. He might not actually be hungry; and he needs at some point to learn to get himself back to sleep. Try just placing a hand on him when he fusses to see if that calms him enough to get him back to sleep.

Co-sleeping can be a fine arrangement, but if your child isn't sleeping well, you aren't doing him any favors. Babies need their sleep!

Answer 3

I'm having great luck w/ nursing my 3 month old and her sleeping with us. She just falls right back to sleep. Try nursing while lying down... if you don't. WHen she falls asleep I just put her in her "snuggle nest" Best of luck.... maybe try something like a snuggle nest to trasition to the crib... what about a co-sleeper to get him out of the bed, yet still beside you. Don't stress.
I prop my baby's neck up with my arm so that I'm sure she is not going to turn over and not be able to breath. We have both fallen asleep while she was nursing. Please don't try this if you don't feel it's safe. I wake with every tiny movement she makes. I also make sure her face is up by the way I position her on my arm.
Just enjoy this time w/ your baby. DOn't listen to anyone who says it's not right. HOpe you can get some sleep

Answer 4

We never tried co-sleeping, but it sounds like your baby could just use a pacifier. Just keep one in bed with you and you'll probably get more sleep. By six months, babies shouldn't need middle-of-the-night feedings.

We let our son "cry it out," and he's fine. I don't think it's cruel. In fact, he usually cries himself to sleep (nap times) everyday. From day one, we put him on a schedule, knew when he was hungry, tired, etc., slept him in his bassinet and then crib, and he's been sleeping through the night since 4 weeks old.

And for the poster above me; I never thought about letting the baby fall asleep with the breast when teething. I guess that would be the same thing as letting the baby fall asleep with a bottle. I hate seeing little kids with silver teeth!

Answer 5

at 2 a million/2 months my daughter slept 4 hours at a time. She did no longer sleep in the process the nighttime till she replaced into around 6 months previous. in the process the nighttime I propose bedtime at 8 pm and getting up at 7 am day after immediately. She might wake atleast as quickly as a nighttime from the time she replaced into 2 months to 5 months previous. She might choose a bottle and diaper replace. solid success Morgaine

Answer 6

I have the same problem my baby boy is 2 wks. and Im breastfeeding. and he won't sleep that much. I figured out that he might not be getting that much milk from me because as soon as I give him a bottle of formula he sucks it down and sleeps for 3 hrs. so I decided I am going to switch to formula. I hope I helped in some way.

Answer 7

your not supposed to let them breastfeed that long your supposed to wean them from the breast! Crying is not cruel! you have to teach him his new bed and he may cry because he's used to sleeping with you guys! but you have to get him use to the crib

Answer 8

try a binky seems like he jus wants to suck maybe it will work