How do I get my daughter to quit nursing at night & SLEEP?

Question

My 11 month old wakes up more than a couple times in the night and won't quiet down at anything but nursing. She wakes up because she wants to nurse and she does this more than a few times at night. Not only is it disturbing our sleep, but its also quite painful. I want to know WHEN WILL SHE SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT ??

HOW LONG DOES SHE NEED NURSING TO SOOTHE HER ??

WHAT SHOULD I DO ??

Answer 1

buy a cow.

Answer 2

do work~

Answer 3

I know that your motherly instincts want to give her all she wants, especially if she's crying her head off, but trust me, in the long run it will be better to simply ignore it until she falls back to sleep.

Answer 4

She is using nursing as a comfort tool as well as for nourishment. I would stop nursing her at night- offering her a bottle. I know she is going to fuss- it will be harder on you than it ever will be on her. If she doesn't need anything(food, diaper changed) do not pick her up. Rub her back if she sleeps on her stomach(a no no for prevention of sids) and reassure her that you are here, she is all-right. You are in for a few rough nights. Also there are children who do not sleep through the night until they are older(5)- you just keep reassuring them and send them back to bed. Do not give in- this will only make it harder- good luck remember it will only be a few nights of crying but it is worth it in the end. She shouldn't need that much food in the middle of the night

Answer 5

it's better than thumb sucking..give her a bottle before bed or a pacifier

If you are very tired then maybe try weaning.My friend just weaned her son by putting bandaids on her nipples and telling him Mommy has an owie. He soon gave up asking. ( it is not a bad idea to nurse even for comfort despite what ther writers say. Purely a prefference- yours! I nursed for two years but only at night, so it is really up to you)

You ought to feel good that you have passed on your antibodies and been able to do so longer than most.

Have a happy-healthy!

Answer 6

You should have been weaning her off by now.  IT is time to give her a sippy cup and let her figure out how to comfort herself at night.  She needs to get to the next level.

make bedtime a ritual and routine.  Give a sippy cup and read to her and play some music...the same routine everynight...whatever you want.  Give her some quality quiet time before bedtime so when that time she knows what it is for.

if she wakes up ...give her a sippy cup and put her down.  She is going to cry but if you have fed her and changed her and offered her a sippy cup she will quiet down eventually.  go in every 15 minutes and offer the cup again and rock her a few minutes and then put her down again.

Let her know you are there...but things are changing.  You have to start now....

Then next week make it every 30 minutes before you go in....etc.

Same routine...do not give in.  Just make sure you comfort her a little when she is crying so she knows you are there.  It is like an addiction...and she needs support and love while weaning off.  You might want to try some cereal before bed...and then offer a sippy cup.  Make sure she is satisfied with food in her tummy...maybe she isn't eating enough and using nursing as her main event.

Answer 7

Look! it's a bad idea to keep nursing the baby.

If you teach it nightly that you will nurse it then it will continue on to cry EVERY NIGHT.

She has to leave the baby to cry and learn that it's mother will only nurse when she wants to not when the baby wants.