Mums: two-part question.

Question

1) My 9 month old son will mostly only fall asleep if he is on the breast. How can I get him to sleep by himself, without being breastfed?

2) My son does not like to sleep in his cot. At night he falls asleep on the breast, and I put him to sleep in his cot when he is practically fully asleep. If he is not asleep when I put him there, he will cry. or if he wakes in the night, and realises where he is, he cries until he is transferred to my bed, where more breastfeeding ensues until he falls asleep again.

How can I sort these two issues out?

Answer 1

i have no answer for this, just wanted to say my little girl is almost 9months and exactly the same, i dont want to let her cry it out but im so tired... lol good luck!

Answer 2

I really sympathise, my son was like this until he was 2.5 and I was a complete zombie, he woke in the night 2-3 times for a breastfeed. I knew I was making it worse by giving in but it was the only way to get some sleep. Eventually I just started waking him up if he fell asleep on the breast and always putting him in bed awake. I used to sit stroking his head until he fell asleep. After about a week he was going to sleep by himself no problem. Then I worked on the night waking in just the same way, I stroked his head but didn't feed him. I noticed the difference in only a couple of days and in less than a week he'd stopped waking up altogether.

I can't swear it will work for you but it worked for me.

Answer 3

I have just worked both of these problems out with my 9 month old daughter, but it was not an easy fix.  

We read two books and did a combination of the two.  

The no cry sleep solution (which actually has a web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/books/0...

and healthy sleep habits happy child by mark weissbluth.

It will take a while to change your childs sleep habits because this is all that he has known.  Some love and patience will help you through this.  Both of the above methods take some time, and if you want a quick fix I would look up the Ferber method.  This involves letting your baby cry for up to an hour.  Good Luck!

Answer 4

i am a mom of 7..with 6 grandkids....you need to start getting him on to a bottle ...or a sippy cup...he should be sleeping at night and you need to let him cry...its hard to do..i know but for your sake its time..he needs to know when it is bedtime..he needs to go to sleep...

Answer 5

I don't really see the problem....unless you are planning on weaning soon.

Answer 6

http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/books/0...

here is a great website- i personally loved co-sleeping wiht ym son because the thought of actually getting up made my brain hurt lol

EDIT- lanek doesnt soundd like a mom- or a very good one at that. breast is better than bottles so why the h**l would you want to switch- it's worse for their TEETH!

Answer 7

switch to the bottle he fall asleep when tired out