feeding to sleep
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39784
Printed Date: 24 August 2025 at 8:17am
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Topic: feeding to sleep
Posted By: red1
Subject: feeding to sleep
Date Posted: 03 July 2011 at 9:31pm
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A question for any experienced mummies that have or still do feed to sleep, how long did you do it for and what happened when you weaned your baby? Our wee man has been rather hard to settle to sleep for his bedtime lately and clearly tired but fighting it and getting overtired in the end, so I just end up feeding him to sleep, this has been going on for nearly a week now.....just wondering do you think this will create problems later or I shouldnt worry and just go with it? I didnt think I would need to rely on feeding to sleep but it just works like magic for a wee boy that is fighting to stay awake!! I know there prob has been several threads about this topic but couldnt find any so thought Id start ask in this one. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 8:34am
| I don't feed to sleep because DS just won't, but if he would, i'd totally do it all the time. I mean, if you are often out at bedtime and your DH has to put him down or he takes like 4 hours to nod off it might be a problem but otherwise i'd say go crazy. He won't want to do it for forever. Though DS would ONLY feed to sleep for a few weeks then he kind of lost the urge and has refused ever since so he might just need a bit of extra help this week and will get independant again. So, long story short i'd say if you dont mind feeding him off, continue! |
Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:05am
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I fed to sleep until just a few weeks ago. It was around now that it started to get a bit problematic for us... by that I mean, no-one else could put DS to bed meaning I couldn't go anywhere and he was also waking 6 - 8 times a night needing the boob to go back to sleep.
Up until then, however, it was the easiest and most effective way of getting him to sleep, and it also helped keep my supply good. Do what works for you, and just change things if it becomes a problem. If YOU don't mind feeding to sleep, then just carry on. ETA: When I did decide I didn't want to feed to sleep any more, I did a bit of the Sleep Sense programme. I would put him down awake and he would cry for a bit. I used the verbal reassurance technique and within a few days he was much, much better. He doesn't like going to bed so he normally still grizzles for 5 or so minutes but then drops off. It's no longer hard crying and he's back to waking only once or twice a night for a proper feed. It means I can go out for more than an hour now and DH can pop Ollie to bed, and he can also resettle him at night if he's having an unsettled evening. |
Posted By: ereynolds
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:05am
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I still feed to sleep and dont really know how to stop. We started doing it when DS was 6 months old and he had his first cold. 4 months later and I think he needs me to feed him to get to sleep. We also currently co-sleep so DS is feeding through the night too, but we are wanting to stop that at some stage as we want our bed back! At the moment, feeding to sleep is being a bit of a hindrance to us personally, but if it works for you, then great! :) ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Isabella
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:14am
I feed to sleep every night but not so much during the day. S has SSTN for the most part since she was 2mths old so it doesnt seem to be a problem in that respect! :) I just find it wayyy less stressful than trying to fight her to sleep at night when we are all tired 
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Posted By: red1
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:17am
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Its not so much a problem ATM im just worried it could be in the future......he self settles really well for his day sleeps, (if I catch him before the tired signs) ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: red1
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:18am
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We are exactly the same here Isabella!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:58am
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I still (and always have) feed my 18 month old to sleep and will continue until it stops working for whatever reason. I enjoy it, it is a nice relaxing way to end the day for us both and a great time to reconnect.
DS still wakes quite regularly, but I think that is down to his personality rather than the fact I feed him to sleep. -------------  
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Posted By: Troods
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 11:13am
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I always fed both my DDs to sleep. I agree it is a nice relaxing way to end the day, it's comforting for them and they loved it. Eventually they stopped falling asleep on the boob, I can't remember at what age exactly that was maybe between 6-8 months, but basically they decided when they wanted to stop. It didn't turn into a habit, and I've never had any problems getting them to self settle either after they stopped feeding to sleep. Just kept bedtime routine otherwise the same and lots of cuddles before putting them into bed. ------------- 
 Missed MC July 2011
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 12:58pm
| DS is 18 months and is bf to sleep at bedtime every night. He sleeps through 12hrs at night and goes to bed fine without being bf for his day sleep. |
Posted By: CJsays
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:50pm
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DH said he fed both his boys to sleep till they were older with no issues on stopping it, and I personally love feeding E to sleep, will do it as long as i can! funnily i gave her a wide awake feed tonite straight after she woke up which i never do, and i hated it, she wouldn't stay onw as looking everywhere way too interested in anything but boob (and she was hungry cuz had a huge nap). i agree with others, if it works and you like it, just do it and dont worry. if you dont like it then change it. I asked that question a wee while back somewhere too! no need to worry about wot will happen in a few months it will naturally happen when it needs ot change, prob when solids come more into play. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: snugglebug
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 9:57pm
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My DS was always hard to settle without a feed to get him to sleep for day naps and night waking, so I just did it as he is a reflux baby and basically I have done whatever has worked. But interestingly in the last month or two he has stopped needing the feed to go to sleep and can settle happily in his cot without it as long as he is sleepy. I am also able to settle him in the night without a feed as long as he is not genuinely hungry. So it's kind of been a natural process of him deciding to stop himself, as has self settling- he has gradually worked into that over time... Ive done all these things to try get him to self settle/sleep throug hthe night etc over the months and in the end to be honest it has just been something he has done in his own time... so yeah I don't see it as being problematic unless it is causing big issues for you and it doesn't seem to be. If it does start doing that then you'll know it's time to try something else I guess but it may not.I wouldn't worry about it right now your bubba is still so little :) maybe at closer to a year if it's still happening and you think it needs to change but to each their own. ------------- Me 28, DH 29 DS born 20 Nov 2010 (4 years old) #2 due October 7 http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: KatzWtgn
Date Posted: 04 July 2011 at 10:24pm
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I wouldn't worry at all -- he is still so little!
I feed DS to sleep all the time, and when I went to work, DH tried feeding him to sleep with a bottle but that just didn't work. So DH ended up developing his own sleeping routine -- and apparently DS now when it's naptime and DH is looking after him just goes to his little fold out couch and lies down!! He doesn't do that with me -- he still likes boobie when i'm around -- but it's interesting to know that when i'm not there, he doesn't have a problem sleeping without it. I figure that nature gave us a great way to get babies to sleep -- take advantage of it! ------------- [IMG]http://lb3f.lilypie.com/rGG7p13.png] |
Posted By: red1
Date Posted: 05 July 2011 at 8:24pm
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Yea I do love it, hes super snuggly and like you say CJ not too busy bein nosey at what dad is doin and so on. I love snuggles with my wee boy and I know in a few years time I will want this time back again, I will stop stressing about it and just enjoy ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: CJsays
Date Posted: 05 July 2011 at 9:23pm
hehe yep soak it up  ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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