Baby Nursing Homepage

Question: 10 month old sleep issues - my baby nurses all night and wakes up every few hours.?

(Posted by: First time single mommy! on 2009-08-24 13:24:53)

My son is 10 1/ 2 months old, he's been sleeping with me since he was born. He wakes up several times at night to to nurse and it's driving me mad! He won't sleep in his crib alone as he looks for my breast constantly. I'm so tired and I just want him to be a little more independent in the nighttime hours! Does anyone have any intelligent personal experience they can share with me? Please don't suggest cry it out - I don't like the idea of it as it is and I already tried it anyway to no avail! Thanks for your time.

Posted by: KaylaG on 2009-08-24, 13:35:49

I hate to say it, but thats the only way I do know of,(to cry it out) and my son was sleeping in his own crib, falling asleep by himself by letting him cry it out twice and never giving in. The most important thing, no matter what you decide is so stick with it and never give in. If you give in even once the kid will continue to cry to get that once in awhile reaction when you do give in. So sorry I don't have the answer you want but when you do figure out something stick to your guns no matter what. Obviously always make sure they are safe though! Good luck!

Posted by: Skye on 2009-08-24, 13:40:17

When your issue is that he sleeps with you and wakes up several times a night, I think your only option is to use some form of 'cry it out. " He is ten months old, that is certainly old enough to teach him that bed time means bed time. Put him in his cot tell him it's time to sleep and leave the room. Let him cry solidly (it doesn't count if he is just yelling out for attention) for four minutes then go into his room, lie him down tell him again it is time to sleep and leave the room. Repeat this until he falls asleep. Add a minute to the time you wait before tending to him each night until you get to ten minutes, but really if you do it properly it shouldn't take more than three nights. He needs to be taught to self settle, otherwise you are going to continue to have these problems. You have taught him that he needs you there to go to sleep, he doesn't know any other way. Crying is normal and healthy when teaching a baby something new and it is also how they express their feelings. If it wasn't, babies would never learn to breastfeed, they wouldn't learn to eat solid foods and they certainly wouldn't have their nappies changed regularly. Yes your baby will cry at bed time, but he is expressing that he is unsure about going to sleep and by running in and taking him out of his cot everytime you are teaching him that there IS something to be afraid of, when there isn't. Don't be scared of some tears at bedtime, it is completely normal.

Posted by: qtpie3782 on 2009-08-24, 14:41:39

I totally understand your situation!! I have two daughters 8 yrs. and 13 months. I nursed them both. The oldest was a breeze!! But the baby....ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE!! I JUST stopped nursing her and she still sleeps with me. I can not for the life of me get her to sleep in her crib. As far as nursing, every night she would nurse the whole entire night. My sides were stiff from laying on them all the time and I was so uncomfortable. And when they nurse through the night like that, they're not even eating. They're just using you as a pacifier. If you can get him to suck a "passy " then definitely try that. If not, and you don't want to wean him yet, then you're gonna have to stick it out. That's what I had to do. And even 'til this day, my daughter still sticks her hand down my shirt, and at night, she can't sleep without feeling my breast. I try everything to stop her from doing this, but it's just a security blanket. Good Luck, it's not so bad once you accept that this is how things are.