How do I.....

[stasztk]

remove three night feeds in a 7 month old? (7 months? where has the time gone?)  She nurses to sleep for every nap and to sleep every night. I posted on the general sleep board too.  I have no idea what you may need to know to help, but I am totally willing to cooperate!
Thanks so much for at least reading this. I really don't know where to start!

[Samuel's mum]

I just wanted to say thank you for posting on the sleep board too as this board is getting quite sleep heavy at the moment! It must be the season! Your first step is to break the nursing to sleep association. Try gently breaking off before she is asleep and getting her to actually fall asleep by herself. Have a look at the props board.

[Windsurfer's mum]

I agree with sam mum, easier to start by only giving a short 2 min BF and then using other ways to re settle. Whatever you do I woukl do the same for each sleep time otherwise it could confuse her. good luck
clare

[CaedensMama]

The only time I nurse to sleep is the DF and the 4am feed.
Try to nurse her and then stop her before she falls asleep. I too have been nursing before the nap as well to help Caeden get thru the nap w/o being hungry. I usually nurse him and then he pulls off and wants the other side again and I will just give him the paci and put him in bed. He does fine with this and I am putting him in bed completely awake. Another thing I have heard to try is a diaper change.
Maybe gradually work into it by letting her nurse and then waking her slightly before placing in bed - put her up on your shoulder for a minute or not "try" to keep her asleep - IYKWIM
Have you tried anything yet? She may be good at it and surprise you!

[stasztk]

I have not tried anything at all in a long time. I feel that she will react very differently now that she is older. What I have tried in the past was to not let her fall asleep at the breast at all. She did well but it was night time that got us last time. She thought she had to nurse to sleep all the time just from the night feeds.

[CaedensMama]

How many times a night is she up?
Do you want to try and drop some of those feeds?

[stasztk]

She is still up 3 times a night sometimes. She is 7 months. I am hoping to eliminate all of them. I think she just does it so that she can get back to sleep when she wakes.

[CaedensMama]

I just did this - NO - I am in the process of doing this!
I dropped the middle feed first - I would go in and pick him up and tell him it was still nighttime and give him his paci and lay him back down. He would then SCREAM, for about 30 seconds and then roll over and go to sleep, now it is just barely a whimper and he is back asleep - without me going in.
For the other 2 feeds I am planning on just moving the times back and forward till the meet wake-up and bedtime.
DF - I am currently doing whenever I go to bed - sometimes as early as 9 - I am not trying to drop this one yet, but when I do I will just feed 15-30 minutes earlier every couple nights until it is just before bed. The other feed is around 4 - this week I have stretched it from 3:30 to 4. And I will just keep trying to push him a little further. Some days we may be at 4 for a few days and other days maybe closer to 4:30 and hopefully we will get to after 6 soon.
I found once I dropped the 1-2 ish feeding he settles himself much better and I think I will be able to wean him from the other ones too.

You can try dropping all them at once, but it could be harder for YOU - your body is used to producing the milk and to suddenly stop hurts. This is why I would recommend one feed at a time and gradually.

A book I have read and enjoyed is Elizabeth Pantley's - "No-cry sleep solution" - hers is a gentle weaning process as well - though she does use it more for older kids - past a year stil feeding thru the night - there are some good suggestions for this age as well.
I think she works well within the BW philosphy too - not avadcating CIO or anything, but a gentle process over time to get the LO used to the new routine too.

HTH - let us know how she is doing!

[CaedensMama]

Oh - something else -
would Scott be willing to go in at the 1-2 feed time when she wakes and hold her and settle her back to sleep for a night or two? It helps not to have the smell of breastmilk right there!

My DH did it once and wouldn't do it again But - it often helps the process go quicker if dad is willing to help. It can be hard with him having to go work all day - but hey - it is not like we can sleep all day either!
Maybe ask if he would do it for one week - and see how she is doing - it might go over better with a  limited amount of time he is committing to!

[stasztk]

Great ideas Jennifer. I think Scott would be willing to help, yes. I really appreciate all the help.