Nursing Baby to Sleep

Discussion in 'Parenting' started by RainbowSquidney, Jun 29, 2005.

  1. RainbowSquidney

    RainbowSquidney Member

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    Maggie's comment in another thread about doctors dealing with illness, not lifestyle, reminded me of something Bella's ped told me....
    At her last appointment, her doctor was telling me how to get her to sleep without having to nurse her.

    I thought to myself....what is wrong with nursing her to sleep? I'm not going to just let her lay there and cry.
    She often falls asleep on her own, but sometimes isn't able to calm herself, so I'll nurse for a few minutes until she dozes off.

    Do/Did you all nurse your baby to sleep? Is it a bad habit to get into?
    I did the same thing with my other daughter and I don't think it caused any problems with her.
     
  2. Dakota's Mom

    Dakota's Mom Senior Member

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    I nursed my older babies to sleep and it caused no problems at all. Dakota's foster mom had already taught him to go to sleep by himself when we got him. But he did go to sleep on the bottle a few times. We had more trouble getting him to stay in bed after he came out of the crib than I did with any of my older kids. So go figure.

    I say, do what feels right for you and your family.

    Kathi
     
  3. YellowBellyHippy

    YellowBellyHippy Hip Forums Supporter HipForums Supporter

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    I am tandem nursing my 3.5 yr old and my 16 month old. They both have "boont" before they go to bed. My 3.5 yr old can go to sleep without it but I don't enforce that.
     
  4. sugrmag

    sugrmag Uber Nerd

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    I always fell asleep while the girls nursed...If they weren't going to fall asleep, I sure as hell was!! I don't see the harm in it. Both girls go to bed quite nicely on their own now.
     
  5. lenamarina

    lenamarina LaLa

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    That's what I say too. I nursed both of my kids to sleep, against suggestions from my doc to let them CIO. Both of them turned out fine. We had no real problems getting Sage to learn to go to sleep on his own. Sasha still sleeps in our bed, and she nurses until she's done and then rolls over to fall asleep, if she hasn't already.
     
  6. nimh

    nimh ~foodie~

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    babies are ~supposed~ to nurse to sleep!! dont you just love cuddling your babe when they're all drowsy and heavy from nursing? :D

    ................(`'•.¸(`'•.¸ *¤* ¸.•'´)¸.•'`)
    «´¨`•..¤*happy sleepy milky baby vibes*¤..•´¨`»
    ................(¸.•'´(¸.• '´*¤*`'• .¸)`'•.¸)
    ......................(¨`•.•´¨)(¨`•.•´¨)
    ......................`•.¸ (¨`•.•´¨)¸.•´
    .......................×°× `•.¸.•´ ×°×
     
  7. gdhmomchild

    gdhmomchild Duct tape abuser

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    Yeah, I have to admit I never really woke up for the early hour feedings myself...just enough to get the babies and we both would sleep the rest of the night together and wake up for the 7am one.
     
  8. Boogabaah

    Boogabaah I am not here

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    i nurse my little one to sleep everynight. she'll be 3 on july 24th. i think she's fallen asleep without being nursed a total of 3 times.
    "milt"
     
  9. sister

    sister Member

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    Absolutely!!! My ds nursed to sleep until he self weaned. Looking over and seeing the milk drool on his sweet little sleeping face! Those are memories I cherish. With my dd, who was adopted at 7 months, I tried to breastfeed her, but she wasn't having anything to do with that. It was very different and I felt totally helpless not being able to comfort her with nursing.


    Keep it up momma!! You are doing exactly what you should be doing.
     
  10. Maggie Sugar

    Maggie Sugar Senior Member

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    Nothing. It is the way most babies fall asleep. Peds are not trained in normal baby behavior, for the most part, and if they did have children themselves, many chose the "conveneince route" as they were very busy with their carreers. I remember a ped aquaintance of mine telling me she was jealous I was able to nurse my babies to sleep, as being a full time doctor, and being gone from home 80plus hours a week, she never had the time to do it. :(

    Some babies go to sleep on their own, and that is fine, others need nursing, or rocking or fall asleep while drinking their bottle. I say let the baby decide the way they want to go to sleep. My kids stopeed nursing to sleep before they actually weaned (they nursed a long time) so it never "spoiled" them to let them fall asleep at the breast.

    Nurse your baby to sleep all you want, if that is what makes you and the baby happy.
     
  11. RainbowSquidney

    RainbowSquidney Member

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    YES!!!!

    Thanks mamas! It's nice to know I'm not harming my baby by doing what feels so natural.

    Off topic....she has been smiling and laughing for awhile now, but today while I was feeding her, I looked down and she was gazing at me and just started giggling.....her biggest giggle I've heard so far. It was soooo cute....it brought tears to my eyes.
    *sigh* I can't believe this is my last one......:(
     

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