Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

DD is 15 months and this week has basically been the perfect storm of sleep issues. Separation anxiety is kicking in, she's a new walker, and I got AF for the first time, meanwhile my supply was already just about nonexistent. She's been waking every other night and it's taking 2-4 hours to get her back to sleep! She begs to nurse but even if I give in it doesn't help bc she's frustrated that there's really no milk. The past two nights she's also not going down for the night without me letting her hang on the boob until she's totally passed out. I think I need to let her CIO if she wakes at night but I'm thinking I should also bite the bullet and just wean her altogether. Sorry to make this so long, I'm just beyond frustrated at this point.

So to finally get to my question, can you tell me how you cut the last session out? How did it go and how long did it take for DC to stop asking to nurse?

Re: Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

I JUST cut this session out 2 days ago...DD is 26 months

So since before she turned 2, I was down to a morning and night session. Then I hit pregnant and cut out the morning session by bringing a sippy cup of milk into her room in the morning to get her. This went rather smoothly.

Since she is 2 and too big to nurse in the glider in her room, we've been having the nighttime session in my bed, and then (while she's still awake) putting her in her bed to fall asleep. Knowing that baby #2 is on the way and that my supply was also almost completely gone, I wanted to try to create a new routine that would be easy to just ween the BF from. So now DH gets DD ready for bed. She meets me in our room and we lay in my bed and read 4-5 books, then I shut the light and we snuggle for a minute (no boob!) and I tell her it's time to lay down in her crib. And I also hype up what a big girl she is now, and the fun events I have planned for the next day to get her excited to sleep. Lol. Then I put her in the crib, give her the dozen stuffed animals she just can't sleep w/o, and leave. It's been going really well. (We've been doing this routine for a few weeks except at first I was letting her BF after the books, and now I don't.)

The only thing is that she obsessed with her sippy cup and demands it to fall asleep. She literally hugs it as she dozes off. I only put about a sip of water in it for the night, and I take it away once she's sleeping. I don't know if she's using it as a fill-in for the boob, or what...but for now I'm letting her have it. I'll fight that battle when it's time to potty train.

I would definitely let her cry if she wakes up in the middle of the night, or go in, tell her it's ok, and then let her cry.
HTH.

ETA: She still asks to nurse, but I remind her that she's a big girl now and she seems to accept that. It also may be easier bc she older.

Message edited 8/15/2013 4:21:32 PM.

Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

Thank for sharing.

As bedtime approaches I think I'm losing my nerve! I think it may be better to deal with the middle of the night issue before I take away the nursing before bed. Uggh, this just stinks.

Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

I would def try and tackle the middle of the night issue first. Does she co-sleep or is she in her own room? Do you let her fuss it out a bit first?

Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

double post

Message edited 8/15/2013 8:08:18 PM.

Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

Well I chickened out but thankfully she at least went to sleep fine tonight after nursing. Hopefully she'll sleep through. If not, I think we're going to let her CIO. It seems no use to pick her up since she only gets more upset.

To the PP, she's in her own room. I can't bring her into my bed without her wanting to nurse. When I stay in her room, she just repeats, "I need to see Daddy" which is her way of saying she wants to go in my room to where she'll then ask to eat. My only success has been rocking her for a while until she starts to pass out and then lying on the couch until she's totally out cold. Otherwise she screams when we put her down. I do let her cry for 5-10 minutes before I get her but I think I need to just let her go as long as it takes. She cried for almost 20 minutes before her nap today which she never does but at least it showed me she could settle herself down when I normally would give up after 10-15 minutes. I've tried CIO while soothing at intervals and it's torture. She gets worse with each one. I think if I just don't go in we'll all be better off.

Message edited 8/16/2013 9:43:00 AM.

Re: Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

I weaned completely at 13 months. I nursed to sleep every night from birth till the point he was weaned. My supply had tanked at that point and DS was taking forever to go to sleep, it was driving me nuts. Just sucking and sucking and sucking hehe. I weaned the night feeding by just keeping his routine exactly the same and bringing a bottle in with me.. I did not use my normal breastfeeding pillow, in fact it had to be completely hidden or he would point at it non stop. When he didn't see the pillow he was fine. Gave him the bottle, and popped him into his crib when he was done. I thought it would be tougher then it was but it was really easy. We had 1 night setback and then he was fine again with the bottle. If it didn't go well the plan was to have my DH give the bottle before bed (but I was glad not to lose that last minute cuddle time with DS). I had no issues w/ engorgement or anything after weaning because I did it quite slowly with the night feeding being the last to go. GL!

Re: Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

DD was about 22m/23m when we cut it out, although most of the time she didn't nurse till she was asleep. She nursed, then I rocked her for five minutes (which became 2 minutes when I hit 6m pregnant) and then in the crib she went. Around 23m, we moved nursing before bath and DH would do a few books and rock her. Then we dropped the nursing totally after a few days. I was out of the room. She would yell for me at first, but it worked and she had no issues going go bed for DH. He did bedtime exclusively for about a week or two and then I tried it again with books and rocking and no boob, and she didn't even ask for it (even though I was still nursing 2 other times a day at that point)

Good luck!

Message edited 8/16/2013 4:17:41 AM.

Re: Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session

I did it around 18 Months... she was only nursing herself to sleep at night. My way of cutting it out... I let DH put her to sleep and I left the house for a few mins to see if she would notice... She didn't... I know that was mean but I was just outside if he had any issues... He didn't. He put her down for the next 2-3 nights... and she never looked back for it!

IDK if thats the right answer but it worked for us flawlessly! SHe didn't look for me or my scent or my boobies lol

Re: Nursing moms, please tell me about cutting out the before bed session