Night Weaning and Nap Weaning

So weaning your child during the day was comparatively easy. But what about toddlers who always nurse to sleep, or nurse to nap?

The association between nursing and sleep is a very strong one, and many babies and toddlers only ever go to sleep nursing. The standard advice from pediatricians is often to let them cry-it-out. The standard response from a toddler is often to scream and scream and scream!

How can you break the nursing to sleep association without resorting to letting your baby cry? It won't be a quick change. it might take weeks, or months, but you'll have a happier baby who can independanly put herself to sleep, in a peaceful, not fearful, way.

A bedtime routine

A routine at bedtime is very important. It tells your toddler that bedtime is coming up, and it will make her feel sleepy, even before you start to nurse to sleep.

Night weaning

Does your baby still wake up at night? You are not alone! Or does he need to nurse to sleep at bedtime? Every time you nurse your toddler back to sleep, try to unlatch him before he's totally asleep, perhaps when he's very very sleepy, or when his sucking has slowed and almost stopped. It may take a few attempts before you can do this without waking him up. but after a while you'll be able to unlatch him and he'll finish falling asleep on his own. Now, try to unlatch him a little earlier. Maybe when he's very sleepy, or is sucking very slowly. Hopefully he'll continue to fall asleep on his own. Now keep on - try to unlatch him when he's slightly less asleep so he can gradually learn to finish falling asleep by himself. If your toddler is still waking to nurse at night, you should find that he wakes less often.

Do you always nurse to sleep in the bedroom, or on a certain chair? Breaking the association with that place can be very helpful. This works best for toddler who are sleeping reasonably well through the night. Here's an example.

You always nurse your toddler to sleep in her bedroom. For a couple of nights, follow your bedtime routine, then try nursing on the couch, or in the spare bedroom, then carry her off to bed. If she wakes in the night, take her to the spare bedroon, or chair, nurse, then back to bed. You want her to think that her bedroom is no longer for nursing, but just for sleeping. After a while, follow your bedtime routine, but don't nurse. Take her straight to her bedroom, and lie her in the crib. She may surprise you and go to sleep! She may also cry and complain. Rub her back, sing a lullaby, soothe her, tell her you are there, she may fall asleep after a little protest. But what if she is upset and crying? If you want to nurse her then take her to the spare bedroom or chair and nurse. And try again tommorow night. It might take a few nights, it may take longer, but she should get the idea of falling asleep on her own.

Nap Weaning

Following the ideas above should help with naptimes too. It can also help to try other methods to get your baby to sleep. Go out in the car around naptime, Take her somewhere really exciting then walk home and she'll probably fall asleep in the stroller.

Two excellent books about baby and toddler sleep, are the No Cry Sleep Solution, and The No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers by Elizabeth Pantley.