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Stopping feeding toddler to sleep

7 replies

Skang · 13/01/2013 09:02

My DD (15 months) would never sleep in a cot. A few months ago I made a real effort to try and get her to sleep in there, feeding her to sleep and putting her in. It was taking hours and then she would wake 45 mins later and I'd have to do it all again. It drove me mad and I decided I'd rather keep my sanity do she continued to sleep on my lap or in a sling in the evenings. She hated the cot, hated being in there in her own room even if it was just when I was puttin her clothes away.

I decided after Christmas that I'd have another go but this time we moved her cot up against our bed with one side off. Now I lie half in her cot (cotbed) and feed her to sleep whilst she's in there. The first couple of night's she woke after an hour but I fed her back asleep again. Now she sleeps in there until about 11/12 without waking! It's amazing, I thought it would never happen. It's obviously not ideal but it's such an improvement. She doesn't stay in there all night though, only until about 1ish then comes in with me.

She also has her nap during the day in there but always wakes after 50 mins. Sometimes she can be fed back to sleep and have another 50 mins.

The problem is that once she is in with me she stirrs multiple times a night and has to be fed back to sleep. I am having back ache nightly from sleeping in uncomfortable positions. Now she's more used to her cot I'd love to get her to sleep in there all night. I don't want to use controlled crying or crying it out. I'd love to use Andrea Grace but can't afford it.

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Skang · 13/01/2013 09:05

I'd love some advice on how to go about it. Currently feeding her to sleep takes between 5-45 minutes depending on what time we put her down and how tired she is. It's obviously more comfort sucking than feeding. She is seemingly wide awake if I don't do it though. I try to read her a story every night (the same one) but she doesn't listen and whines and pulls my top down.

TIA!

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Skang · 15/01/2013 08:52

Anyone?

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TheToadLessTravelled · 15/01/2013 09:01

No advice to offer unfortunately only sympathy.

I am currently in a very similar situation with 15mo ds. Sleeps till 12ish in cot then turns into a cosleeping boob monster as soon as I try to go to sleep

Tried dh giving him a bottle before bed instead but that just meant overflowing wet nappy at 1am before the all night kicking and feeding started as usual.

Hopefully someone will be along soon to offer advice

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smearedinfood · 16/01/2013 21:18

Do you think it might be the molars coming through?

Are they eating much during the day? Filling up on carbs seemed to help my DS, not much attention span at the dinner table so we will fill him up on toast right before bed...

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Skang · 19/01/2013 21:30

She's always been like this so I don't think it's teething related. I think it's just habit.

She does eat well but I've never found feeding her right before bed makes a difference.

Thanks both of you though :)

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cheddarcheeselover · 19/01/2013 21:35

Have a look at the no cry sleep solution, Elizabeth Pantley and the pantley pull off...

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Skang · 19/01/2013 21:44

Would that still be relevant now she's a toddler though? I know there is a toddler version of the book but I don't think that covers feeding to sleep. She's not actually falling asleep whilst feeding like a tiny baby would, she is tossing and turning for ages whilst comfort chewing. About 50% of the time she comes away herself and turns over to sleep but she seems to need the comfort sucking to get her anywhere near drowsy.