A real gentle sleep book wouldn't have any suggestions or methods IMO. It would simply tell each mother to follow their instincts and do whatever works. Bad habits aren't formed. I guess it feels like a bad habit if you're not happy with it at the time, but usually we're made to feel unhappy with it because of other people's opinions on how our babies should be sleeping.

I don't believe a baby uses it's mother as a dummy... a baby uses a dummy as a breast. How can the real thing be a dummy? If your baby needs to suck, and you're happy to comply, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding through the night. My DS fed through the night until about 15 months. I was pregnant by then, and I deliberately weaned him from the night feeds. If I hadn't been pregnant, we would have had many more months of night feeds I reckon. heh.

But it doesn't last forever. DS pretty much sleeps now, if he wakes he brings himself into us and goes to sleep (half the time I don't hear him come in, he's just there in the morning! LOL). He still feeds before sleeping, he fed to sleep for a loooooong long time, but now just has a feed before each sleep. I don't envision him doing this forever either, so I'm not worried

Just be happy knowing that you're meeting your son's needs and don't let other people (or books) put you off doing what works for you both. Sounds like you're doing a great job to me