Baby using me as a dummy!

[tina_k]

My 6 month old is pretty good during the day. 4 hourly feeds for about 20 mins.
Come evening, I don't know what happens. Her before bedtime feed can go 1 1/2 to 2 hours every night. She just won't come off. I try take her off and she acts like shes starving and hadn't eaten in days lol!
She also feeds quite regularly overnight, 3-4 times, but only for about 5 mins..
Dont know what to do.. Any suggestions??

[MummaSue]

Sounds pretty normal to me hun My 16 month old did that and still does at times!

[kelebek]

My DS did this too... while not all babies feed that often there are babies that do so yes it does sound normal to me.
I suppose the question is how do you feel about it? are you co-sleeping (if that is an option for you) to make those overnight feeds easier on you?

[wrena]

Yeah, sounds pretty normal. My DD is nearly 8 months and is taking longer and longer to feed to sleep in the last few weeks. I'm just going to go with it and hope it passes as that approach has worked really well so far. We co-sleep, so I just read a book or set up the laptop with headphones and a movie. Sorry that's not very useful but it's always nice to know you're not alone.

[~clover~]

I think you're doing great to be getting 4 hour stretches through the day! Mine are too cheeky for that
DS & DD both did the same at night til they were about 8 months old. DD is still sooky at that time, but more from boredom & being left alone while I cook dinner.

DD is waking once or twice a night atm, but that changes all the time. Depends if she's sick, or teething, or something else is going on.

You could try a cup of EBM in the evenings? Or water for something a bit different.

[HotI]

You can try swapping sides more often (more to give you a break), but it is pretty normal behaviour.

Have you tried offering more feeds during the day?

[meow]

Sounds exactly like my baby. He likes his big bedtime feed! It's my best down time of the day- I set up the laptop with headphones, surf the web and watch TV shows online.

[KitFaerie]

Yeah DS does that, I set up some episodes and just go with it. He feeds every 2 hours during the day. Sounds like she's perfect hun!

[lissy]

Maybe the big afternoon feeds are due to lower milk supply in the afternoons? So taking longer for them to get a nice full belly for bedtime.

[tina_k]

Thanks ladies, helps to know that this sounds normal and that I'm not alone! I don't mind having the quiet time, except it coincides with my 2 year olds bath/bed time! If dh is home then it's fine, but if not, then crazy town at our house!!
Ps. Great idea of laptop and headphones to watch a little something!!

[onthefly]

Sometimes it helps to know it's normal!
Just one thing I always feel compelled to point out - babies use dummies as breasts, not the other way round

[bec293]

my bub does that too, and he's almost 10 months old. I read somewhere (can't remember where) a little trick that works sometimes for me when I need to put him down, when I know he is not feeding but just kind of sucking while asleep, I put my finger on his mouth at the side to release him, then press lightly on his chin. He then just closes his mouth tightly and stays asleep. I don't know why it works, but sometimes it does. Usually I just wait until he stops though