Help with night weaning please

[Babyluv]

Hi there,

We are currently weaning our DD as we are ttc number 2. We are down to one feed a day before bed and also if she wakes in the night. Problem with the night feed is if she wakes through the night she will scream until she gets boob, not just cry, it's a full blown, I'm being tortured scream. We have tried cuddles, she will throw herself backwards, wants to be put down etc. We have tried, DH going in to her, warm cows milk, lying down with her, shooshing, patting. How can I take the boob away at night and do it gently? It really upsets me because I know I can just give in and give her boob and she will be back to sleep in 5 mins but we really need to stop the night feeds, they are messing with my cycle. What gentle methods have worked for you? TIA

[JLeigh29]

DH being the only one to go in to resettle - don't even be within smelling distance? Offer water instead? Dummy? None of my suggestions are terribly helpful as DS night weaned himself at around 5 months - while he was still feeding throughout the day.

[OceanPrincess]

Hun I just had to ride it out.

Cuddle, pat, shush, walk the floor, rock, until the crying stopped and then try it all again the next time the crying started. What if you go to her? Sometimes my DS will only settle with a mummy cuddle, even while he is sticking his hand down my top saying "booby"

It is really hard work and I wish you luck with it.

[Babyluv]

Thanks ladies,
OP I think you might be right in that I may need to just ride it out. Thanks

[Santosha]

We did the Jay Gordon method at about 15 months. (you can find it through google). I was feeding 3-10 times a night and it was breaking me. Especially since I had returned to work and was finding I was doing a cr@polla job because I was so sleep deprived. It wasn't entirely gentle in that DD did SCREAM the first two nights, but we held her and reassured her throughout and did everything we could (except for boob) to make her feel as safe and loved as possible. By night 3 she just grumbled a bit but it was clearly more protest than distress. By night four she asked a couple of times and when refused, just snuggled in to Daddy and went back to sleep. From night 5 onward, she did not ask. Mind you, the method involved picking a 6 hr window in which you will not feed. I picked between 11 and 5am. Little rascal cottoned on very fast and would wake at 5:02... "booby?"!!

All the best for TTC

[HotI]

How quickly do you want to do the wean?

[Babyluv]

Hubby has 2 weeks until he is back at work and I'd like to have her weaned from night feeds in that time.

[helle]

I don't think there is a gentle way, you just need to find an alternative to boob and stick with it. Be consistent so you don't cause confusion. My milk dried up on DS, worst month of my frikken life!

[Babyluv]

Argh you're scaring me Helle

[helle]

I don't know if it was coincidence but ds was sick too so that didn't help. And I was pregnant so of course I got whatever he got! So none of that helped!

[Babyluv]

Santosha: Thanks, I read the article on Dr Gordon's page, I'm going to give it a go Thankyou!!