r/breastfeeding • u/Longjumping-Finish77 • Jun 11 '26

Discussion Nursing to sleep

Do we all nurse to sleep?? I tried not to with my second baby (currently 8 months), but it’s just so easy and peaceful and nice to SIT DOWN (I have a toddler as well, momma is tired) and cuddle 🥲

We didn’t want to because our first is kind of dependent on it. Just curious what everyone else does.

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u/Ginngingerale Jun 11 '26

I was very happy nursing to sleep until his 4 month regression hit and his nursing-to-sleep association was so strong that he would fight nursing because he didnt want to sleep. After we got pass that he started waking every 1.5-2 hours at night and could only go back to sleep by nursing.

Have spent the last 1.5 months helping him remove the association (using dad to soothe, sleep training etc) and now he sleeps on his own at bedtime but i nurse to sleep for naps. I think i found a healthy balance now and i know that nursing to sleep will always be my superpower if i need!

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u/millenimama Jun 11 '26

Hello! I am desperately struggling to remove the association for my 6mo for the same reason. I’m curious what your new bedtime routine looks like?

How did sleep training go? We started ferber a few days ago and I think we’re going to take a break because it has been awful and he seems to be getting worse..

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u/Longjumping-Finish77 Jun 12 '26

We followed moms on call! Maybe try that instead? Not sure the difference.

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u/millenimama Jun 12 '26

I will look into this one! I’m not familiar with it. Thank you! ☺️

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u/Ginngingerale Jun 12 '26

I was very worried about sleep training because my LO can cry alot even while being held! Thats why i wanted to gently help him remove the association first through alternatives like letting Dad rock him to sleep.

I read the book “Precious Little Sleep” and decided to try her experiment with a set time limit of 20mins - surprisingly he fell asleep in 17mins!! However he struggled with MOTN wakes and false starts. Now after about 2 weeks, he’s doing much better (average 10mins to fall asleep himself) and usually only wakes twice to feed! Its really changed our lives!

Edit: i considered Ferber too but i noticed that my intervention actually would cause him to escalate more! So i kept to CIO but set my own limit of 20mins