Nursing in the Night

Can you tuck her in bed with you at night? I find that I get the most sleep that way. Baby nurses as needed, and we both are able to doze off. At 18 months, she will be very safe if that is a concern for you. It won't last forever. How wonderful that you are still nursing at 18 months. Enjoy these fleeting days.

My suggestion is to co-sleep if you can. Nursing while sleeping next to each other is very easy. No one truly wakes up and the little bit you both do, it's super easy to go back to sleep.

Of course crying it out won't work. Why would it? She doesn't understand when you abruptly change the sweet wonderful routine of holding and nursing her to sleep. She is going thru a major change-teeth and growth spurt! Poor kid! She is relying on the one thing she knows will give her comfort. It's not like she can say "Mother, I'm feeling cranky and uncomfortable. Can I have a tylenol and a long hot bath to feel better?" She *knows* nursing will help her feel better. It's instinctive and ingrained. And you say it's only recently begun. As a breastfeeding mama you know when they start something like multiple nursing it's because they need it-growth spurt, teething, etc. And you know it doesn't last long.

Now is not the time to wean. You will get that response I'm sure. Most people don't nurse past 6 months. They have no understanding of extending nursing and the dynamics. Weaning her while she needs you to help her thru this transition isn't the best idea.

Don't leave her to cry-she doesn't have a clue what to do when you just leave her, don't try to wean her while she is going thru such big changes. I agree with Tonya C. Tuck her in bed with you and you'll all get some sleep. As soon as you see she is getting thru this you won't need to put her in bed with you in the middle of the night.

I highly recommend checking out Dr. Sears sleep book for toddlers and the Baby Whisperer for toddlers. It will give you valuable info on how to teach the little ones to sleep.

Also, my daughter didn't sleep well thru the night until I weaned her at 20 months and even now she isn't as good a sleep as my son was/is (he was weaned at 16 months). Some kids are just better sleepers than others but they have to be taught how to sleep.

This too shall pass Mom!

I'll second the suggestion to co-sleep if you can. Big helper if you want to continue to breastfeed, but get some sleep. Teething is rough and nursing can soothe a lot of the pain associated with it. If she's gnawing or hurting you, try a bottle of water too.

I'm not a fan of cry it out because while it may accomplish getting sleep at times or creating a pattern, it ignores what's at the root of the problem. She's waking up and crying for a reason and is looking for comfort.

If she's cutting teeth, hyland's is a great way to help calm her down & lessen the pain. I agree with the others, co-sleeping is a great way to get some sleep (I've actually slept through nursing with my 1+ daughters). Let her decide when to wean--you'll be a lot better for it. You'll also notice how well she responds if you talk about her being a big girl. That will work if she is feeling fine, but right now, she's in pain! She wants her momma. I understand the exhaustion--trust me. I have been there for, you know, years! Hang in there and realize you won't be doing this forever.

I have yet to meet a child that nurses that is a good sleeper. That says it all if you ask me (I nursed my first till 13 months, still nursing second).

Offer her water. Hold her, rock her, offer her water. It would be easier if you just weaned her to a "big girl cup." When I weaned my daughter, I just explained she was a big girl and it was time to drink out of a big girl cup. She loved it. She was also younger, but I started potty training my daughter at 18 months (in training pants too), and she loved the whole idea of being a "big girl." That doesn't always work with every kid, but some kids want the independence.

I have a neighbor down the street that nursed her daughter till she was 5, just at night. Her daughter needed it because she worked and wasn't around a lot during the day. You could just decide to co-sleep and let her nurse at night until she is done with it herself. Otherwise, I think this might be one of those "suck it up" moments.

We got teething tablets from walmart. Hyland's Homeopathic teething tablets. They have saved our lives.

I think you have already done your job Mom. Eighteen months is great and if you can't do it any more, the maybe it is time to ween. Otherwise, when will you stop and how far will you wear yourself out?