Breaking sleep association (breastfeeding)

[AJBee]

Anyone got any tips on breaking sleep associations, specifically nursing to sleep?

My baby is 12 weeks today (though was 3 and a bit weeks pre term - never know if you're supposed to take that into consideration??) He has slept for a 5 hour stretch from 11 to 3. As well as being the greatest night ever, it was also sadly a one-off, never to be repeated ☹️

He currently wakes every 2 hours but will settle pretty quickly with a brief feed. Sometimes obviously when he's a little bit hungrier it will be a longer feed but occasionally 2 minutes on a boob and he's back to sleep, so it's obviously a sleep association rather than hunger.

Anyone got any tried and tested tips on breaking this association and getting him to sleep through (or at least self settle during) these 2 hour chunks? Thank you in advance!!! Xx

[Hidden]

This site has some great info: kellymom.com/ages/newborn/b...

I know that with prem babies it’s important to take into account the difference between date they were born and the one they were due. This can, but not always, influence the point at which they hit the usual milestones. So your little boy’s changes and behaviours, developmentally, may be more in line with a 9 week old atm.

He’s still very little and what you’re describing seems to fit with everything i’ve been reading recently re feed/wake cycles for young babies.

[AJBee in reply to Hidden]

Oh you're amazing thank you! I could never seem to get to the bottom of whether I subtract 3 weeks from stuff. Reading the 'your baby at 9 weeks' stuff is way more accurate than the 12 week info. Thank you for your reply xxx

[Hidden in reply to AJBee]

Aww glad I could help 😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

This is a useful bit of info too: tommys.org/pregnancy-inform...

[Kata89]

Can’t help much but wanted to say that it’s not just you. My nearly 11 month old still does this. She will feed to sleep each night and then will spend half the night attached to me almost every other night. She was attached to me all night up until about 7 months.

[AJBee in reply to Kata89]

Thank you for your reply 😊 there was some brill stuff on kellymom that the previous poster shared with me and it said how totally natural it is and perfectly normal and they'll grow out of it when they're ready (it kind of made me feel guilty about trying to break the habit!) Coupled with the reply below about longer sleep spells, I think I'll just embrace it (check back in a month and see if I'm still saying this!!! 😂) Thanks again xx

[Kata89 in reply to AJBee]

It’s ok when your going through it it is so exhausting and I was desperate for her to give up. Looking back it wasn’t that bad but it’s not fun at the time

[Tractorgirl11]

My LO is 3 and still nurses to sleep but as she's got older she's slept longer stretches. She very often will sleep through now, but will still on occasion wake around 2am for a drink (breastfeed) so I can't suggest a way of breaking the habit but I can give you hope that the amount of waking during the night does get less!

[AJBee in reply to Tractorgirl11]

That'll do for me!!! Thank you 😊😊 xx