How to Fix Infant Sleep Problems with Night Weaning

Nursing is a strong bonding experience for you and your baby. The time and effort you put in to breastfeeding your little one pays off in the long run because you are giving your baby important nutrients that are easily digestible. But there comes a point when you'll want to start night weaning to improve your baby's sleep patterns. Doctors generally recommend that mothers nurse their babies for at least 12 months. With frequent sleepless nights, it could be time to wean your little one from night feedings much earlier than that.

Instructions

1

Create a bedtime routine for your baby. Give him a bath, feed him until he is full, read him a story, then dim the lights in his room and keep the house quiet. Your little one needs to associate these rituals with bedtime. Once your baby is calm and tired, put him is his crib awake but sleepy. He may protest the first few nights, but eventually he will learn to fall asleep on his own. The key is patience. Once he learns how to fall asleep on his own, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he will also learn how to fall asleep without being nursed.

2

Get Daddy (or your partner) involved. Bedtime for a nursing mother is usually all about you and the baby. Your breastfed baby tends to fall asleep while nursing and then you lay her in her crib, only to have her wake up a few hours later wanting comfort. After going through your nighttime routine, let Daddy put the baby to bed. Babies smell the milk on their mothers and think they are hungry. Fathers bring something new to the equation, while eliminating the smell of milk. When your baby wakes up in the middle of the night, let Daddy check on her. Eventually, your baby's sleep problems will resolve on their own.

3

Increase the distance between you and the baby. If your little one sleeps in your bed, or even shares the same room, it is time to switch him to his own room. Being close to you at night encourages the baby to wake up and want to nurse. Whether he is awakened by your snores or just smells your milk, he will continue to nurse at night if you share the same room. The distance between you will stop your little one's dependence on nursing, which in turn eliminates the sleep problems.