How to Wean the Baby to Sleep Without Breastfeeding

According to BabyCenter, starting at around 4 to 6 months of age, babies should be getting enough calories during the day to sustain them for five to six hours of sleep at night. They should not wake up to breastfeed during this time and they should also be able to soothe themselves to sleep when laid down to rest. If you are breastfeeding, chances are your baby has fallen asleep at your breast, which is not a good habit if you want her to go to sleep on her own. There are ways to wean your baby to sleep without making her dependent upon breastfeeding.

Instructions

1

Give your baby a full breastfeeding right before his scheduled nap or bedtime. This will ensure he isn't hungry.

2

Create a sleep routine for naps and bedtime. A nap-time routine could include a feeding followed by soft music or story time. A bedtime ritual could include a warm bath, followed by a massage and story time.

3

Lay your baby down on her back to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, also referred to as SIDS. According to KidsHealth, most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age. Also remove all fluffy bedding, stuffed animals and pillows from the crib to ensure that your baby doesn't get tangled in them or suffocate. Put the baby to sleep in his own bed instead of with you. This will decrease the urge of him to breastfeed if he wakes back up.

4

Allow your baby to cry for about five minutes to see if she can fall asleep on her own. This method of parenting is known as "Ferberizing," after its creator, Dr. Richard Ferber. The period of time Dr. Ferber's method recommends you should wait before responding depends on your comfort level, how long you have been using the method and how many times you have already checked on your child in the same evening. Some parents feel this controversial method creates emotional scars and may prefer the "Attachment Parenting" method, in which parents immediately respond to their baby's cries. Whether you respond immediately or after a few minutes, do not turn on the lights, as this can overstimulate her.

5

Enlist the help of your partner to help with putting the baby back to sleep if he wakes up during the night to breastfeed. Have your partner get up and check the baby to see if he is wet, change him and then rock him back to sleep. Oftentimes the smell of mommy and breast milk will make the baby want to feed instead of sleep.