Nursing to sleep
Should you let a toddler nurse breastfeed until she falls asleep?
Q: My 18-month-old daughter nurses to fall asleep. My friends say I should wean her and stop letting her use me as a soother. What should I do?
A: I do not think you need to wean your toddler. However, feeding her until she falls asleep is a concern.
First, she should not fall asleep with her teeth and gums bathed in milk as this may promote tooth decay. Secondly, she needs to learn to self-soothe, to feel safe on her own in a familiar environment, and to understand you are close by, even if she can’t see you.
Offer her a soothing transitional object, such as a blanket or toy. As for her nap routine, you might nurse her; if she falls asleep at the breast, wake her to drink some water, preferably from a cup, then lay her down. Be prepared for some initial resistance and crying, but it will likely not persist, as long as you are consistent. She’ll get the idea of falling to sleep by herself, in her own crib.
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What do you think?
Rose (not verified) says ....
Actually, this is false information.
As long as the teeth are cleaned before nursing, breastmilk will not cause tooth decay. It is the breastmilk mixing with sugar or anything else on the teeth when not cleaned that causes tooth decay.
Also, a child will gradually stop nursing to sleep (in my experience, it is often the last breastfeeding session to stop). I have nursed 2 children through toddlerhood and am currently nursing a third. They all stopped by themselves with no encouragement from me and I am confident the youngest will stop when she is ready.
Children all learn to self-soothe by themselves. A loving parent will provide a secure attachment which gives the child the confidence to be independent in their own time. There is no need to force the issue.
Guest_331210 says ....
I have to admit that this was something I did with all 3 of my children. I only did it because it was easier. None of them seemed to develop any tooth decay from it however. I think the only 'drawback' may be that the two youngest want someone to lie with them until they fall asleep. The 6-year-old can fall asleep on her own, but either my husband or I still lie with her out of habit. I say 'drawback' in quotes because really, they're only young for so many years and it's not really a hassle to lie down for 15 minutes at the end of the day after stories. Sorry I got off topic there! My point, I guess was that nursing to sleep led to needing the comfort of a parent to lie with them. We tried to let them fall asleep on their own and it didn't work for us. So in the end, we did what worked (and it's not the end of the world either!)