Any advice - Stopping breastfeeding

Hi lovely, I commented on a similar post a week ago with my experience, will post it down below but essentially it has been SO worth it for me. I had a baby who was waking minimum 3 times a night and now she sleeps through. It was hard at first, though not as hard as I anticipated. Xx

Yes!! I've just done it and I was feeding the same amount and was so stressed about how to stop. I relied heavily on my partner to help and did this: Night one: introduced being read to during the going to bed feed. Baby got very upset as was so confused, ended up cuddling to sleep in our bed after her feed and transferred. Night fed as normal. Night 2: another story during going to bed feed, baby accepted it this time as was less confused/expected it already, I put baby down in cot and left and husband continued reading until she was asleep. Night fed as normal. Night 3: same going to bed routine with the story, no night feeds. Baby woke several times, husband went in every time, a couple of successful dummy runs, a split night as upset/confused why I wasn't going in to feed her back to sleep, she ended up in our bed and we read/cuddled her back to sleep. Took about 1.5 hours. Night 4: same going to bed, baby woke up 9pm and really wanted to be fed, got hysterically upset for about an hour, we pushed (1/2)

(2/2) through and played briefly to calm her down then cuddled her back to sleep, but no milk still. A few dummy runs that night. Night 5: same going to bed routine. ONE DUMMY RUN! No upset. Night 6 & nights since, the same. One wake up per night, husband goes and pops dummy in (so far I'm still worried she'd expect milk if I went in) and it takes 30 seconds. One tip, don't replace the feeding with water/milk substitute as they'll continue to wake up for that instead. My girl took just 3 nights to totally get it and I was absolutely amazed!!! Good luck and remember, if baby is upset, you are NOT being cruel for not feeding, you are there and comforting and the upset will pass, if you persevere with stopping, it will only be a few bad nights for a huge reduction in wake ups 🙌 Also, she sometimes moans a bit after the dummy run, I've realised letting her moan is absolutely fine and she stops right at the point I would previously have rushed in. Obviously crying is different but a bit of a moan is fine!!

@Onnie Abbott we don’t have a dummy or a husband to help. Do you think I could do this alone and with three children all at once?

I’m going through the same thing, she feeds so much throughout the night I’d love to stop for my sake and hers so she starts sleeping better but she doesn’t take a dummy my boobs her comforter and I’m on my own so she would just expect milk when trying to settle her x

If it helps people feel more positive about trying in different circumstances - I night weaned my little girl (she was already day weaned) without my partner helping, no dummy and we bed share. So it can be done!

@Laura Byrne Hi Laura, I think you might possibly be having a dig at me there for sharing my experience of utilising my husband and dummy (both of which I'm very grateful for). Or perhaps I'm just being sensitive and you're genuinely asking. I was previously very frightened about letting my husband help, so I like to share my experience in case anyone could do a similar thing introducing being read to which really helped us. Other people have shared such positive stories of how they've done it on their own which is just incredible and I'm afraid I have absolutely no idea how to do it on your own as thankfully I haven't had to. I do think babies find reading very soothing and it seems to lull ours to sleep a treat! I also only have the one baby so of course no idea how I'll find it in the future! Xx

@Onnie Abbott not having a dig. I tried to get them all to take a dummy and had no joy. NICU tried, picu tried, other family members tried and nothing. I’m their dummy! I have a husband but he won’t help at night (or much during the day unless he’s begged and I owe him after). So it’s me and triplets. I’d love a little bit more sleep but sleep on their bedroom floor because I don’t have a bedroom in the house yet. In time my daughter and I will share a room whilst the boys have their room. But I need to do three now. Do you think it would work simultaneously or one at a time?

@Onnie Abbott really appreciate this advise and glad to see what worked for you! We are currently in the same room as our LG as we are in the process of moving do you feel like you were more successful as you could be completely seperate from your little one. In the night I’m so close to her that she just cry’s for me and I give in! X

@Sharnie I feel you! It won’t last forever but I am definitely jealous of the mums I see with babies that always sleep through!