# Baby doesn't comfort nurse



## J2 (Aug 12, 2006)

My DD (almost 4mos) has not been much of a comfort nurser, therefore she also rarely nurses to sleep. Instead, she needs a lot of white noise, swaddling, and movement (bouncing and swaying) on my part for her to fall asleep. I would SO much rather sit down and nurse her to sleep like I did with my son. I know she is obviously a different baby, but my question is - a young baby that doesn't comfort nurse, do they ever begin comfort nursing? I'm also wondering what this will be like into toddlerhood if nursing is still just a food thing and not a comfort thing for her. I really WANT to be able to comfort her at the breast! It's so easy! (Well, it was with DS anyway.)

(BTW, not entirely sure where to put this post - breastfeeding, CLW, life with a babe?)


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## pinkshamrocks (Jul 4, 2007)

My 2nd dd didn't nurse to sleep until she was around 10.5 months old, but now she loves to nurse to sleep for her naps and at bedtime. She's never comfort nursed (still doesn't). I *think* it was because I had major over-supply issues for the first few months, so she could never nurse w/o getting huge mouthfuls of milk. But, it could also just be her personality.

I can't speak to toddlerhood just yet (she'll be 12 months next week), but I'm guessing my dd will never look to nurse for comfort. She prefers to snuggle instead.


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## chase_mommy (Nov 11, 2007)

My DD, almost 11 months, was never and still isn't a comfort nurser. She too needed swaddling and the sound of the ocean in replace of the white noise. I can't answer what happens in toddler years, I'm not there yet. However, DD needs to be laied down in her bed when it is time for her to sleep. It is much much harder to walk and bounce her to sleep. We don't do CIO, she just falls asleep on her own. As she has gotten older things are a bit tricker, like now at 10:00pm, she is up because she doesn't want to sleep. Bouncing her just causes all kinds of drama so she is just sitting her happily. I too, at times, wish that she would nurse to sleep but then I remember the countless hours DS slept attached to my breast and, well, I will so pass on that. I don't really have any advice for you, just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.


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## LemonPie (Sep 18, 2006)

Mine is almost 4 months, too, and wouldn't comfort nurse for a long time. She's starting to do it a little more now, and will now nurse to sleep for naps and bedtime. But in the day, when she's awake, she's ALL business.


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## prothyraia (Feb 12, 2007)

My first did not comfort nurse, at all, for quite awhile (at least 6 months? Maybe longer? I don't remember). To be fair, I had overactive letdown, so nursing on his part WASN'T comforting so much as a frantic race to avoid drowning...

He's two, and nursing right now







:
He also nursed through my pregnancy with his brother, during which there were at least two months of no milk at all. So it did become about more than just food, eventually.


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## MissE (May 12, 2007)

None of my babies comfort nursed. DS would fall asleep nursing but he as well as his sister are all about business. They suck and are done. DS loved and still loves his paci to suck on and DD prefers her thumb, fingers or lower lip (which is blue by now) to bite and suck on.


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## ilovebabies (Jun 7, 2008)

No comfort nursers here. Not that they *never, ever* comfort nursed because I do remember times where we did that, but it was truly rare.

Mine were more "no nonsense" nursers (if you've ever read "The Womanly Art of Bfing" it labels the different kinds of nursers). They nursed to eat and then were done. My last baby especially. He was actually a very difficult nurser from the get go. Funny how they're all different!


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## MissE (May 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ilovebabies* 
No comfort nursers here. Not that they *never, ever* comfort nursed because I do remember times where we did that, but it was truly rare.

Mine were more "*no nonsense" nursers* (if you've ever read "The Womanly Art of Bfing" it labels the different kinds of nursers). They nursed to eat and then were done. My last baby especially. He was actually a very difficult nurser from the get go. Funny how they're all different!

I call them "all about business nursers"


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## lurve (May 5, 2006)

mine didn't until she was about 8 months old. now at two years (!) she still isn't a huge comfort nurser but she does nurse to sleep for naps/bed. but i am so glad i am still nursing her because if i had weaned her earlier i would never have known how much she loves nursing. though she doesn't do a lot of comfort nursing, in the mornings my breasts get hugs before i do!


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## elizaMM (Nov 10, 2007)

So, how exactly does one identify "comfort nursing"?

Does it ever happen WITHOUT nursing for food first??


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## tenecwalker (Jul 24, 2005)

Neither of mine have been comfort nursers. They were there solely for nutrition. They were both difficult and not exactly fun to nurse most of the time. They both weaned earlier than I wanted at 15 months - when he started eating real solids and 13 months when my milk started drying up from pregnancy.


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## J2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elizaMM* 
So, how exactly does one identify "comfort nursing"?

Does it ever happen WITHOUT nursing for food first??

Yes. Many babies will enjoy nursing if they get hurt or are upset or tired. Also just to enjoy the closeness and comfortableness of mom. Food may also come at that time because your body may have a natural let down, but food may not be the reason baby wants to nurse at that time.

So yes, babies can nurse for comfort. My son nursed all the time and many times for comfort or to fall asleep. My DD does not though. So it is quite the work out to get her to sleep sometimes!

Toddlers also nurse for comfort instead of always just the milk. Nursing often becomes even more about comfort through toddlerhood than nutrition.


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## veganf (Dec 12, 2005)

Only 1 of my 4 children has been a comfort nurser. I hear ya!


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