So with much guilt and tears I started telling my daughter on Saturday that Wednesday would be the last day that she could nurse at night. I chose Wednesday because that was the day that she has ballet class and I knew that day would stand out. I wanted to give her fair warning but not dwell on it. Each day I spoke to her about it and answered any questions she brought up. She was worried about still being my baby. She really wants to still be my baby so I assured her that she will always be my baby even when she is old. She was worried about falling asleep and I told her that she will be safe and we will all be there to help her.
On Wednesday she asked to nurse very frequently. I bet she nursed 10 times that day, just for comfort. I sewed her a little pink satin pillow cover that she could hold on to at night. We read several books then I sang lullabies to her. That night she cried for about a half an hour but went to sleep clutching the pillow. She woke up once around 3am and it started all over again. I sang to her again and she cried for another half an hour before falling back to sleep.
Thursday was worse. She cried several times during the day about not being able to nurse at night and she woke up three times during the night and it took 20-30 minutes each time to get her back to sleep.
Friday was better. She still nursed during the day but that night even though she cried to go to sleep initially when she woke up during the night she was comforted just with the lullabies.
By the following Wednesday, she was not asking to nurse at night at all and not waking during the night either.
Finally after 4 years, I got 8 hours of continuous sleep.
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