Night Weaning: keeping it real

Toddlers in the second year wake in the night for many reasons. Sleep disruption due major developmental milestones is typical as significant mobility, dental and cognitive stages collide.

Expectations of night time parenting demands decreasing in the second half-year have nothing to do with evidence-based research. While babies begin to develop their own circadian rhythm from around 12 weeks, this does not mean they will begin to wake less.

All sleep training is based upon the premise an infant will learn not to wake or to fall back to sleep alone because their waking is no longer rewarded by parental support as it is in daylight hours. This suggests some control over waking and the ability to fall asleep.

I have no control over my ability to do either! And I have had nearly six decades to learn waking in the night brings little reward!

Parenting is a 24 hour responsibility. Meeting night time infant needs does not come with an end date. It continues until your mature child leaves home.

Breastfeeding children to sleep is biologically normal. Ignoring a clearly-signalled need is not acceptable in the daylight hours and is not acceptable in the night.

Night weaning is often claimed to be necessary for maternal physical and/or mental health. This appears to prioritise the mother's needs above those of the child: an extraordinary indicator a mother is not being supported by her community. It suggests paid work, study and other obligations are put ahead of the needs of the child.

At what cost?

Society is failing in its responsibility to support and protect those raising the next generation. When women's productivity is measured by their contribution to the economy and infant care a barrier to her success, we must ask what have we become?

Night feeding will end, often after the two year old molars erupt, usually around three years of age.