Nurse to Sleep--how Long?

Oh man!! That's a LONG nursing! But, I think every woman is different and their milk comes out differently. When I nursed my child to sleep it took me a MAX of 10 minutes...and he would drain me dry. I pumped 6oz out of the other breast every time I nursed, so I know he was getting plenty of milk.
Again...every woman is different! If your bedtime is working for your family there is no need to change it. I don't know why you are trying to get her to sleep earlier, you didn't mention it, but don't worry about what "people recommend" worry about how you and your daughter do. If you are nursing that long and are okay with it...then take a break every evening...45 minutes is a good rest and a good time to enjoy baby. She wont be doing that much longer! sigh.
L.

At 7 months, I probably started nursing around 6:30 and nursed for 20-30 minutes. My daughters would fall asleep on the breast and I would take them off, burp them, and plop them in the crib. My kids would sleep 11-12 hours.

I nursed my 5yo and 3yo to sleep for almost 2 years each. And currently nurse my 18 month old to sleep. Like some other moms said I don't think it matters when you put them down as long as it works for your child and family. Every child is different. My oldest always went to bed late (10pm or later) and now goes to bed at 8:30 no problem. My youngest used to go to bed at 10pm and now goes to bed at 8pm (fewer naps = more tired earlier:) Do what works and don't let people scare you into think you'll end up with night owls for the rest of their life. Kids are very adaptable and a loving bedtime is something mine look forward to and don't fight it.
As far as nursing to sleep it usually takes anywhere from 10 -20 min for him to be asleep, but has definitely taken longer in the past. However, like another person said, it sounds like you are waiting until he unlatches himself. Mine falls asleep quickly but will stay latched on while he's sleeping. So, I wait until I see him close his eyes and then I let him sleep for about 5-10min. Then I unlatch him and wait a couple minutes to make sure he's still asleep without the sucking. Then I make the transfer. I've found with mine sometimes if I let them sleep on me for too long they go through a mini sleep cycle and wake back up (30-45min). Also, don't let people make you think nursing your kids to sleep will produce horrible sleepers. My 5 yo and 3yo sleep through the night every night. I've had very few sleep problems with either of them and they never come in our room. Create a sweet and loving bedtime for your kids and they will enjoy going to sleep. Hope this helps and good luck!!

I do not necessarily nurse my little girl to sleep if she falls asleep then she does. Sometimes she doesn't As far as the "Time" in which you put your child to sleep can very. There is no "Right" time to put a child down you need to do what works the best for your family. Well within reason. Our children go down to bed at around 6:30-8 depending on the day. Any later and we have some very cranky kids. My first went to bed at 9-10pm for the first three years because my husband worked later hours. When our son was born we found he does not sleep in. So he needed to go to bed at around 7 or he did not get enough sleep so our daughter (who is flexable) had her bedtime changed. Now with three kids they all go down well around 7pm. But I know a lot of families that have a later bedtime. It takes us about 30-45 to get all three of our kids into bed at night. Usually only my husband gets them to bed. I get up with them in the morning and he puts them down. Well except for our littlest since I still breastfeed.

It's really based on your own schedule and each kid is different. With both of mine, they went to sleep after about 15-20mins

We did this for a little while, my daughter would nurse for about 15 or 20 minutes, I would give her a gentle burp and then lay her back down on my lap until she was deeper into sleep. That seemed to work rather well.
Do not get hung up on times she goes to sleep and what other parents claim that they do, who cares, you have to do what works for your family.
When you ask, when did you start nursing your baby to sleep, do you mean what age? I did this from newborn until my daughter was 7 months old. I broke her of the habit by making sure she was awake after her last nursing but drowsy, and then I would put her into her crib. Some nights she would cry, I would go back in every 5 to 10 minutes to soothe her and after a week she was self soothing and sleeping through. If you nurse a little one to sleep they will wake up wondering where you are in a panic wanting to be nursed again. So, when my daughter was old enough to learn to fall asleep on her own that was the approach I took.

I breastfed both my kids. And yes before naps and before sleep at night and on-demand 24/7. That is NORMAL.
I did not "nurse to sleep" ... but rather, just nursed my kids on-demand and prior to sleep.... but not in order to put them to sleep...

You said your baby nurses for 45 minutes to 1 hour before she pulls off the breast sound asleep.

My tip to you would be:
1) Is she ACTUALLY ACTIVELY nursing for that ENTIRE 45 minutes to 1 hour??? Or, is she actually sleeping already... but by the time her mouth happens to unlatch... that is when you 'think' she has fallen asleep???
But she was actually sleeping prior to unlatching.

2) Check to make sure, you actually hear ACTIVE nursing....ie: that her mouth is sucking, that you HEAR swallowing noises, and that she is sucking/drinking. IF not... then she is probably just hanging onto your breast still.... and then by the time you notice, her mouth just happens to pop off the breast... after 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Many babies, if you just let them just hang onto your nipples/breast with their mouth.... they can be on there forever. But it does not necessarily mean, that they are actively nursing/sucking/drinking ... it is just that, the "suction" of their latch is still there... and they have not, on their own consciously.... popped off the breast and unlatched.

2) So, if this happens, sometimes you actually have to use your pinkie finger and gently insert it under her lips, to un-suction her latch....

Try to see, IF she is 'really' taking 45 minutes to 1 hour to nurse. Actively.
Maybe she is not.

What is key for sleeping... is that a baby nap during the day. Usually at this age and for the first year a baby naps 3 times a day.

You need to go by your baby's 'cues'.... I put my kids to bed, when they were babies, by their cues. I "KNEW" when they were tired and their 'pattern' of tiredness. They also napped during the day.
Personally, my kids never went to bed, even as babies, at 6:30pm, nor at 7:00pm. It was usually 7:30 or 8:00pm.

The thing is.... although nursing takes time.... 1 hour, is a LONG time. Make sure your baby is REALLY actively, nursing for this ENTIRE time.
You have to observe her. Not only going by 'when' she pops off your breast. And are you using both breasts per session or just one? Maybe use both... so she gets more intake. I nursed my kids from both breasts per session. They had ginormous appetites.

This is a link about sleep:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much-sleep-does-your-chil...

Next: sure, baby can sleep at a time that works for you/your family/schedule/convenience.
But... over time... as baby gets older, becomes a Toddler, becomes a school aged child... then, by then... the child will be used to sleeping LATE. And may, by then, have a hard time, sleeping earlier and by a time that is better for overall 'timing.'
And, perhaps, if your child does go to bed earlier, in time... then, that means you and Hubby can have more "private" time or time to just hang out and relax.

I know one Mom, who due to her habits and work and personal schedule... that her baby, went to bed whenever she went to bed. Which MANY times, was even at 11:00pm at night or later. And she woke the next morning... late... like about 11:00am. Which worked for her/Hubby/baby for the time being. UNTIL, her daughter started school. And then she suffered and did not, know how, to go to bed early and at a 'normal' hour. By then, it was ingrained in her.... that her sleeping 'schedule' was just late. So they struggled for a long time with that and her daughter was tardy to school MANY times.

Anyway, just some thoughts,
all the best,
Susan