Today those nights are just a memory. The child I thought would never stop nursing sleeps soundly through the night. When I was in the thick of it, I, too, felt at my wit's end at times and considered drastic measures. The close relationship established between my son and me would have suffered. For many young children, nursing fulfills a special need within that is difficult for them to express yet is quite real and present.
Nursing provides comfort and solace at night when things look and feel different from the day.
Although I can't offer you any easy-fix solutions, there were a few coping mechanisms I learned along the way. The family bed was a lifesaver for us. It was much easier to just shift my position to nurse than to get out of bed and go into another room. Also, as time went on, my son wouldn't always fully rouse and would doze off if he was just near me. During the day it was important for me to pace myself and keep outside commitments to a minimum.