Nightweaning goes into full swing later this week. For the past month Lou has gotten up far more than normal and I feel like a sleep deprived human pacifier. I no longer harbor the mental ability to keep this up, for this, as well as other reasons I'm ready and need to be done. So, I'm soliciting nightweaning advise. Cry it out method is not an option, I already know I can't do it.
Help.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Help
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8 comments:
Try to make sure he's good and full of food and drink a couple hours before bedtime. Right before bedtime might actually make it worse because having lots of food in their bellies can cause them to wake up a lot during the night. Also, you can start substituting with a sippy cup at night, but if you are picky about what he drinks, try to make sure it's water instead of juice or milk, or you'll have big problems both with cavities and with them never drinking anything else but the juice ever again. Also, encouraging drinking in the middle of the night just encourages more waking up.
Start telling him that they are empty. It's all gone! If he doesn't quite understand that yet, start pointing out the empty cup when somebody drinks it, etc.
Getting anyone to sleep through the night can be really tough sometimes, and honestly it might take about three more sleepless nights where you get up every time he cries, verbally soothe him, pick him up, then put him back down as soon as he calms (might take a while, since he doesn't get to nurse), then pick him right back up again if he cries, etc. Just repeat the pattern all night long, then the next night, and the next. By night #3, he should barely stir, because his body and brain aren't expecting nursing as a soother anymore. It works pretty well, but it is NOT pleasant getting there--though it's a lot more pleasant and non-traumatizing for them than crying it out and feeling abandoned, it's just not pleasant for the sleep-sick parent.
Wish I knew something about this... alas I don't. HOwever, you should take notes in case I ever need this advice! Good luck my dear!
Oh my gosh! I feel the same way! My doctor told me when we went for her 2 month visit that if she wasn't sleeping through the night by our next visit he would help me figure out how to get her to sleep through the night. I like Chas' advice. A lady at church told me just to let her cry and I just can't do it. I feel bad.
When I finally nightweaned Cora she was old enough to understand day and night, so I could tell her that she could have boobies when the sun came up. I think for Lou just making sure he's well fed and hydrated before bed, then when he wakes up you can cuddle him and offer him a drink of water. I do think the first couple of nights might be long, but as long as he knows you're still there and still comforting him, he'll be okay despite the absence of nursing.
If you want more official advice, you can call one of the LLL ladies. They probably know more than I do and can give you some pointers.
Best of luck. Remember when you're up at 2am that this too shall pass. You will get sleep again, even if it's not right now. *hugs*
My two cents? No matter what you decide to do, it's going to be hard. Does that help at all? ; )
But seriously, I wish you luck.
Linds - I'm right there with you, but Addie wants not only to nurse but to get up and play... her head nods and she jumps, refusing to sleep - for hours..... Last night, I have to admit I just ended up letting her cry it out. I had to. I was too tired to be a kind and gentle parent. Eva is sick too, and so sleep as been a rare commodity around here for about a week. Maybe I'll try the advice you got in your first comment after we all get a few nights of good sleep under our belts. Good luck. Hopefully after a few controlled, if sleepless nights, you and Lou will be on track. Let me know how it goes.
I know what you're going through all to well, Mo woke up every 2hrs until he was 9 months old! He was a very, very fat baby from all those night feeding. With my 2nd I learned my lesson and she slept through the night by 4 months.
I haven't read all the above comments so maybe this is a repeat. But it's important to make sure feeding or sucking isn't any part of the bedtime or nap time routine. It also helped me to know that he just wants it for comfort not because he's hungry. You just have to bit the bullet and no matter what don't feed him when he's suppose to be sleeping. You can be there and rock him or rub back etc, but NO Boobies. Expect not to sleep much at all the first 2 nights but he will get the idea quickly.
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