Tiny Boy slept in his crib last night. ALL NIGHT. No, that doesn't mean he slept "through the night." But every time he woke, I put him back in the crib. Just rolled him onto his belly and patted his back a couple times as he settled. That was really amazing and unexpected.
But, of course what that means for me, initially, is a bigger disruption, as I have to stay awake enough to nurse him and move him and then fall back to sleep. But we both sleep SO much better without a bed companion.
For the record, my goal is NOT night-weaning. It's (1) both of us getting better/more sleep, (2) teaching him to fall asleep on his own, and (3) moving him to the crib, for at least naps and part of the night. If night weaning happens as a result, marvelous. If it doesn't, but he's not waking more than every 2-3 hours, I'm really okay with that, at least for the time being. Having had a child who needed to eat through the night, until she was two (she didn't eat much in the way of solids, due to food allergies), I really don't find the rush to cut all night feedings a priority. I certainly don't want to be a human pacifier, but that's not the same thing as a couple regularly timed feedings.
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So instead of the all night suckathon, we seem to be experiencing the all day suckathon. Clearly he was getting a good chunk of his daily calories at night. I woke up engorged this morning, and he's been nursing so frequently I've got that oxytocin-drunk feeling. Would be good if he could eat more FOOD but he really doesn't care for baby food purees and he doesn't know what to do with table food. Generally, pieces of food go in his mouth and fall back out. But we can't tackle everything at once.
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The crying thing really isn't getting easier. He doesn't cry any less. And, actually, last night he cried even longer than usual. And he still wakes after 20-30 minutes for the first waking. Yesterday, after a really horrible morning nap, when he woke from his afternoon nap after 40 minutes but sobbing, I lay down with him and let him nurse and he fell back to sleep for another 1.5 hours. We both needed that.
Clearly he's ready to sleep in the crib. But how to get him to fall asleep easily? Well, that remains to be seen.
But, of course what that means for me, initially, is a bigger disruption, as I have to stay awake enough to nurse him and move him and then fall back to sleep. But we both sleep SO much better without a bed companion.
For the record, my goal is NOT night-weaning. It's (1) both of us getting better/more sleep, (2) teaching him to fall asleep on his own, and (3) moving him to the crib, for at least naps and part of the night. If night weaning happens as a result, marvelous. If it doesn't, but he's not waking more than every 2-3 hours, I'm really okay with that, at least for the time being. Having had a child who needed to eat through the night, until she was two (she didn't eat much in the way of solids, due to food allergies), I really don't find the rush to cut all night feedings a priority. I certainly don't want to be a human pacifier, but that's not the same thing as a couple regularly timed feedings.
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So instead of the all night suckathon, we seem to be experiencing the all day suckathon. Clearly he was getting a good chunk of his daily calories at night. I woke up engorged this morning, and he's been nursing so frequently I've got that oxytocin-drunk feeling. Would be good if he could eat more FOOD but he really doesn't care for baby food purees and he doesn't know what to do with table food. Generally, pieces of food go in his mouth and fall back out. But we can't tackle everything at once.
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The crying thing really isn't getting easier. He doesn't cry any less. And, actually, last night he cried even longer than usual. And he still wakes after 20-30 minutes for the first waking. Yesterday, after a really horrible morning nap, when he woke from his afternoon nap after 40 minutes but sobbing, I lay down with him and let him nurse and he fell back to sleep for another 1.5 hours. We both needed that.
Clearly he's ready to sleep in the crib. But how to get him to fall asleep easily? Well, that remains to be seen.
Hooray for progress. Sleeping all night in the crib is major! We aren't prioritizing night weaning either - just better sleep. I'm so glad you are making some progress. I really think it's going to come together for you (and us? please!). It really does seem like we have parallel lives once again.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends has an off the charts giant baby, about nine months now, and says she'd much rather nurse at night than have to make up for it pumping at work the following day... My understanding is that for nursing kids solids are kinda just for fun, so while I see the dilemma, seems like there's no reason to put any additional pressure on yourself in that area.
ReplyDeleteA number of people have told me that the whole crying thing often seems to escalate right before it gets better. I am not suggesting you should keep doing it eternally in the hopes that you're just one day away from a miracle, but perhaps knowing that's a possibility could be useful. They said it seemed like the baby in question was giving it all he or she had, and then finally got the message. FWIW, as the kids say.
Our DD has similar sleep habits to Tiny Boy. We haven't done CIO aside from one week where she actually got worse instead of better, so we stopped ;) She has gone from feeding every 2-3 hours and waking every 45-1hr at the beginning of the night to usually sleeping 7:30 to 1-2, feed, sleep until 6; feed, awake by 7. It took 3 months to get these improvements with no cry sleep solution and baby whisperer strategies and I almost wonder if it is her age that has helped the most... In any case, I'm glad you are having improvements and I really hope it continues to get better! I also don't worry about night weaning, I think she really needs to eat at least once in 12 hours.
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