|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Breastfeeding Mommies |
| Public online group |
|
|
| |
|
|
My daughter is 20 mos old and still nursing strong all day and nite long. She is eating solids great she just still needs the "mommas milk" which I certainly dont mind however she will not sleep....at all. I am up literally every two hours and she still nurses on each side each time she gets up. I really do not want to let her cry it out but this cannot be good for either of us. She has slept throught the nite twice.....yes twice total ever. Luckily I am a stay at home mom but that certainly doesnt mean that we dont need sleep. I am desperately looking for any helpful advice on how to gently wean a toddler who is very dependent on this momma and baby time.
Thank you. |
| Posted by Heather on 03/21/2008 09:37 AM
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| Hi! My suggestion is to start bedtime an hour earlier with the routines(brush teeth, bath and drink of water) Then do something calming such as a quiet movie or read several books until bedtime sets in and yawning begins. At night when she wakes up try water and change her daiper if she needs. To put her back to sleep try music or soothing sounds from a mobile. Good luck!! |
| posted by Michelle on 03/21/2008 01:23 PM
|
|
|
|
|
| Hi Heather! Thank goodness I am not the only Mom in this situation. My daughter is almost 17 months and still nurses to sleep for naps and bedtime. She also wakes at night and will usually not go back to sleep with being nursed. I am at my wits end on what to do. I have read several books that tell me I have to let her cry it out with her Daddy. I am sooo ready for sleep, but I am not sure if I can do that. My daughter shows no interest in weaning herself. Another obstacle for me is that we have had to move 4 times in the past 10 months due to relocations for my husband's employment. I feel like I can't just rip this away from her with all the other changes going on. Please let me know if you have had any success or if anyone lese has some suggestions! HELP US! |
| posted by kim on 04/09/2008 09:51 AM
|
|
|
|
|
We combined some gentle, timed crying sessions with offering water when she just couldn't take it any more. So for instance, she'd cry for 5 minutes before we came in, then 7, then 10, etc. (This is in one night) It took about three weeks of this sort of crying it out method but I couldn't take the hardcore one. We also put books or toys in her bed and a crib toy that attached to the side of the crib. It played lights and music (you could set the mode so it was gentle lights) with a little aquarium theme. The button is huge so she could hit it easily in the dark when she just wanted a little comfort or something to look at. I would probably start with nursing a small amount, less than what she wants but just enough to comfort her, then redirect her to the crib toy. As this seems to work, you can wean her off the nursing and go directly to the toy diversion with the modified cry-it-out method. Then when she fusses in the night, you can give her ways to calm herself (including some kind of lovey or favorite toy in the crib) that don't require your presence. At 20 months she may be stubborn but will eventually understand.
Another thing you might try is letting her sleep in your room for a short time (like in a pack & play) so that when she wakes up in the night she can see you, and maybe even get a brief snuggle if she really needs it without nursing. If you do this with a strict understanding (for yourself) that it is a limited duration thing then you'll be more motivated to be firm and it won't drag on forever.
This also may be controversial to some parents, but with my 2nd child I was just too tired to struggle with him and brought him into my bed to sleep, which he eventually grew out of wanting.
I would also definitely recommend checking out some sleep books at the library. There are lots of modified "cry it out" methods that are a lot less difficult to implement (although they take longer).
Good luck!! I can't imagine being up every two hours for almost two years! The only thing that got me through the newborn phase was knowing that it would only last a few months. |
| posted by Cindy on 05/03/2008 01:09 AM
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
| |  |
| |
|
|
|
