Connor has to be the worlds worst sleeper. Seriously. He was pretty much exclusively breastfed until he was 10 months old. Now he eats some solid food, but not anywhere near what Colton was eating at 11 months! Because of this, he continues to nurse frequently at night. Around Christmas, he started having seperation anxiety, and so was waking up every hour wanting to see me and wanting to nurse. When we got home from Mexico, after Christmas, I decided I needed to figure out how to get my little man to sleep!!! So I started reading....and reading....I read "The No-Cry Sleep Solution", I also read "The Sleep Lady", and I also read "Helping Baby Sleep", and I started to use tips from each of the books. He did start to sleep better, but then went on a nursing strike for 4 days, and the ONLY time he would nurse was in his sleep! Then, he started teething, and got a molar....now that all of that is over, I feel like I am at square one again! So, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I asked my pediatrician, and she is pro-let your child cry it out for 6 hours. UM.....not doing that. I would like to see some research on how that affects a child emotionally and psycologically. (spell check?). Yes, letting your child cry for hours on end may work....but is it in the best interest of your child? I'm guessing that if I left Connor to "cry it out" for hours, he would eventually give up, and pass out. He would probably wonder where I am, and why I am not responding to his ONLY way of communicating, crying. I'm guessing if research was done on this very topic, then it would show that a child left to cry alone in their crib at night for hours ends up with trust issues and feeling abandoned. So....needless to say, my pediatrican was of no help.
Any advice on sleep issues?
Well, eventually you can learn to function on very little sleep. Kinda like a fireman or an OB. You just get used to being woken in the middle of the night.
ReplyDeleteSorry! I know it will eventually get better.
Bourbon and a side note, grown ups don't eat like Colton ate at 11 months.
ReplyDeleteLOL!! Sorry no advice, but Chris made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteHey! I didn't know you had a blog! You are still able to join the meal planning. Email me at emullins00@cox.net and I will get you set up!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could just let mine cry forever. I think I let mine cry for 15 mins top (that was the day the paci was gone!) I have heard super nanny say go in there and rub them but don't pick them up so they learn you love them and are still there but that they need to go back to sleep. You slowly reduce the rubbing/patting to just sitting there not talking or touching, so they realize you are there but they don't NEED YOU to fall back asleep. I used to watch super nanny a lot!! I think you have become his pacifier and those are hard to ween toddlers off of as well. If he hasn't eaten much and really may be hungry at night, feed him only every other time or something and the other times just hold him saying you love him but no milk this time!? Good luck. This will end eventually. Praying for you to feel rested and have energy!
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