Hi everyone,
I am getting seriously desperate. I have been trying to use PU/PD to extend the naps of my beautiful DS who is 20 weeks old. Previously a very serene, happy baby and a great sleeper, he started breast-refusing at 8 weeks :cry: , and his weight gains slowed, dropping a percentile. My lactation consultant advised that I feed-to-sleep because she was worried about his intake, and KNOWING that this is accidental parenting, I did it anyway, because I was desperate to feed my baby. I stopped all non-breast teats, so the pacifier went, I didn't offer any bottles of EBM.
He still breast refuses often, for no obvious reason, and of the million things I've tried, the only thing that ensures he actually drinks is to feed-to-sleep. I end up feeding him as he wakes, then he's up for 1.5-2hrs, then feeding to sleep, which means I'm really feeding him every 1.5-2hrs or less :shock: .
His naps have suddenly become much shorter, and I know I should be changing him to a 4 hour routine from a 3 hour routine, but I can't resettle him when he wakes after 40 mins, without offering him the breast. I don't cave in straight away, and have been trying my hardest to 'hold out' with shh/pat and PU/PD, but he doesn't calm down!
Instead, I get to listen to screaming, for up to 25 mins, when his next feed (on a 3-hour cycle) is due, by which time he's sobbing, distraught, and the breast refusal is often worse than ever. PU/PD is just so horrible. It seems to escalate his crying, to the point where he doesn't stop crying even for a minute, so there's no opportunity to put him down. He ends up bright red, sweaty, and anguished, and I end up on the verge of tears (sometimes over the verge!) myself, with ringing ears, and feeding him anyway because he's screamed his way right up to the next feed.
Essentially I don't think this is working, but I can't handle the short naps, I feel trapped by his breast refusal into feeding him to sleep, which means that PU/PD doesn't work, which means that I can't extend his routine. AAAARRRGGGHHH!
I feel like I've lost my beautiful peaceful baby boy, and have turned him into a monster, and it's breaking my heart.
what should I do?
Bensmummy