Author Topic: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!  (Read 1826 times)

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Offline mom2natalie

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Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« on: January 27, 2007, 19:49:25 pm »
 Hi, I wasnt sure if I should post this here or the brestfeeding topic but I really need some advise!!Sorry if this is too long. My 20 month old daughter still nurses to sleep at bedtime and at nap time.  :o Its no longer easy for her to go to sleep this way. I think we are both ready for her to go to sleep on her own but she doesnt know how to and Im not sure how to help her.
This is how it goes most of the time: at around 7:30 to 8 we turn down the lights and sometimes she takes her bath at this time and sometimes she doesnt (for a while she didnt like to take baths).Then we go to the bedroom(she sleeps with us in our bed) we turn on the lamp and read some books. She has a special book about animals sleeping that we try to read right before we turn off the lamp but she doesnt seem intrested in it anymore. I guess b/c she knows its bedtime after that.If my husband is home, he hugs her goodnight and leaves the room. Then I turn out the light, tell her its time to go to sleep. She then wants to nurse. I have tried just laying there with her and telling her to relax and close her eyse and go to sleep but that only upsets her,
if I dont let her nurse she either starts crying, screaming and moving all over the bed or will talk to herself for a while still moving around, I have tried singing to her or rubbing her back but these things dont calm her, she just pushes my hand away or gets mad. She seems to have trouble relaxing. when I do nurse her she doesnt just go to sleep the first time she will nurse for a while, move around sometimes she talks or sometimes she starts crying and screaming  and kicking, when she does this she wont let me comfort her. I dont understand it, its very tiring and hard.It takes her an hour or more before she finally goes to sleep nursing. Most of the time the same thing happens at naptime only a shorter version. She also wakes up at night several times wanting to nurse, sometimes I can just put my hand on her or get close to her and she goes to sleep but mostly she will cry if I dont let her nurse. She is a touchy toddler.Even though I think she wants to sleep without nursing she is still very attatched to me and nursing. Im not sure what to so. During the day she is mostly happy though. Has anyone had this problem or have any advise or suggestions for me? I would be happy to hear them!! Thank you.

Offline DavidsMomma

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2007, 20:42:27 pm »
I feel for you!  My LO was much younger when we went through something similar to this.  Does she have other ways of soothing herself?  Pacifier, fingers, lovey?  Maybe you can substitute something else that calms when she is wanting a nurse in the night??  At one point my physician suggested giving a bottle of water, 1-2oz to help wean during night time, but mine never really took to a bottle, so it didn't help for me, a good idea though.
Not an expert, just trying for some suggestions... 
Good luck to you.
Kris

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Offline mari

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2007, 21:04:24 pm »
OK, are you planning on getting her to sleep in her cot or are you happy with her in your bed at the moment.  Do you just need help with her falling asleep without nursing?
TBH, I think that you shoudl think about transferring her to her own cot/bed, when she is able to put herself to sleep.
There are great suggestions about teaching independant sleep I will post the link.

I am not an expert on this, but I did give my LO bottles during the night and started with withdrawing that.   

Offline mari

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2007, 21:05:29 pm »

Offline mom2natalie

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2007, 03:41:57 am »
Thanks for replying!       No, I wish she had other ways of soothing herself but she would never take a bottle or pacifier and she doesnt have a lovey. Is  she to old to get attatched to a lovey if she's never had one before?
For now Im happy with her in our bed but when she is able to sleep on her own I do want her to sleep in her own bed! I guess I mainly need help on her falling asleep without nursing.
Thank you for the link. Im about to check it out.

Offline mari

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2007, 09:10:57 am »
Yes I think that you are wise. Take it slowly.  Have a look at the link and let me know what you think you could try. 

Offline Katet

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2007, 01:30:45 am »
To be honest, I think if you were to move her to a bed in her own room & be there with her then the nursing wouldn't be part of a new routine. You'd still do say stories (try a new one) & have a bedtime routine & say lie next to her, but because it wasn't your bed she wouldn't be expecting the nursing as much... you could still nurse but in another place. Then when she wakes at night you could still bring her into your bed & then once the falling asleep at the beginning of the night was working, then if you wanted to try her staying in her bed longer, or still bring her to your bed.
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Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2007, 15:46:45 pm »
I agree that I think you and your dh have to decide what situation you'd like to get to and move towards that.  So if you want her in her own bed, then I'd start a new routine with that as the end and make a big deal out of it - get her excited about having her own bed.  If you plan to continue breastfeeding, then make sure it's not part of the going to sleep routine -have it before bathtime, for instance.  At 20 months, she probably doesn't need the milk right before bed, and if she's thirsty, then water would be fine or something else from a cup. She's not too old to get attached to a lovey at all - involve her in the process.  I would give my daughter a choice of stuffed animals and I ask her which she wants to sleep with. 

You said, though, that you're happy with her in your bed.  Then I would focus on teaching her to fall asleep there on her own (or as Kate suggested - in her bed, then move her if she wakes overnight). Routine is really important though.  It will be harder to wean her from night feeds overnight in your bed, but it's not impossible.  If she could sleep on dh's side of the bed, or if you wear a non-nursing bra to sleep, it'll make the access harder.

I would also suggest that you coincide having other soothe to sleep methods for naps while you do this. It'll help to be consistent.  Nurse her earlier, so that she won't fall asleep that way.  But DON'T GIVE IN!  If you try something else, then cave in and nurse her overnight or for naps, then it'll teach her to hold out longer!  Also, explain to her what you're doing.  She's old enough to understand parts of it anyway, and emphasize the lovey.

Hope this helps!  It IS possible to do this.  I have a good friend who nursed to sleep for all sleeps and managed to break the habit at about 2 years old.  They still co-sleep in the early morning.
Erin
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Offline MDHmommy

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2007, 18:25:52 pm »
Mom2Natalie -
I think it's great that you've been nursing DD for so long and co-sleeping too. A lot of moms have a difficult time with this, and it's nice that you've been able to make it work for your family - but I understand the need to start to make a change with your toddler!
In addition to Tracy's book/s you might want to check out some of Elizabeth Pantley's books too - she is the author of the no-cry sleep solution. I beleive that in the infant's book there's a whole section on moving your toddler out of the family bed, and I also know that she has a toddler book. All of her methods are really gentle, and her books are very nursing and family bed centered (they're written together with Dr. Sears) but they're also realistic in that at some point, most people are ready for their toddlers to move out! :)
Not to imply that you won't find your answer through Tracy's methods, but I don't know if her books specifically address this issue as she does not really promote the family bed.
Good luck to you and your LO!!
Kate
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Offline mom2natalie

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2007, 20:38:36 pm »
:) Thanks everyone!
For now she is going to stay in our bed. Some of my relatives are about to live with us for a little while and they will be sleeping in her room.
Im going to check out some of Elizabeths books like Mdhmommy said.
I've been to her website before. Im also going to let dd pick out a lovey tomorrow. I dont know if I should just stop all together with the nursing at night since she is so used to it. Im pretty sure if I did she would cry and scream for a long time and wouldnt let me comfort her. Would that break her trust in me? I mean would it be like "crying it out" since she wont let me hold or comfort her while she does it?  I dont like for her to cry for so long and get so worked up ,that is where I would have a problem giving in to her. I need to talk to dh about it again, he's not always supportive or helpful.
Im going to go to Elizabeths website again. Does anyone know if Dr. Sears has a web site?

Offline MDHmommy

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2007, 21:03:19 pm »
Yup - askdrsears.com

I don't think that it's considered CIO if you stay and let them cry while you're there to offer comfort if they want it. i think it's CIO if you just flat out leave them. I know that Pantley has a chapter about "when all else fails" that involves putting baby in the crib and letting the baby cry while you sit there with him/her and speak softly, pat, but don't pick up.

I'm no expert on that (or anything else really ...) ;) Because thankfully we've never had to do that! :)

Good luck!!!
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Offline mari

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2007, 21:49:20 pm »
There is a great piece in BWSAYP page 292.  It focuses on trying to sleep train a 23 month old into his own bed and weaning him off the breast during the night.  I know that you have decided to co-sleep, as the couple in the book did also, eventually, but I think that you might find some help weaning her off the breast during the night.

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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Re: Hi, Im new here and I really need some advise!!
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2007, 22:49:59 pm »
Pantley's book also talks about gradual weaning off the breast at night -basically you start by moving farther away from your child, putting the lovey between you, etc.
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha