Baby boot camp isn't going so well at the Miller household. We started on Friday night. The first two nights, Grant was up at 11:00, so I nursed him in hopes of him sleeping longer. If he woke up after that, he was on his own. He cried for 30 minutes on Friday night and Saturday night he actually slept till 4:30. My goal is for Grant to sleep uninterrupted from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Right now, it seems his pattern is to want to eat every 5 hours during the night.Last night was the test and we failed miserably. Grant was up at 1:00, so I went into his room made sure he didn't have a dirty diaper and offered him a sippy cup of water. Yep, he was real happy about that. Twenty minutes later of crying, he was asleep. I thought, wow, that was easy. Nope...he was up 20 minutes later crying all over again. So, I'm mentally prepared to just let him cry. Well, my sleeping husband doesn't feel the same way. He is moaning and groaning about how he has to get up for work, etc., etc. (love ya, Jim!!)
In attempts to keep sanity without a full fledged argument at 2 a.m., I go and nurse Grant, however he still wakes up 30 minutes later. At that point, baby Tylenol is given thinking the child must be ill. Of course, Grant is all smiles to see me and wants to cuddle and rock. You get the picture. I just lay him down and I guess he went to sleep because I closed my bedroom door, turned the monitor off, and put a pillow over my head. He didn't wake up again till 7:00 and fell back asleep for 2 more hours.
So....I'm in a predicament. Jim's theory is that Grant is just not ready. He still needs to eat during the night. My theory, he is 8 months old and according to the textbook, he should be able to sleep a 9 to 10 hour block of time. I'm very tired (literally) of being up one or two times each night for the last EIGHT months. I'm run down, my patience is short and I just want a good nights sleep. And last week when we were at the pediatricians office for Grant's ear infection, he told me it was time to let him cry it out because he was old enough to sleep through the night.
I need some "been there done that" tips that worked! Should I expect him to be up off and on during the night? How long will this last? Should I wait?
C'mon, help a mom out!
15 comments:
I guess I get to be the first one to give my opinion :) All 3 of mine had those middle of the night nursings until they were 9 months, 6 months and 1 yr (taylor, caleb and madison respectively). I was sleep deprived but couldn't make it through baby boot camp. My dr never told me what to do one way or another. He says every family has to do what their family needs. Some babies are ready and some aren't. I know that it not really what you want to hear (I know I didn't either, I wanted to sleep!) but that is my experience with those late night/early morning feedings. I feel for you having been there. Doesn't Grant take a bottle? If so maybe you and Jim could take turns with that feeding so everyone could enjoy a good nights sleep :) Sorry Jim just trying to help Sara out a little :)
I know you are probably nursing exclusively, but you could consider giving him some cereal, too (you know, the baby kind - rice cereal or whatever) just before bedtime. To fill that little tummy up.
Just a thought. It's not too early for that, is it? I don't know why I can't remember anything anymore.
I know you are tired! I say it is time to let him cry it out. It will not be easy and it is hard for me to say since Anna slept through the night at 7 weeks and has since. Let me hope this next kid is the same way!!!!
I have heard that some kids will do this til they are two if they are allowed. (I personally know of one mom who got up every night for two years and she was not nursing in year number two, it was just what the child patterned.)
Hang in there! Hope you are feeling better. Anna seems to be fine so off to school she went today.
I wish my memory were better about such things. I do remember giving mine a "dream feed" around 11:00 right before I went to bed...to make sure that tummy was full. Crying it out is not fun at all, but I really do think it will work with a little time. It's so hard when you're in the middle of it, though! Hang in there!
I think it is very normal for a breastfeeding baby of 8 months to want to nurse once in the middle of the night. He could even still be cutting teeth. Now, at 12-14 months I would be drawing the line. Ryan nursed at least once a night until he was about 12 months old. Then, with age, they just gradually don't need it. I could never do baby boot camp or cry it out. It just wasn't worth it to me.
Regardless, it will get better. He will get older. Not what you want to hear when you are sleep-deprived, I know!! Those memories are still very fresh to me!!
i have no advice - but i am praying for you.
xoxo,
j
STAY STRONG! I agree with your doctor, but I don't know Grant or his eating habits or if he TRULY does need the middle of the night feeding. From what you write, it sounds like a habit for him to wake up. I know it is frustrating for Jim and for you. I sleep next to someone who sighs VERY LOUDLY when we were doing boot camp with our girls. I told him to sleep in the closet :). Not really, but I did tell him it was important for me for him to be just as strong. I will be praying for you! Your doing a great job and STAY STRONG!
Stay strong. It takes a few nights, but it will be worth every moment of uninterrupted sleep...
Loren
I am going with Jim here. He may not be ready. Neither Abby nor Riley slept all night until they were fully weaned...and you don't want to wean for sleep. Trust me....he will get there if he is like my girls and then these nights will become distant memories for you. I don't have any problems with crying it our per se and I have always followed that method for day time napping but for the nights...it just hasn't ever been worth it to us. It was really amazing thought...about a week after weaning for each of them they went cold turkey during the night. Now, Riley(17 months) sleeps from 7-7 almost every night!
Wow. You really got a lot of advice...on both sides of the fence, so-to-speak. Ha. That helps. ;)
Honestly, I can see both sides, too. :)
You know my thoughts...having been there...I'm thinking (Ahem) that Jim needs to be involved! Jim offering that sippy cup of water might get somewhere a lot faster than YOU being in the room with Grant when he is wanting to nurse. With my own, I couldn't even go in at night unless I was willing and ready to nurse them. They would have had a fit if I had even thought about leaving the room without nursing them! But, David, on the other hand...kids are smart! They know which parent can nurse them and which can't! AND, that way you know all his possible needs are met. (Ahem, by Jim checking on him and offering him something to drink!) My apologies, Jim!
One other thought: could you try to let him cry or have Jim go in during one portion of the night (first half or last half) and teach Grant to sleep through at least one of the feedings that way? Then continue the other feeding for a while longer before doing the same thing to ditch the other night feeding, too? Don't know, but seems like you might could get a little more blocked sleep that way AND be moving toward the final goal of no night feeds gradually that way? Sigh. No easy answer. Sorry. :(
Maybe pick a weekend when Jim can give you a hand, then try the boot camp for 3 consecutive nights. Maybe see how Grant responds to Jim going in to console him when he awakes in the night. It may take only a few nights for Grant to realize that he doesn't need to nurse and can train himself to sleep through the feeding.
Okay, I came back to read the rest of the comments and totally agree with April! I still can't go in Elyn's room if she is crying in the middle of the night. (And I've been done nursing her for 2 months). It has to be Matthew. If I go in and comfort her and then leave, she will cry even harder. If Matthew goes in, comforts her and leaves, she typically goes STRAIGHT back to sleep. Good advice April!
Well I had to go through this with Aidoe. Of course they love to see our pretty faces in the middle of the night. It took me two nights of full fledged crying for over 40 minutes, but it worked. He started sleeping 12 hours after that. I had to turn off the monitor and close my door as well. Actually one night I took a long hot shower when he was crying and i pretended he was asleep. He was when I got out :)
Hang in there little mamma, sleep is just around the corner.
Hello Sara!
I hate that you are having such a hard time right now. I totaly understand how you feel. It is so hard when you aren't properly rested. I just wanted to touch on something you said. You mentioned that Grant had an ear infection. Silas had more than I can count all before he turned 2 years old. Anytime he had one, it was a given that he wouldn't sleep well for 2-4 weeks. It was just like you said, awake every half hour or so.
If the boot camp is something you really want to do, maybe try again in a week or two when the ear infection is good and gone. Good Luck!
I totally agree with Dallas. I stopped nursing at 6 months because i just couldn't keep up with the pumping at work part (i still work full-time). Emily is a very strong-willed and temperamental little thing. I say this to say that her sleeping through the night came with true determination from me. I am all about the baby-wise. I put her on a strict feeding & napping schedule from the time she was little. I might push the bedtime later and then move it back. Emily now sleeps from 6:30 to 6:30 (we have to get up for daycare but you could use whatever hours you needed). I totally believe it is a habit and it is possible and healthy for him to go all night without eating!!!
Post a Comment