Lovey recs and help

sundaesprinkles

I just posted a much longer post on the AP board that goes into all of our sleep issues, but the main thing I need help with is loveys. Long story short, we bedshare and DS has to be nursed to sleep. I also still hold him for naps. I really want him to start using his crib, but one of the main problems is my boob is his lovey! He has to squeeze my boob or at least have his hand on it all night long. I can't even roll over at night and I wake up sore from not being able to change positions. I need a lovey that he can knead with his fingers. Any ideas for a lovey similar to a boob? Lol (Someone should make a boob lovey!) I'm trying to think of something that has a part that is similar in size and shape to a nipple, but I'm at a loss. Also if you have successfully got your LO to attach to a lovey, his did you do it?

Blueyed228

I dont know anything about boob attachment but they were given a few loveys with round teething rings on them.  You will probably have to try a bunch before you find something.

My son wouldnt take a paci.  So we tried all the loveys.  He ended up liking the one with the taggies on the ends. He likes to rub them between his fingers. 

I would also consider stopping the nursing to sleep and holding for naps. 

Good luck.  Its not an easy transition. 

sundaesprinkles

@Blueyed228 My ultimate goal is to get him to sleep on his own, in his crib, for naps and bedtime. But I want to do it gradually and with the least stress to him possible. That's why I want to try to get him attached to something besides my boobs first. Thanks for your advice. 

sundaesprinkles

OMG at that pillow! Lol I am so nervous to try CIO. I feel like he will cry forever. I would be changing him from our bed to his crib where he hasn't slept in about 6 months plus cutting him off from the boob at night. That's a lot at once.

DanniRae04

I don't know if this helps at all or maybe make you feel a little more confident about switching. Our dr told us that it was easier for a child to adapt to a big change compared to having to repeatedly adapt to small changes such as taking one bottle away at a time etc. compared to taking bottles away all at once. So maybe if you are wanting him to sleep in the crib at both naps and bed time then maybe doing it all at once? I have no idea on the lovey but I hope you find something

huzzahuzza

I think @allydncr and I were going through CIO at the same time and I agree, it's much easier than I thought it would be.  Just find something to do while he's crying.  However, I didn't have him during the day and am now transitioning to not holding him while napping (cuz babysitter held him during naps during the day)... SOOO as I type this I'm listening to him cry... oh wait, he just stopped...

AND for the lovey suggestion, I can recommend mine as I'm trying to find a duplicate as mentioned in my laundry thread below... Here's the Sock Monkey lovey that J can't get enough of (and currently stinks to high heaven)!

(still not crying BTW. He's asleep)

bumpuser8130818

huzzahuzza said:

I think @allydncr and I were going through CIO at the same time and I agree, it's much easier than I thought it would be.  Just find something to do while he's crying.  However, I didn't have him during the day and am now transitioning to not holding him while napping (cuz babysitter held him during naps during the day)... SOOO as I type this I'm listening to him cry... oh wait, he just stopped...

AND for the lovey suggestion, I can recommend mine as I'm trying to find a duplicate as mentioned in my laundry thread below... Here's the Sock Monkey lovey that J can't get enough of (and currently stinks to high heaven)!

(still not crying BTW. He's asleep)

I have that lovey!! I got mine at cracker barrel.

sundaesprinkles

@tricia560 Your description of how you get him to sleep with the lovey is so helpful. Thanks!

@allydncr How did you go about doing CIO? (Feel free to link me to a thread if you posted about it.) I have been reading a lot about he Sleep Lady Shuffle method and I think I'm going to try that. With that method you stay in the room with them and can comfort them a little bit and you gradually get further and further away.

sundaesprinkles

@spankingshank I've read your posts when you did Ferber and a few of the others too. Every time people say that there wasn't as much crying as they thought it would be I think, "Not my kid! He would never give up!" I am just so afraid to try and put him through misery. And I know if I try and then I give up because I can't take the crying or if it's just too much for him and I'm forced to give up I will make it so much harder to try again in the future because he will learn that I will give in.

Thanks for offering your help though and I will keep it in mind! 

sundaesprinkles

@allydncr Thanks for sharing your sleep training experience with me. I do want to try doing something about this, but first I want to see if I can get him attached to a lovey. In the meantime I'm going to working harder to make sure we are consistent with nap/bed times and routines.