Got Sleep?

Karlamo

On the Parenting board this week some of us are currently commiserating, scratch that, discussing our children's sleep issues.

Mamosey and I have hired a sleep consultant as has/had @JGY and @stringy813‌.
So at the suggestion of another poster, I'll share our experience thus far and try to add some humor into it.

Last night we got out sleep plan. We were like <:-P
We only have support from our consultant till Dec 18. After that we have to pay for an extension so we decided better start tonight. Going into it we were both feeling like this :-SS

R's sleep issues are nursing to sleep, frequent night wakings(6-8), not sleeping in his crib and just being a PITA when it comes to sleep. It's his way or no one sleeps!

We opted for a plan that phases us into our goal; which is R sleeping in his crib the WHOLE night with only 2 night feedings.

Phase 1 is breaking the nurse to sleep association. It's the most powerful one and hardest to break. We're doing this by moving our "before bed feed"up earlier in our bedtime routine. This way he can't nurse to sleep which is how we've been doing it. Instead we are trying other soothing methods; rocking, bouncing, or just crying in our arms. At almost 9 months, R needs to figure out how to soothe without a nipple in his mouth. It will take about 1-2 weeks to break this habit then we move onto phase 2.

Normally R sleeps a few hours in crib before he wakes at 10 and that's when we bring him in bed with us and nurse him. But last night he clearly wanted us to get our money's worth. He cried from 8:45-10pm!! He didn't like his new soothing options. We were like :-t and this :!! waiting for 10 to come around when our phase 1 plan has us nurse him.

We know it's going to be hard but we need to work the plan! Stay tuned for phase 2....sneak preview he doesn't get to nurse till 10:15! When he finds out he'll make this face :-L

Anyone else care to share??? 8->

ball.and.chain

Well we are sleep training after turkey day...not as many issues here, we just want B out of our bed, but I am definitely feeling some trepidation! I'll keep you posted! And if it's a total disaster, I may be getting on the list for your sleep consultant. X_X

JGY

OMG this is not funny, but the way you worded it was hilarious.

I meant to ask, did your sleep consultant possibly recommend moving R's bedtime up at all?

 

JGY

@mamosey okay good.  I was thinking you guys were putting him down around 8 or 8:30 and was just wondering if he was past his optimal window.  Yes, best to look at it from a "Total sleep for the day" perspective.

Good luck!  I'm thinking about all of you guys.

 

JGY

Hey @stringy813, I think you mentioned that you have left M with others (relatives) overnight before.  Am I remembering correctly?  How did she do with sleep in that situation?

 

Karlamo

@stringy813‌, if both our plans work I say we go into business and @ball.and.chain‌ can be our first client. Per our discussion yesterday I say $250 each doesn't sound too shabby $-)

redrockmama

Flygirl1228 said:

@ball.and.chain we too would like the twins out f our bed by 6 months. I'd like to know how it goes and how you did it. Right now Quinn only wakes 1-2 times a night.......but only when I'm home and when she has her sleep partner (me). Weston wakes up a lot more and LOVES his boob pillow and open bar. I know he is going to be the difficult one.

Oh my, M LOVES the all night boob buffet too. I feel like I will never sleep again. How is your wife doing with sleep? 

Karlamo

redrockmama said:

Flygirl1228 said:

@ball.and.chain we too would like the twins out f our bed by 6 months. I'd like to know how it goes and how you did it.

Right now Quinn only wakes 1-2 times a night.......but only when I'm home and when she has her sleep partner (me).
Weston wakes up a lot more and LOVES his boob pillow and open bar. I know he is going to be the difficult one.

Oh my, M LOVES the all night boob buffet too. I feel like I will never sleep again. How is your wife doing with sleep? 


This is why we're sleep training. R eats ALL.NIGHT.LONG at the Breastaraunt. With both of us nursing we would push him off onto the other mom when we had enough. Now that I weaned it's all on mamosey. God help her, he's like a magnet to those things.

We know R and know there's no way he can stay in our bed without nursing all night. So that's why he's getting kicked out.

redrockmama

Oh great. I was hoping it was a phase.  (

ATXmommas

Love this!

We don't have terrible sleep issues most of the time, but we still nurse to sleep every night with two night wakings and one night feeding. I would like to start night weaning in December and wean completely in a few months. Paying close attention!

2momsinCA

So cool to read this thread and I followed the discussion on the parenting board too. My twins both nurse to sleep (I can't imagine the insanity if we ever attempt to stop that) then wake up once around 4am to nurse more then back to sleep until 7-8am. My issue is they don't fall asleep for the night until 10pm... That's not good for infants I assume. We've tried moving the bedtime routine to 7 or 8pm and sometimes they will fall asleep then quickly wake up again and stay awake until 9 (for one twin) and sometimes as late as 11(for the other). Not good.

redrockmama

So M seemed to sleep a tiny bit better last night, or maybe just I did, but the little bugger woke up at 4:30 and has been up since then. (it's almost 9 now).

I can't imagine stopping nursing to sleep either. He goes to sleep fine with the nanny, but even J has a hard time getting him to sleep if I'm at home. It's like he just knows I'm there and won't go to sleep without nursing. I'm fine with it, and love it really, but I hope it doesn't create huge sleep issues later. I guess we'll wait and see. 

2brides

stringy813 said:

Flygirl1228 said:

@ball.and.chain we too would like the twins out f our bed by 6 months. I'd like to know how it goes and how you did it. Right now Quinn only wakes 1-2 times a night.......but only when I'm home and when she has her sleep partner (me). Weston wakes up a lot more and LOVES his boob pillow and open bar. I know he is going to be the difficult one.

Its really interesting and helpful to hear about twins differences. Because my guess is you are treating them pretty much equally, but yet one may sleep well and one wont. Makes me feel less like we are responsible for the lack of sleep that has been bestowed on us.

Stingy - Your situation (crying/puking) sounds just like G. We did get him to finally go to sleep on his own around 2y (this is when L finally agreed to a modified CIO.) We did the Sleep Lady Shuffle (same thing that Super Nanny does) where you sit in the room  (but don't interact) and every few nights move closer to the door until you are eventually outside the door (I spent weeks laying in the doorway with my legs in their room while surfing the internet!) Yes, he still cried/screamed but we felt like we weren't leaving him in there alone (ok, next to his brother who was trying to go to sleep!!) so the crying was more mad that sad...if that makes sense.

And as the parent of twins, a HUGE part of it is nature. Our other kid hated to sleep with us and generally put himself to sleep -no mess no fuss. Same parenting. Different kids.