This is so hard...

adamwife

David hasn't napped all day long and I decided today that I will no longer let him nurse to sleep.

So Gabe went down for his nap, I nursed David and he started falling asleep.  I unlatched him and it has been WWIII here ever since. 

I tried rocking him to sleep - no dice.

I tried singing, patting his butt, everything - no dice.

I can't let him cry in his crib or Gabe will wake up.  So I have him in the pac and play in the family room (next to me).

He's been screaming for thirty minutes now off and on.  I keep going over and shushing him, reassuring him I am here.

He can see me, so he knows I'm here - I'm just not making eye contact.

It's heartbreaking.  The kid needs sleep though.

It would be so much easier to just put him on my breast and let him sleep, but that would get him nowhere.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  I need a drink.

Better1/2

EcoBaby

I haven't been following your story, but why won't you let him nurse to sleep?

Will he go to sleep in the sling/carrier? What about the car?

Have you read NCSS?

adamwife

How long do I do this for? Gabe naps until 3.

Miss.Modular

why can't he nurse to sleep? Are you weaning? is he not STTN?

sugarfingers

I would rock him.  He'll probably be a lot less upset if you're rocking him over your shoulder and singing than sitting in the PnP by himself. 

I wouldn't let him cry too long.  IMO, it should be a gradual process and not cold turkey.  Babies connect nursing with love so he doesn't know why he's suddenly cut off.

adamwife

EcoBaby:

I haven't been following your story, but why won't you let him nurse to sleep?

Will he go to sleep in the sling/carrier? What about the car?

Have you read NCSS?

I won't let him nurse to sleep anymore because that is the ONLY way he will sleep now and because I am getting no sleep at all during the night because he wakes up every hour on the hour to suck on me - he's not even getting milk - just sucking on me.  I mean - for hours and hours through the night.

He will sleep in the carrier, but it's not practical for the entire day.  There are times I need to get things done or play with my son and having him in a carrier isn't going to work.

And I can't drive him every time I need him to nap.

I have been resorting to the carrier or car for the past few weeks for naps and it isn't helping me get him on a schedule.  The kid needs sleep - he is becoming a fussy baby and he never was before - it's all because he isn't napping.  And the poor thing has dark circles under his eyes.

When I just had one and had all the time in the world to devote to the training, this was much easier.  It also wasn't such a big deal, because I could just nap when he napped and really only had to worry about him.

I also have another child to consider - one who I can't expect to sit there and entertain himself all day long because I need to focus on getting his brother to nap.  Gabe and David both deserve a consistent routine and I can't keep sacrificing Gabe's shedule for the sake of David.  It isn't fair for anyone.

And CIO idn't something I thought I would ever do.  I got Gabe trained without doing it.  David is just a different child altogether.

I just finished NCSS. 

TheJohns

i almost always nurse to sleep. but he knows how to fall asleep on his own b/c we have done sleep training. do you need to go cold turkey like that? maybe tomorrow for D's morning nap (if G is awake then) you can "teach" him to fall asleep without the boob. I'm sorry, it must be so hard with two kids! I can't imagine...

nicnjed

We're going through something similar.  My DS will not lay down and go to sleep if he can see either DH or I.  He wants to play or will cry to be picked up.  Is there another room you can go to?  I know you don't want to CIO, but what about letting him cry for a little bit just to see what happens? I was pretty surprised when it only took DS 15 minutes of crying to fall asleep the first time we tried.  Now he doesn't fuss for more than a minute or two.

Sunny1inTucson

I'm sorry. I know where you are, though I don't have another older child to tend to and she's not waking up every hour to comfort suck at night but every 2.5 hours.

I keep saying - I will not give in, I will not give in - and then I totally give in.

She's pretty good going to sleep at night without comfort nursing - but for all the other wakes at night she definitely wants that boob. Sometimes I am able to get her back to sleep without it - but then as soon as I drop her in the crib she is awake again and just wants to be held to sleep. Arrgh!

Mistyl

Hang in there mama! He may be having a harder time, because he can see you. Maybe try going into a different room? It will help you feel better, and it just may help him sleep.

M&D06

I'm sorry you're going through this, I can't imagine how hard it is.   Is there anyone who can watch Gabe overnight sometime so you can work on sleep training with David?  I'm sorry I'm no help really, but that is the only thing I can think of right now!  I hope things start to work out soon.