Bedtime routine, nursing and sleep training?

jaymiegerard

Hi,

My son usually wakes up 5-10 times per night.  On occasion, he only wakes 3 or 4 times, and only once in his life, he only woke twice.  Even though he's been getting better and better at sleeping, we decided it's time to sleep train with the SleepEasy book.

We've had a consistent routine since he was 2 months old: bath, massage, pjs, books, a song, a quick walk, and ending with nursing.  He often falls asleep while nursing, and I know he needs to be awake when we put him down.

For those who nurse as part of your routine AND put your baby down awake, when do you nurse?  Should I be nursing him before the books and song?

We'd like to start training tonight or tomorrow night.

Thanks in advance!

luvmyducks

I still nurse her right before putting her down but she usually stays awake. If not, burping her usually does the trick as long as she is somewhat awake when I put her in the crib. 

bluejetta

I still nurse right before putting DD down.  We did sleep training at 4 months and prior to that I'd set her down and she'd fuss/cry until we put her down totally asleep. Now she is very drowsy but she knows she is going to bed -- sometimes her eyes open briefly when I put her down or she'll sort of squirm around a bit and then conk out.  I don't think you need to wake LO up all the way but maybe the burping or talking and saying "night night" or brushing his cheek or such would be enough to rouse him a little bit but not wake him up all together.

That said you could nurse first then do books etc.  We haven't tried that but eventually we won't nurse right before bed but it is one of the parts of bedtime I enjoy most and so far it works for us. 

jaymiegerard

bluejetta:

That said you could nurse first then do books etc.  We haven't tried that but eventually we won't nurse right before bed but it is one of the parts of bedtime I enjoy most and so far it works for us. 

   Yeah, I enjoy it too.... it's one thing I don't want to give up unless I have to!

CarlaAndJames

I nurse right before bed, and we sleep trained when she was 4.5 months old without giving it up. I just sit her up at the end of nursing and make sure I see an eyeball or to before she goes in the bed. Sometimes she needs a few ticklish kisses on her neck to wake her up a little. Those little giggles are some of my favorite memories of her !

nbbride06

We do bath, diaper, pajamas, sleepsack, nurse, book, bed