Confused about PPO, confused about sleep associations, confused about everything!

ginafun

I just posted about the Pantley Pull-Off for my 3.5 month old. She has recently stopped letting anyone else put her to sleep except nursing to sleep. She never used to be like this until just recently. Plus she is now waking more during her light sleep and needs the breast to be put back to sleep (sleep association, from my understanding of Pantley). And from what I have read, she recommends starting the PPO as young as 4 months. Well, my 3.5 month old is already showing strong signs of a sleep association as she can't fall alseep any other way than at the breast, and now gets very angry with anyone that tries (This is new behavior). I don't mind nursing her, it is just for those times when I cannot, then she gets very hungry and sleepy when she won't take the bottle or go to sleep for anyone else.

On my other post people were saying she is way too young for the PPO. I'm confused. She is almost 4 months. I just don't know what to do with her. Her frequent waking is concerning me.

DeniseRN

I would try to start nursing upon awaking from naps as opposed to nursing to sleep. My DS1 had a huge nurse to sleep addiction, haha, which isn't a big deal until you can't be there to put them to sleep. Like when you go back to work or out on a date.

This time around I tried to do the EASY method. I'm not to strict w it, but in general, I nurse at the beginning of his awake period and found that a paci and the rocking chair or bouncing on a ball or wearing him work. I needed to make sure that he doesn't always associate sleeping w nursing.

So any who, start trying to nurse when LO wakes up and get LO to sleep with another method, preferably a way that anyone can do

aboynamedbarry

I don't want you to think that I'm telling you to let her CIO by recommending this article to you because I am not. I read this yesterday and it made a lot of sense to me as far as helping baby learn to self soothe etc. What made me think of it for you is the part that talks about how she would hold her baby without the bouncing (her baby's sleep association) and be there for the baby but they baby was crying because she was used to the bouncing at all times to fall asleep...

 https://scienceofmom.com/2012/04/03/6-little-secrets-of-a-sleeping-baby/

 btw, pp's advice above is also really great, try making several different sleep associations for her so that she can find something in all situations that is comforting

ncbelle

I think she is entering 4 month wakeful territory

By frequent waking...what do you mean?

I don't necessarily think it's too early to do the PPO but I also think there are some other things that I would try at least in addition to.  I think others who may need to put her to sleep on a regular basis - say daddy - need to figure out their own method for doing so.  Yes, she may cry.  But assuming she has nursed and is in loving arms, that's ok.  If possible, maybe make a habit of nursing and then turning her over to daddy to be rocked or worn to sleep. 

ginafun

We did that tonight and she let him put her down. Daddy bathed her, dressed and swaddled. Then he tried to bounce/rock but she was having none of it. So I came in and nursed her until she was very calm and drowsy and daddy was able to rock her to sleep. We may try this for the next week.

nosoup4u

ginafun:

We did that tonight and she let him put her down. Daddy bathed her, dressed and swaddled. Then he tried to bounce/rock but she was having none of it. So I came in and nursed her until she was very calm and drowsy and daddy was able to rock her to sleep. We may try this for the next week.

Nice! The thing about baby sleep is that it can change pretty frequently, and without reason. They start figuring out new things to do, and 4 months is when they start realizing things are happening around them - they stop being little lumps, hee hee. We've always been open to switching the nighttime routine around - for awhile I would get DS1 ready for bed, DH would carry him around until he was chilled out, and then I would nurse him (this was when he was around your DD's age). Eventually, that stopped working, so we went to something else (possibly me nursing him, and then DH taking over bedtime?). It'll work out.

Don't stress about her having nursing-to-sleep associations - it's really really hard for a baby to hang out with their mom if they want to nurse and she won't let them. Hence, nursing to sleep when you're around, and letting her figure it out with other people (she may be sad, but if she's being held and comforted, that's okay. Not ideal, but okay!).

Look up "Good Night, Sleep Tight" by Kim West. She has other gentle sleep training methods, and I *think* she talks about young babies. and www.askmoxie.org has some good posts and comments about all things sleep and babies (do a search on her blog).  hth!

MagsMayMommy

Might teething be another possibility?  My LO had a pretty rough fourth month... whether it was the 4mo wakeful or just teething (pediatrician did confirm that they're coming in) or both I'm not sure, but it was helpful for me to have somethings to work on (coming up with teethers, reading about sleep patterns, etc.)  Month 4 is rough, but it will get better!

thatoneredhead

aboynamedbarry:

I don't want you to think that I'm telling you to let her CIO by recommending this article to you because I am not. I read this yesterday and it made a lot of sense to me as far as helping baby learn to self soothe etc. What made me think of it for you is the part that talks about how she would hold her baby without the bouncing (her baby's sleep association) and be there for the baby but they baby was crying because she was used to the bouncing at all times to fall asleep...

 https://scienceofmom.com/2012/04/03/6-little-secrets-of-a-sleeping-baby/

 btw, pp's advice above is also really great, try making several different sleep associations for her so that she can find something in all situations that is comforting

I thought that article was great and didnt think she was saying anything about CIO being the way to go. I read that part to my husband because we are quick to hush LO and not really figure out what he needs. Thanks for sharing!