Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Babies: 3 - 6 Months
New Discussion

DD will only nap with my boob in her mouth

skibunny59skibunny59 member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
I really need some help with naps.  DD has been doing this since day one (she's now 4 months) and I would like to be able to put her down for a nap and get a break.  When she was a newborn I didn't mind and thought it was so sweet.  It's still sweet that she does this but I would like to have some time to myself.  I nurse her to sleep at night for bed time and she does STTN.  Thank God!   I don't mind nursing her to sleep for her naps but I just wish I could put her down.  Today I tried putting her in her cradle for a nap after she fell asleep nursing.  She woke up after 5 minutes.  I put her down again and she woke up after 2 minutes.  I put her down a third time and again she was up after 2 minutes.  I gave up at that point.  Sometimes I will nurse in bed and just nap with her.  She is tough.  She fights sleep.  Anyone have any suggestions on how I can get her to take a real nap?  I really don't want to do CIO.
Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
Report Reply to Post

Re: DD will only nap with my boob in her mouth

  • llewp90llewp90 member
    I'm going through the exact same thing with DD who also STTN and a lot of people have recommended that I read The Baby Whisperer. I also don't want to CIO so I bought the book yesterday.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • skibunny59skibunny59 member

    imagellewp90:
    I'm going through the exact same thing with DD who also STTN and a lot of people have recommended that I read The Baby Whisperer. I also don't want to CIO so I bought the book yesterday.

     I have this book.  My cousin gave it to me when I was pregnant.  I haven't really read it but I've glanced through it.  It's not really important for me to get DD on a strict schedule.  I just want to be able to put her down for naps.  Or maybe the whole reason I can't put her down is because she's not on a schedule?  It's worth a try.  Nothing else I am doing is working.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • lorahboralorahbora member
    I think you're going to have to face the dreaded "drowsy but awake" method, which will likely disrupt her sleep in the beginning. The method is really as simple as making sure LO doesn't fall asleep on the boob - the last thing LO should see before drifting off is where she is, i.e. in her crib. If she falls asleep in your arms and wakes up in her crib, it freaks her out and that's why she wakes up. It'll take a lot of you sitting nearby and reassuring her and making sure she knows you're still nearby and love her, and she likely will cry because she's like - excuse me, I've spent 4 months nursing to sleep and I'd like that to continue. But just think of it as you setting the new norm, which is eating and then falling asleep separately. GL!
    image
    image
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • lasfresasrojaslasfresasrojas

    imagelorahbora:
    I think you're going to have to face the dreaded "drowsy but awake" method, which will likely disrupt her sleep in the beginning. The method is really as simple as making sure LO doesn't fall asleep on the boob - the last thing LO should see before drifting off is where she is, i.e. in her crib. If she falls asleep in your arms and wakes up in her crib, it freaks her out and that's why she wakes up. It'll take a lot of you sitting nearby and reassuring her and making sure she knows you're still nearby and love her, and she likely will cry because she's like - excuse me, I've spent 4 months nursing to sleep and I'd like that to continue. But just think of it as you setting the new norm, which is eating and then falling asleep separately. GL!

    This. It sucks at first, but now I can put DD down completely awake and she puts herself asleep. It's worth it!! 

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    --Formerly FamiliaGreen--
    C&D-05.28.11 Noelle Marie-03.12.12 Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • treble_cleftreble_clef member

    My son was like that.  Like pp said, it'll take a few days, or a couple of weeks, but if you put her down drowsy, she'll eventually get it.  She will cry, but she won't remember any of it when she grows up, right?  With my son, I let him use me as a pacifier too long, and I got exhausted.  He also became a bad self soother.  At 14 months, I had to force him to stop that habit, and it only took him two nights to get used to fall asleep on his own, duh!  I should have done it much earlier!  

    m/c - Dec 2005, DS - March 27, 2007, m/c - Oct 2009, DD - Feb 20, 2012

    Proud mother of two breech babies:)

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Ya Never KnowYa Never Know member
    What I've been doing is nursing to sleep, then putting DD up on my shoulder and rubbing her back a bit before I lay her down. She was doing the same thing as your baby before. When that doesn't work, I put her down in her little rocking swing. She'll wake up for a second when I put her down, but I just rock her chair or carseat (if we're out) a couple times, then she'll stay asleep.
    Report Reply
  • joyfullyfoundjoyfullyfound member

    Argh, I'm totally with you! I've tried everything to get her to stay asleep when I put her down, but she always wakes up! I'd love to get some time to myself as well, and I'm beginning to resign myself to the fact that the only solution may be putting her down drowsy but awake (as PPs said). Sucky. I know it'll be worth it once it's over, but I am NOT looking forward to the transition! :(  


    Lilypie Third Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers


    Report Reply
  • skibunny59skibunny59 member
    imagejoyfullyfound:

    Argh, I'm totally with you! I've tried everything to get her to stay asleep when I put her down, but she always wakes up! I'd love to get some time to myself as well, and I'm beginning to resign myself to the fact that the only solution may be putting her down drowsy but awake (as PPs said). Sucky. I know it'll be worth it once it's over, but I am NOT looking forward to the transition! :(  

    I just don't know why at bedtime she stays asleep and it's fairly easy to put her down but for naps it is a battle.  Maybe  because she's so exhausted at the end of the day?  It is kind of cute because she wakes up and frantically looks for my boob so she can fall back asleep.

    My DD has the same pants that your DD is wearing in the picture. :-) 

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • brendasdukebrendasduke member
    The drowsy but awake thing might not be as bad as you think. My baby was addicted to falling asleep with my boob in her mouth as well. Eventually though it stopped working- around 4 months she managed to stay awake sometimes after nursing. So, I would put her in her crib and to my surprise, my usually temperamental baby babbled to herself for 10-15 mins and then eventually fell asleep. And if she ever did cry being put down awake, it only lasted 5-10 mins and was more of a whiney cry than a desperate cry. If your baby is STTN, she may already be able to put herself to sleep (she might be waking up briefly drowsily and drifting back to sleep) in the middle of the night. 
    Report Reply
  • ChrisaloydChrisaloyd

    I hate listening to my son cry (he doesn't really cry, it's more of a blood-curdling scream) so I have yet to do any drowsy but awake type thing others commented about. I don't have any advice as to stopping the nursing to sleep (my son is 5 mo and I do it all the time), but some suggestions to help keep him asleep when you put him down...

    Try swaddling or using a sleep sack. 

    Get baby attached to a lovey. Maybe sleep with it a few nights so it smells like you.

    Sleep with the sheet or blanket in the cradle, again, so it has your smell.

    Keep your hands on baby while you put her in the cradle for a minute or two. Slowly move your hands. Rock cradle if she starts moving around. 

    Make sure the temp in the house isn't too cold. Maybe she likes your body heat and gets cold being put down.  

    Good luck!!  

    Report Reply
  • Blue46912Blue46912

    Do you swaddle at naps? 

    My DS has not used the swaddle since 8-9 weeks (he is now 14 weeks).  He STTN without a swaddle, but nap time was going haywire.  He would sleep 20 minutes. 

    Someone at my mommy group suggested swaddling him for naps.  I did it to help him sleep longer, but not only has it helped that, it has helped him fall asleep faster.  I usually nurse before nap time and he falls asleep too, but with the swaddle I can put him down easier... He has started to wake up a little after I put him down and he cries for a few minutes and then falls asleep.

    GL!

    ******************old sn: coreysmomma********************* Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker PersonalMilestone <a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home D
    Report Reply
  • ltmacsltmacs member

    mine passes out to loud white noise

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"