Weaning and Sleep Training
Sakura16
member
So unfortunately, I have to wean DD. Between traveling for work and stress, etc., my supply is practically gone. As a result, DD is destroying my nipples trying to get milk out and comfort nursing for over an hour each time at night. She went back to using me as a pacifier (she won't take an actual pacifier). Sadly, she is also keeping us up all night long wanting us to nurse/rock her to sleep...all...night...long. Sleep training time. I am not thrilled to be weaning at the same time, but since she won't go to sleep without me rocking/nursing her, we need to do the sleep training to get her to know that bedtime means go to sleep. I've read several different versions and I am feeling sick at the thought of doing this in the first place. We can't really do the type where you keep reassuring them with a hug or pat because it just upsets her more that we are not picking her up. She is put down awake for naps at daycare and only fusses for a few minutes before she is out, so I know she is just playing us because she knows we will grab her...
This all started I think because she was colic for over 5 months and we did ANYTHING we had to in order for her to sleep, so she got accustomed to playing mommy and daddy. Has anyone had to wean and sleep train at the same time? Does anyone have any advice for either sleep training or weaning? My doctor and hers told me I need to stop letting her use me as a pacifier so we are going to have to cut her off after I pick her up from daycare this evening. She does go to sleep with a bottle from either me or my DH, but she wakes up as we put her in the crib and either needs to be rocked (by DH) or wants to suckle on me. Not quite sure how we are going to do this but it has to be done...not looking forward to it, since she goes into full blown tantrum, hyperventilating screaming mode in the middle of the night if you don't hold her when she wants it...ugh...
Re: Weaning and Sleep Training
I agree with this. No idea about weaning, but we did Ferber's CIO method. My LO also got more upset if we went in, but I still went in UNLESS she was almost asleep. First night she cried 30 min, 2nd night was 15 min, and 3rd night was 2 min. She will get used to it and be fine. I would turn the monitor volume down so it wasn't quite as intense, but I would still watch her on the video and could still hear her from upstairs. When she started quieting down then i would put the volume back up. My LO is stubborn so this was the best method for us.
Married June 2010.
DD born 1/13 via Csection at 41w5d after 47 hours of labor
Married June 2010.
DD born 1/13 via Csection at 41w5d after 47 hours of labor
Thanks again for all the help ladies!
We agreed to start for real if she is better hopefully next week.
Also here's a really helpful link to a similar plan if you don't want to buy the book I mentioned above. (main difference is that Sleep Easy recommends dream feeds prior to when they normally wake to eat. Go get Lo 1 hour before normal wake up time and let her eat and then put her right back still asleep. then you slowly reduce the time on those feeds each night until you hopefully drop them. this way they don't cry to be fed and you break that association with crying during the night.)
https://www.troublesometots.com/how-to-cry-it-out-bedtime-edition/
Married October 2009. Me 29 H 28.
After 1 year of infertility, our little miracle was conceived via our 3rd IUI on May 5, 2013.
Holland Sophia was born Jan 24, 2014.