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#1
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
Those who have noted that the one certainty regarding babies/toddlers is
change are so right. . . . DS is a little over 13 months old. We have always nursed to sleep, both for naps and night sleep. At night, we cosleep. A normal-ish night would be nurse to sleep at 10 pm, nurse 1-3 times during the night (without his waking), nurse around dawn, wake somewhere around 7-8 am, nurse, then get up for the day. Naps have usually consisted of DS sleeping on me after having nursed to sleep--usually a one-hour nap in the late morning/early afternoon and a late afternoon/early evening 2-hour nap. (Exceptions: sleeping on DH after being rocked to sleep; sleeping in stroller or car) This arrangement has worked fairly well for us, especially at night, since I get to sleep through much of the nursing. But the past few nights, things have been a bit different. Normally, DS will nurse, then unlatch himself, roll onto his back and be conked. But the last few nights, while things seemed to begin normally, he'd roll toward me again, latch on some more, unlatch, squirm, repeat the latch/unlatch a few times, then become frantic. If I tried getting him to nurse some more, he'd just scream. He was definitely tired and wanted desperately to sleep, rubbing his eyes and climbing onto me. The only way I was able to get him to go to sleep was to rock him. The problem then is that I'm sitting up, yet exhausted, and somehow I have to get him back down onto the bed without waking him. The usual advice to wait until he's nice and floppy is a problem since I'm dead tired myself and liable to fall asleep sitting. I was somehow able to coax him back into a lying-down position after this last night, but he had a middle-of-the night waking and we had to repeat the process, since again he refused to nurse. I'm going to request _The No-Cry Sleep Solution_ from my library (I need to get it through interlibrary loan), but from what posters here have said about it, it seems as though it emphasizes moving away from the nurse/sleep cycle. I'd be quite happy to continue/encourage that cycle, but it seems DS might be moving away from it on his own, but without being able to get himself to sleep without some other kind of parental intervention. I'm hoping there's something I can do other than rocking? Have others here dealt with this situation? Also: I've had a couple of instances where he's clearly tired during the day but doesn't want to nurse, and I've rocked him to sleep in my chair. This isn't so problematic, but I thought it was worth noting. He does, for the most part, still nurse to sleep for naps (though who knows whether that might suddenly change?). -- Belphoebe |
#2
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
"Belphoebe" wrote in message ...
Those who have noted that the one certainty regarding babies/toddlers is change are so right. . . . DS is a little over 13 months old. We have always nursed to sleep, both for naps and night sleep. At night, we cosleep. A normal-ish night would be nurse to sleep at 10 pm, nurse 1-3 times during the night (without his waking), nurse around dawn, wake somewhere around 7-8 am, nurse, then get up for the day. Naps have usually consisted of DS sleeping on me after having nursed to sleep--usually a one-hour nap in the late morning/early afternoon and a late afternoon/early evening 2-hour nap. (Exceptions: sleeping on DH after being rocked to sleep; sleeping in stroller or car) This arrangement has worked fairly well for us, especially at night, since I get to sleep through much of the nursing. But the past few nights, things have been a bit different. Normally, DS will nurse, then unlatch himself, roll onto his back and be conked. But the last few nights, while things seemed to begin normally, he'd roll toward me again, latch on some more, unlatch, squirm, repeat the latch/unlatch a few times, then become frantic. If I tried getting him to nurse some more, he'd just scream. He was definitely tired and wanted desperately to sleep, rubbing his eyes and climbing onto me. The only way I was able to get him to go to sleep was to rock him. The problem then is that I'm sitting up, yet exhausted, and somehow I have to get him back down onto the bed without waking him. The usual advice to wait until he's nice and floppy is a problem since I'm dead tired myself and liable to fall asleep sitting. I was somehow able to coax him back into a lying-down position after this last night, but he had a middle-of-the night waking and we had to repeat the process, since again he refused to nurse. I'm going to request _The No-Cry Sleep Solution_ from my library (I need to get it through interlibrary loan), but from what posters here have said about it, it seems as though it emphasizes moving away from the nurse/sleep cycle. I'd be quite happy to continue/encourage that cycle, but it seems DS might be moving away from it on his own, but without being able to get himself to sleep without some other kind of parental intervention. I'm hoping there's something I can do other than rocking? Have others here dealt with this situation? My 8-month-old does the same thing; although, he has been doing it for a while and quite regularly. He doesn't have a strong connection between nursing and sleeping though. He goes to day care, so he obviously isn't nursed down for naps there. He falls asleep easily when rocked. When I put him to sleep at night, I usually rock him for a moment first and then latch him on. He usually only eats from the first side for a few minutes and then starts screaming. I then rocking him some more to calm him and offer him the other side. Sometimes, he'll take that side for a little longer before the screaming begins again. We go through this cycle several times. He's rubbing his eyes the whole time and he'll drift to sleep a little as I rock him. Sometimes, if I nudge him towards the nipple when he's drowsing off, he'll latch on and be fine. Other times, he freaks out. I don't have an answer for you - but it is hard to deal with. Manda |
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
Belphoebe writes:
: This arrangement has worked fairly well for us, especially at night, since I : get to sleep through much of the nursing. But the past few nights, things : have been a bit different. Normally, DS will nurse, then unlatch himself, : roll onto his back and be conked. But the last few nights, while things : seemed to begin normally, he'd roll toward me again, latch on some more, : unlatch, squirm, repeat the latch/unlatch a few times, then become frantic. : If I tried getting him to nurse some more, he'd just scream. He was : definitely tired and wanted desperately to sleep, rubbing his eyes and : climbing onto me. The only way I was able to get him to go to sleep was to : rock him. The problem then is that I'm sitting up, yet exhausted, and : somehow I have to get him back down onto the bed without waking him. The : usual advice to wait until he's nice and floppy is a problem since I'm dead : tired myself and liable to fall asleep sitting. I was somehow able to coax : him back into a lying-down position after this last night, but he had a : middle-of-the night waking and we had to repeat the process, since again he : refused to nurse. I don't know if this will work, but instead of getting up and rocking him, you might try turning him on his stomach and rubbing/massaging his back until he goes to sleep. At least, if it works, you won't have to get out of bed. Good luck, Larry |
#4
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
Normally, DS will nurse, then unlatch himself,
roll onto his back and be conked. But the last few nights, while things seemed to begin normally, he'd roll toward me again, latch on some more, unlatch, squirm, repeat the latch/unlatch a few times, then become frantic. If I tried getting him to nurse some more, he'd just scream. He was definitely tired and wanted desperately to sleep, rubbing his eyes and climbing onto me. The only way I was able to get him to go to sleep was to rock him. The problem then is that I'm sitting up, yet exhausted, and somehow I have to get him back down onto the bed without waking him. I would suspect teething, illness, or some other source of annoying pain that's keeping him from settling down. With my DS it was always teething, but it could be a stuffy nose keeping him from breathing comfortably, a sunburn, or for all I know "growing pains" in his legs. Any of those things can make it tough for an adult to fall asleep, after all. Or possibly it's that he's just overtired and keyed up when you start; that would be my first guess if the last few days have been especially busy or there's been some disruption to his routine. If you think it could be teething or a cold, try using appropriate medications at bedtime; if it could be overstimulation, try winding down for bed a little earlier. Either way, the good news is it's likely to get better on its own soon! I try never to get too crazed over anything that's only lasted a few days, since the pattern often changes again before I could really do anything about it anyway. ;-) Holly Mom to Camden, 3yo EDD #2 6/8/04 |
#5
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
Larry McMahan wrote:
I don't know if this will work, but instead of getting up and rocking him, you might try turning him on his stomach and rubbing/massaging his back until he goes to sleep. At least, if it works, you won't have to get out of bed. Thanks, Larry. I'll try it, but DS's tendency when he's tummy-down is to push up and sit, even when he's very tired (silly boy!). -- Belphoebe |
#6
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
"Belphoebe" skrev i en meddelelse
... Larry McMahan wrote: I don't know if this will work, but instead of getting up and rocking him, you might try turning him on his stomach and rubbing/massaging his back until he goes to sleep. At least, if it works, you won't have to get out of bed. Thanks, Larry. I'll try it, but DS's tendency when he's tummy-down is to push up and sit, even when he's very tired (silly boy!). My kids just adore to have their backs ticled/scratched. If I do that I can make them be silent and un-moving for ages. They are 6 and 11 yo :-D Tine, Denmark |
#7
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
HollyLewis wrote:
I would suspect teething, illness, or some other source of annoying pain that's keeping him from settling down. With my DS it was always teething, but it could be a stuffy nose keeping him from breathing comfortably, a sunburn, or for all I know "growing pains" in his legs. Any of those things can make it tough for an adult to fall asleep, after all. Hmmm. He has gone through a prolonged bout of teething of late, and his new tooth has just poked through. Maybe it's still bothering him. We'll try bedtime Tylenol. Or possibly it's that he's just overtired and keyed up when you start; that would be my first guess if the last few days have been especially busy or there's been some disruption to his routine. Overtired/keyed up are also quite possible. Just this past week we've somewhat expanded his "roaming" horizons. We used to keep him gated in the living room, and this week, we've been opening the gate and allowing him to roam into the dining room and kitchen. This has been tremendously exciting to him. If you think it could be teething or a cold, try using appropriate medications at bedtime; if it could be overstimulation, try winding down for bed a little earlier. Maybe try a bit of both. . . . (He's now watching me type this--you can't read yet, can you, sweetie?) Either way, the good news is it's likely to get better on its own soon! I try never to get too crazed over anything that's only lasted a few days, since the pattern often changes again before I could really do anything about it anyway. ;-) Good point--this wouldn't be the first time I thought I was spotting a new trend, only to have things renormalize. Thanks for your suggestions. It's hard to think straight when you're tired. -- Belphoebe |
#8
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
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#9
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
"Belphoebe" wrote in message ...
But the last few nights, while things seemed to begin normally, he'd roll toward me again, latch on some more, unlatch, squirm, repeat the latch/unlatch a few times, then become frantic. When DS does this it's almost always because something hurts. Generally it can be resolved with Tylenol and/or time, because either he's got gas, he's teething, or he's sick. Any chance he has an upset tummy? -- C, mama to seventeen month old nursling |
#10
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DS Refusing to BF to sleep--what now? (long)
wrote in message
om... He's rubbing his eyes the whole time and he'll drift to sleep a little as I rock him. Sometimes, if I nudge him towards the nipple when he's drowsing off, he'll latch on and be fine. Other times, he freaks out. Rubbing eyes is a late sleep cue. Have you tried putting him to bed 1/2 hour earlier (if this is possible)? -- Cheryl S. Mom to Julie, 3, and Jaden, 7 months |
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