Old Photos of Iris Cry Face
Anyone who is reading this knows i’m anti Cry-It-Out. I just don’t believe in putting your baby in a room and shutting the door. I believe it feels to them like abandonment. But, I don’t think there is anything wrong with crying a little, with your parents right there.
So we set out a few nights ago to begin to see if we could break the boob-in-bed habit. We used all of the tips in the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers which has a whole section on “the nighttime nursling”. (which makes me LOVE Ms. Pantley even more than I did using her baby book on babies I’ve cared for).
I had long ago broken the “fall asleep on the boob” sleep association, but let Iris have her before sleep boob in bed. So obviously I hadn’t done enough, people said, if breaking the sucking to sleep association didn’t work, break the whole thing. Okay.
Mama says: No Boob In Bed. Only in Rocking Chair. Then we go to bed (after full nighttime routine including new massage after nursing).
Good thing we didn’t do cry it out. This kid will cry for an hour and not sleep any better. In fact, everything is worse. Her sleep is worse (falling to sleep upset makes her wake up every half hour looking for comfort). Then she spends the whole day wanting to nurse and begging for boob (which she has never done before) because she was denied it in bed. It is making my days hell. She is clingy all of a sudden. She is extra sleepy and cranky because of her sleep being worse.
And, where as she used to go to sleep easily, no more. It is an hour or more of struggle and crying. Where as she used allow me to take her off of the breast and say all done, she would turn away and suck her fingers (that was nice!) now whenever I break her latch in the chair she screams!
Pantley says do this for 10 days. What I hate about ALL sleep training is that there is this period of time that things get so much worse. I can’t really afford to be more sleep deprived than I already am- but that’s the plan. ? !
Oh, btw, we’re not continuing with my favorite method of habit breaking- the complete night weaning with Dr. Gordon’s method because Iris still hasn’t gained weight. Once she gains (hopefully with help from the new nutritionist), I’d like to go back to that plan (especially if this current BS doesn’t work).
It is so hard knowing what is right for yoru child when they have an illness (central apnea) which has caused habitual behaviors (constant waking/ wanting to nurse). Blah. Sorry this was a complainer.
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