UH OH, sleeping problems!!!!

Brenda - posted on 11/29/2009

First, I love his name. :)

Second, at 14 months, do you think he could be teething or growing? Breastmilk does provide a hormone that reduces infant pain, so either situation will make him want to nurse more often. He could also be making up for the time he's sleeping away from you. Can you try using a lovey that you've slept with? At his age, it would be okay to take a stuffed lovey and cuddle with it yourself to cover it with your scent, and you could let him lay on a blanket you've slept on for a while. I know that my son sleeps longer with the cover we share than with a cover that's just on him or freshly washed. :)

Geralyn - posted on 11/28/2009

Hi Lucienne, I totally understand how "nighttime BF'ing on demand" can impact your sleep. My son Noah would go through periods where it felt like he nursed all night long, sometimes just for a tweak.... Since he is my first, I have nothing to compare it to, but I think that they kinda get in the habit of having free access. Its not a bad idea to maybe shape that into nursing for like the first hour or two as he is falling asleep and then for the last hour or so before he wakes up. When he wants to nurse in the middle (its most likely NOT for hunger purposes), you could maybe just hold him til he drifts back to sleep and then put him on the cot next to the bed.



Noah is completely weaned, and its interesting because 1) he would only occassionally ask for it and very few tears. I would talk to him about it. I swear they understand way more than they can say. Just find a way to say no in the middle time period, and be consistent with it. AND 2) he is a much better sleeper at night. Wanting to nurse would keep him continually waking up/rousing out of his deep sleep (which is important for a growing baby!). When Noah hit about 17 months, he was still nursing at the time, and he started climbing on top of me to nurse. He just wanted to lie there and nurse himself to sleep. [It was funny! And it was not a very good nursing position - I didn't see that one in any book!] But since he has been weaned, he will wake up between 2-4 times a night and will just want to lie on top of me. You could maybe explain to him each time that after the first couple hours, he cannot nurse, but you can hold him, and just do it each time, til he gets the hang of it. Like creating a NEW habit...



I have friends whose children when a bit older 2 to 3 years were just nursing to sleep. One of my friends' son would ask "Just for a minute." And he literally was happy with just a minute, just at the beginning of the night. So I could ask her how she eliminated the middle-of-the night nursings, but I think the plan above may be along the lines of what she did.



Or what if you have Phix's dad next to the cot after a certain hour, and his dad can hold him when he wakes and get him back to sleep? I bet Phix would learn pretty quickly that there will be no nursing.... Just a thought.... My hubby was helpful, but honestly it did not take that much....



You need rest, but Phix, at this age, does not NEED free access 24-7....