This one is for moms! What do you do when 1) your 11 month old wakes up as much as a newborn- 3 times a night if not 4 2) he's 3 feet away from you, and letting him cry to realize he's not going to be picked up is becoming less and less of an option 3)he has object permanence so he knows we're behind the sheet that is hanging from the ceiling 4) he ends up nursing 3 times a night because it's the only thing that gets him to sleep 5) you're PREGNANT and don't sleep anymore!
I'm sure his constant exposure to lots of people and activity is the culprit, and though he gets his 2 naps in, he's still overstimulated. We may just have to be without ANY sleep until we get home... in a month... then he'll get re-used to his old bed and house... then we'll move again. I'll sleep when I'm dead.
More positive posts to follow, pending more sleep.
5 comments:
Sorry to hear about the sleeping regression:( Just a little f.y.i... some women that get pregnant while they are nursing will have a drop in their milk supply. Something to keep in mind. I'm praying for ya'll!!
Hey Kate. Well, hang in there. Cooper is almost 9 months and wakes at least 2X to nurse, and I am pretty sure he will until he stops nursing at a year. Jackson did the same thing. He woke up to nurse until almost a year (then I started whole milk). If you're miserable you can start formula, but I promise you the end to sleepless nights is near! I totally understand where you are coming from, and I was pregnant at the same time - when Jackson was 11 months, and remember just crying because i was so tired. Everyone told me to let Jacksono cry it out, but the problem was that there were times when he was just stirring at night and would go back to sleep, but a couple of times he really did need to nurse. The breastmilk just doesn't stay with them as long as formula (even if they are eating solids really well). Some breastfed babies sleep like angels, but it's totally normal for him to still be doing this. The problem is that all you hear are stories about everyone's 6 week olds sleeping through the night. Those of us with kids that still need to nurse at night are probably too tired to share their story with others! :) Hang in there, it will get easier.
Well, I'm not nursing, nor am I pregnant, nor are we at camp - completed uprooted from everything munchkin knows ---- and we too are struggling with sleep issues. As a usually fanstastic sleeper from the start -- we've had several "unexplained sleep disruption episodes" along the way. Ready for my sage-like wisdom? Well, here it is.......
I got nothin'.
Some things work some times. But I will say this much: in the midst of the struggle and stress, I quickly fear that this stage is going to be the "new normal" - but it's always gotten better (usually not by any of my doings.) I can only look at it all in chapters. How can I be the best mom with what I have in THIS chapter? For me, some nights it's meant rocking her for 2 hours - and others it's been listening her scream for 45 minutes straight. (She became hoarse for 3 days after that night.)
Sorry I can't offer you more. Just prayers and the comfort in knowing you're not alone.
Hey Kate, Jack did the same thing at John Paul's age so I stopped nursing at night. The first couple of nights were really hard(probably more for me than him), but now he sleeps through the night and it all makes sense. When he'd cry at night I'd go in, lay him back down & console a little. Then I'd leave and repeat this cycle at 5, 10, and 15 min. increments...I started with 3, 6 & 9 min. at first b/c it was really hard for me to hear him cry. Now he sleeps all night and I have my sanity back b/c I'm not sleep deprived. Hope this helps!
Oh and the pediatrician told me about this...he said he didn't need to nurse at night b/c he was old enough. He said he was just using me as a pacifier to help him fall asleep and I'd need to teach him to fall asleep on his own. It took me awhile to actually try his technique, but when I did I was so happy I'd finally done it!
"Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee" (Ps 54, 23)
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