Advice please.
For the past year and almost 1 week, I have nursed Asher to sleep. Well, not 'to sleep', but it's the last thing that happens before I place him in his crib at night. He's one of those kids that's ALWAYS on the go, unless he's nursing to sleep. That is the only thing that calms him down. Although he loves baths and gets them almost nightly, they're not a calming time. They're a play and splash time. We read books, but that too is not a real quiet time as he's walking around with the book, pulling out toys and really, not even paying attention to the book most times. So here's the delima...
I'm the solo putter to bed parent. Steve helps with baths and PJ's and stories, but then it's all me. I actually love this time. But I also would love to not be strapped down at bed time. I'd like to have a sitter some nights who could put the boy down. We've started to talk about sleep training Asher to get him used to not having me around as the last calmer, but we don't know how to do it...how to start. I've talked to one of my friends already, but I wanted to know if anyone else had any ideas. Should we start with bedtime? Should I start with nap time? Should we tackle both at once? I was thinking about nursing him before his bath and then having Steve rock and read to him. Once Steve puts him down and he starts screaming, because I know he will...should we take turns going up to calm him? Or should it be just Steve? I know if I go up, he'll point to his nursing chair, as he always does...and I don't want to break down...
How long should I let him fuss before I nurse him? Or should I never nurse him? I'm anxious already. I know it's going to be a loud and stressful few nights. And I know I brought this on myself, but it felt right for our family to do that...it's just going to be a rough transition.
Anyway, if anyone has any words of wisdom, I'm all ears.
I'm the solo putter to bed parent. Steve helps with baths and PJ's and stories, but then it's all me. I actually love this time. But I also would love to not be strapped down at bed time. I'd like to have a sitter some nights who could put the boy down. We've started to talk about sleep training Asher to get him used to not having me around as the last calmer, but we don't know how to do it...how to start. I've talked to one of my friends already, but I wanted to know if anyone else had any ideas. Should we start with bedtime? Should I start with nap time? Should we tackle both at once? I was thinking about nursing him before his bath and then having Steve rock and read to him. Once Steve puts him down and he starts screaming, because I know he will...should we take turns going up to calm him? Or should it be just Steve? I know if I go up, he'll point to his nursing chair, as he always does...and I don't want to break down...
How long should I let him fuss before I nurse him? Or should I never nurse him? I'm anxious already. I know it's going to be a loud and stressful few nights. And I know I brought this on myself, but it felt right for our family to do that...it's just going to be a rough transition.
Anyway, if anyone has any words of wisdom, I'm all ears.
Comments
then maybe once you get nighttime down, you can start during the day. not nursing to sleep, but rather taking that cup in to his room, reading a story to him, giving him a sip of water, and then laying him down. that's what we're trying to do with lu and it's getting a lot easier.
lu's certainly not the poster child of going down to sleep easy but that's what we are trying to do!
i try to nurse luci when she wakes up, then after her morning nap instead of before to get her away from nursing to sleep. it's so much easier to nurse her to sleep now, but i know i'll pay later. we're still a work in progress though, that is for sure.
i too hope to give milk to lucia very soon after her first birthday and want to gradually ween her from there. it makes me sad thinking about it, but i'll be proud of myself for going at it for a year and it will be nice to wear a normal bra again!
good luck!