Well, it looks like we're back where we started. About a month ago, Gabriel no longer wanted to fall asleep in his own crib, and before I knew it, we were back to nursing him to sleep all the time. It's so frustrating, because now everyone is telling me again to just put him in his crib and let him cry. Even our pediatrician says it at every check-up! Well today I finally gave in and put him in his crib - awake!- for his nap. Instant hysterical crying! I let him cry for an hour (!) but finally couldn't stand it any longer, especially since it didn't look like he was going to sleep any time soon. Same thing this evening. He screamed and cried for an hour until I finally gave in. Then I nursed him to sleep which took about 3 minutes.
Does anyone have any suggestions what I should do? I have no problems with him sleeping in my bed, but poor hubby has been in the guest bedroom for 2 years now since the bed is not big enough for 3. And I'm so tired of people including my own family telling me to just let him cry himself to sleep. Of course that's easy for them to say, but I'm the one listening to him cry all this time which breaks my heart! I wonder if there's some other way to 'sleep-train' Gabriel that doesn't involve so much crying?
Sorry about the rant, I just wanted to get this off my mind tonight. Thanks for reading :-) Night night, sleep tight everyone!
1 Peter 5:7
Your Michael W. Smith song is strangely comforting to me. I went to one of his concerts a lot time ago and my mom used to play his CD a lot.
ReplyDeleteand you can't nurse him to sleep and then put him in his crib? Does he wake up if you move him?
Yes I move him to his crib after he falls asleep, most of the time he won't wake up. But it doesn't work in the middle of the night though.
ReplyDeleteSee, I'm fine with this arrangement, but it's other people, like Cary, that want Gabriel to sleep in his own crib all the time.
I love Michael W. Smith's music, it's definitely very comforting!
Well, the only thing I can suggest is investing in a bigger bed then! It's not fair for Cary to have to sleep in the guest room but if Gabriel is most comfortable in your bed he should be able to sleep there ;) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI'm no expert, but how about creating a bedtime routine that makes it exciting for him to sleep in his crib? He's old enough now to understand, and having a routine will prepare him for what's going to happen after you finish it, maybe reward him in some way or make a story with a toy that's afraid to sleep alone and needs to sleep with Gabriel so that Gabriel can take care of him. I'm one of those evil people that believes in letting them cry, I don't have any kids but have younger brothers and that worked wonderfully with both of them, but if letting Gabriel cry is not for you, imagination will work wonders :)
ReplyDeleteWell we would need a bigger room to fit the bigger bed in! Our room is barely big enough to hold a queen size bed (it's already blocking a closet door!)!
ReplyDeleteSilvia, the problem is that the only thing he wants when falling asleep is mommy's milk. Without that, he just gets really upset and no story time, songs, games or toys are going to help! Maybe I should let Cary put him to bed, maybe that way he won't have milk on his mind!
I'm no help here! Tucker was 3 in Dec. and he is still in bed with us. It's crazy, but a preschool teacher friend of mine told me not to worry about it. Someone else suggested making a pallet next to the bed and have him sleep there. Of course this is all sleep related...not nursing related, but I feel your pain! We play musical beds almost every night too!
ReplyDeleteYou have to do what works for your family, regardless of what anyone else (including "experts") tell you. However, your primary family unit was and still is you and your husband. If this isn't working for him, it isn't working, so...
ReplyDeleteDaphne didn't sleep through the night until she was nine months old. At that time, she was still feeding in the middle of the night, and I had to wean her. It was easier for me to control that because she was on formula, but I just cut the amount in half for a week, then a half again the next week, and finally in half the third week. Each night I cut down for the first time, she threw a fit. But eventually, she stopped needing nourishment in the night. When she'd wake, I'd go pat her back for a few moments and leave. After that, she became able to calm herself down. Then again, now that your little one can talk, I'm not sure how that will play out!
I'll be praying for a solution and smooth transition.
O!! How I remember those days. Hi Irma....Just started checking out your blog too! Thanks for taking a peek at mine.
ReplyDeleteYour Gabriel is a cutie! PRECIOUS!
My oldest, Addison, was a big co-sleeper, but it was too hard..... Mommy and Daddy needed that time together without the baby. We did the cry it out thing and it was horrible. It worked but it was horrible. But once baby #2 came along, she started coming back to bed with us in the middle of the night.
We got a small couch (oversized chair) and put it at the end of our bed. She had a blanket folded awaiting her, but she was taught to not get in bed with us....if she needed to sleep in our room, she had to bring her own pillow and set her own bed up on the chair without waking mommy. The deal was she had to fall asleep in her BIG bed before doing this though. She eventually grew out of it because it started getting harder to make her own bed each night she came in!!! just thought i would share....she was 18months when we did this!
Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I still haven't decided what to do yet, I'm tossing around several ideas. I will let y'all know if there is any progress!
ReplyDeleteThis is something else you could try...
ReplyDeleteYou could nurse him and put him in his crib. Than sit next to crib (on the ground) and not look at him anymore, this way he'll know that'you're there and he'll feel safe. When he is asleep, you can leave him alone.
You could also reward him if he sleeps in his own bed. Tell him he wil get een new tractor the next morning if he stays in his own bed ;)
I hope you'll find your way on having a good nightsleep that will benefit your whole family.