sleep dilemma

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone!

I am experimenting with a few things, trial and error is my life with this baby. I did lower his crib to just maybe 15 degrees. Last night when he woke up, he wasn’t at the bottom of his crib or standing up, but he was a little stuffy. Again, hard to know if reflux-related congestion or cold or teething. I will really pay attention-yawn tonight to see what is going on if/when he wakes up.

I did have an encouraging thing happen tonight. Usually if he does not go to sleep nursing, I know I have a long difficult time ahead to get him to go to sleep. He gets very mad, and very hard to settle down, if I lay him down and don’t intervene. Even when he gets what he wants, he still cries because he can’t switch gears easily. Does anyone know what I mean?

Well, tonight I laid him down and he cried and jumped in his crib and I just stayed in the room where he could see me. After 25 min. of intermittent crying, and jumping, I laid him down again, shushing and using my fingers to lightly tap around his face. This seemed to “reset him” and he stopped sitting up and gave in. He grabbed my fingers and chewed on them for a few minutes, rolled over and went to sleep whimpering, but stayed asleep. I think it is the teething. I gave him Motrin, so maybe it started to kick in.

Sorry this is long but maybe the details may help someone who is in need of hope. Who knows how long he will sleep, but it is easier to wake up when the getting to bed part isn’t so physically and mentally exhausting.

Oh, he did end up sleeping until 5am. I don’t want to be prematurely excited, but maybe I finally found his EASY button, like on the Staples commercials. Good luck to all mothers who desperately need sleep!

Jack C’s mom2006-6-7 10:15:28

[Anonymous]

Good news! I hope it continues. What you did is similar to some of the sleep experts’ advice to stay nearby, but don’t hold or rock, until the baby goes to sleep. Some say to sit in a chair where baby can see you. They eventually will fall asleep more quickly and eventually get used to falling asleep in their crib and no longer need you to be there. I hope what you’re doing works for you and he starts sleeping better.

Sounds like he just needs to learn a new way to fall asleep since nursing no longer does the trick. This is actually a good thing, since breaking the nursing to sleep habit can be difficult later on. You’re doing a great job!! It’s so hard to make these changes. I always get hooked on what works and when it no longer works I feel frantic for a while, but it always seems to work out in time.

Motrin definitely works better for Myles when he is teething. I’m glad it seems to help Jack, too.

I hope he sleeps well tonight and that his falling asleep gets easier each night.

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