Until recently, on nights when it was "my turn" (we alternate nights for putting the oldest to bed) to put my 4 year old daughter to sleep, I have nursed the baby while reading a book to my older daughter. Usually they both fall asleep quickly.
About two weeks ago, my youngest started getting very distracted and won't nurse if I'm reading or making any noise. She nurses briefly, then gets up and wanders around the bedroom and plays and keeps my older daughter awake. So on "my nights" the baby hangs out with my husband while I put our older daughter to bed, or my husband takes over and reads to the oldest while I nurse the baby in another room.
So for the nights that my husband isn't home and I have to do bedtime alone- any suggestions? Tonight I tried letting my older daughter watch tv while I put baby to sleep, then reading stories, but the baby woke up soon after I slipped away (this is pretty common for her) and then wouldn't go back to sleep. I finally convinced my older daughter to listen to books on tape to go to sleep tonight, but I miss having bedtime all together.
Any ideas? Suggestions? The oldest is easy to get to bed, but I can't see leaving the baby alone while I put her to bed first. And the baby wakes so frequently that it's tough to get more than 20 minutes away from her in the evenings. Which may or may not be long enough to put my oldest to sleep. We tried just all cuddling in bed together while I nursed the baby, but they both seemed to be distracted by each other. I don't really understand how a kid who has *always* nursed while I read suddenly can't do it anymore.
About two weeks ago, my youngest started getting very distracted and won't nurse if I'm reading or making any noise. She nurses briefly, then gets up and wanders around the bedroom and plays and keeps my older daughter awake. So on "my nights" the baby hangs out with my husband while I put our older daughter to bed, or my husband takes over and reads to the oldest while I nurse the baby in another room.
So for the nights that my husband isn't home and I have to do bedtime alone- any suggestions? Tonight I tried letting my older daughter watch tv while I put baby to sleep, then reading stories, but the baby woke up soon after I slipped away (this is pretty common for her) and then wouldn't go back to sleep. I finally convinced my older daughter to listen to books on tape to go to sleep tonight, but I miss having bedtime all together.
Any ideas? Suggestions? The oldest is easy to get to bed, but I can't see leaving the baby alone while I put her to bed first. And the baby wakes so frequently that it's tough to get more than 20 minutes away from her in the evenings. Which may or may not be long enough to put my oldest to sleep. We tried just all cuddling in bed together while I nursed the baby, but they both seemed to be distracted by each other. I don't really understand how a kid who has *always* nursed while I read suddenly can't do it anymore.
