weaning and sleeping

413 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by myboyz, Jun 22, 2004

myboyz

Discussion Starter · Jun 17, 2004

My 9 mo. and I are going through 2 rough spots. He hardly wants to nurse anymore. He will take a few sips and then archs his back and cries. Sometimes I just start to get him in position and he pushs away. I have tried to nurse on demandand before I give him any food. My hubby says it is time to give it up. The other problem is sleeping. He is the worse sleeper! I learned that if I waited too long to try to put him down then he is over tried and won't go to sleep no matter what. So, as per the Dr.'s ideas, I try every 2 hours to do a nap. It takes about an hour and then he will sleep for 20 minutes. He wakes up my 4 year old from his nap. I tell my 4 year old to play for a few minute but it takes much longer. The other day it was an hour of me running up and down the stairs ( which I am not to be doing due to a disc problem with my back). I would check on the 4 year old and then soothe the baby. The next day the same problem and I had to give up after an hour plus. That day he slept a total of 35 minutes from 2 naps. I have tried different things. One thing that sometimes works is to have him nurse in bed with me and as long as he is on the boob he is good to go. I can not do that as I have the older one. Each time I try something new I have tried it for awhile. I have the music, book, fan routine. He liked his feet rubbed and a clothe diaper by his face but now when we do that he gets so mad. I have rocked him, nursed him, let him cry a bit in my arms and a few minutes on his own. One day he had to cry for a while and he did not give up. My husband says when I am gone some nights he even has tried to let him CIO within reason and that did not work. I do not mind doing whatever it takes as long as it is fair to the family too. He just started about a month ago sleeping the night but only does that here and there. When he does get up during the night it is every 2 hours. He doesn't seem hungry.

Any advice?

See less See more

Save

1 - 8 of 8 Posts

Piglet68

· #2 · Jun 17, 2004

The breastfeeding thing sounds strange. Have you recently begun eating new foods in your diet? Perhaps he is reacting to that. Nine months seems pretty darned young for a child to self-wean. My first thought is he's reacting to something you are eating. Or it may be that he's just not hungry for that, maybe he wants some solid foods. This does NOT mean that it's time to stop BFing. I don't have the time here to list all the reasons why it is important to continue with that, but please try to educate your DH on this matter!

re: naps...I don't agree with trying every two hours, because if baby isn't ready to nap then its a waste of everybody's time. What exactly is your routine for putting him down? A few suggestions: does he fall asleep in the car or stroller? Maybe a walk or a short drive would help. Or, if he likes to nurse and stay latched on, mabye you could sling him and nurse while you tend to/play with your older child.

It's common for babies to nap longer and better when they are beside a parent. Maybe you could time your baby's naps with your 4 year old's, and go nap with baby so he sleeps through the older one's naps and you aren't missing out with your older one.

Also, does your baby cosleep or is he in a crib?

See less See more

Save

ombra*luna

· #3 · Jun 18, 2004

Could he be starting to get some teeth? That can be very disruptive to sleeping and nursing patterns sometimes. I would try to keep at it with the nursing, since he is so young. If he doesn't want to nurse you can always try again later. Does he ever nurse comfortably or does it upset him all the time?

It really is challenging when there's another little one around that needs attention too. It could very well be a phase he's going through and one that will soon pass. Don't those phases seem long though when they are going on?

Save

myboyz

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 19, 2004

Thanks for the imput. I think waiting longer to put him down for a nap might work. I will try that. I was not able to sling him for about 3 plus months due to my disc in my back. I just started again but can not do it for too long and can not nurse that way. Also, he would be way too distracted to be around action. We co=sleep and use a crib. Most of the time he goes down great for bed and would rather be in his crib.

The nursing is getting a little better but I still wonder if he is getting enough fluids in the day with it being so hot. Do I give him other fluids or will that lessen his need/want to nurse?

Thanks

Save

DaryLLL

· #5 · Jun 21, 2004

My ds would not nap off my body for a whole year. He was just too tense, and would startle himself awake after 15 mins if left alone. I had a 3 and a 5 yr old at the time. This is what I would do.

Put a video in. Yes I was desparate. Neither of the older ones were napping anymore at this age. Maybe the 3 yo would nap now and then.

If your 4 yo likes vidoes, this might work. I would nurse the baby in the rocking chair in the same room and baby would go to sleep. Then he would nap for about 2 hours on me. When he was little I could get up with him in sling and walk around, but not when he got too heavy. So I was stuck there. The girls were old enough to help themselves to snacks or whatever they needed. But the house would get terribly messy! It was depressing but it was all I could do. The good part was, when the baby woke up, he was a happy camper and i could zip around the do neccessay chores while the girls kept him kind of occupied. Or pop him in the playpen for a few mins to keep him safe if the girls were not in the mood to be helpful.

If yours is too distractible to fall asleep while big bro watches TV, you could maybe get him asleep in the bedroom on yr bed, then sling him and come out to let him sleep near your other ds.

Of course big bro doesn't need to watch TV the whole time. there are lots of games and stuff you can do with a sleeping baby on yr lap. Or he might go to sleep for you on the couch. Running up and down stairs does not seem to be the right thing to do right now.

Once ds turned one he magically started to sleep alone!

See less See more

Save

DaryLLL

· #6 · Jun 21, 2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by myboyz
He hardly wants to nurse anymore. He will take a few sips and then archs his back and cries. Sometimes I just start to get him in position and he pushs away. I have tried to nurse on demandand before I give him any food. My hubby says it is time to give it up. ...My husband says when I am gone some nights he even has tried to let him CIO within reason and that did not work. I do not mind doing whatever it takes as long as it is fair to the family too. He just started about a month ago sleeping the night but only does that here and there. When he does get up during the night it is every 2 hours. He doesn't seem hungry.

Your other question:

If he is resisting nursing could it be b/c of teething? His mouth may just hurt. Let him suck on a cold wet or frozen washcloth for a while before you offer to nurse.

If he is having too many solids it could casue a tummy upset and lead to more wakeful behavior and fussiness. Is he constipated? If you are giving him binding foods such as bananas and rice cereal, cut them out and see if you have improvements.

Your dh is definitely wrong about giving up bfing at only 9 mos. This would not solve the refusal to nurse. He might still refuse a bottle! Or the cow's milk artificial baby milk might not agree with him and make him even more fussy and wakeful!

The AAP recs at least 12 mos of bfing and for as long after as mother and baby desire. Huge list of continued benefits:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/pre...-benefits.html

All 3 of mine woke frequently from the middle of the first yr and until about 18 mos b/c of teething. It wouldn't seem to bother them during the day, but would sometimes make them wake every hour at night. Weaning would have been disastrous. It was my only magic trick for getting them back to sleep. Actually I did night wean my first (which I regret) at 12 mos and so then I would have to get out of bed and rock her for 20 mins at a time 2 or 3 times a night. With the other 2, most of the time, I could just offer the breast in bed and we would both go back to sleep.

Here are tips for getting a baby who is refusing, back to the breast. Scroll down to "nursing strikes":

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...to-breast.html

See less See more

Save