Thursday, March 28, 2013

Getting 15mo to sleep through the night, Night 2 Recap

Another night of torture. I thought this one was going to better at first...but I was wrong.  Since I now have the horrible virus (I've concluded that's what Cody had but had blood because he has other issues), I didn't go to church. So I thought I'll put Reece down at 7:15pm {he was EXHAUSTED ALL DAY from not sleeping much the night before}. I gave him Mac N Cheese for dinner to make sure he was full, and a bottle of strawberry pediasure in bed, which he would NOT take all night long. Sigh. BUT good news I didn't nurse him from 7:00pm till 6:15am!

I hoped he'd cry for an hour tops when I put him to bed, by 8:30pm he was finally asleep...then in comes the family from church and he starts crying again.  I go in and rock him, cuddle him, kiss him, rub his back, but he continues to fuss when I leave the room. DH (Dear Husband, I didn't know the lingo at first) went in the room and did the same, but he cried when he left the room. 

Reece's crib is in the boys room, so the boys had to fall asleep with him crying. Luckily they are like their dad and sleep like a rock. 

Finally around 10:30pm Reece is asleep. Yeeesssss. We are making progress.  11:00pm I'm up running to the bathroom with the runs (TMI).  Every 30 minuets all night long! The dogs barking woke Reece up at 1:38am. Dumb dogs!

I go in and comfort Reece, rub his back.  He lays down and closes his eyes but cries when I leave.  A little later I change his diaper. He still has diaper rash. :(

And a little later he pooped again! gah.

From 1:38am-4:30am he was crying whenever I wasn't in there rubbing his back, and I was running to the toilet a lot. Finally at 4:30am he fell asleep while I rubbed his back for 5 minuets.  He woke up at 6:15am, and I brought him in bed to nurse. We both fell asleep. I woke up at 7:15am to make DH lunch & breakfast (cereal today!) and then I went back to bed where Reece was still sleeping until 8:45am. 

He seems to have diarrhea again today & i's not sure if it's the lack of sleep making him sick again..? I don't know what to do! He wants to nurse a lot today (of course) and I don't know if I should stick with it for tonight if he's sick, but I really don't want to lose any progress we've made and have to start all over again!

Weaning him and getting him to sleep through the night is soooo hard. Especially all at once. I've decided to not make him CIO for nap today, but nurse him to sleep so he gets some sleep so he won't be overly tired tonight. I fear I am losing this battle! He is one strong willed baby! I feel like an awful mom :(

1 comment:

The Skinny on Staci said...

Hmmm... you know what to do cause you are THERE. I'm just an outsider giving opinions and ideas. My only thoughts are not to go in every time he cries. You are probably creating a habit. You are also reinforcing his crying by him realizing you appear and he gets loved on if he cries. Also, I wouldn't create a new habit of any drinks in bed since that is so horrible for their teeth and just ends up on the crib mattress usually anyway. Lol It might be a disaster, but I wonder if moving his crib into your room to be closer to you would help. I remember one of my kids, I had the crib right against my bed so I could sleep AND keep my hand on their back patting all at the same time. Crazy! But when you're desperate, you do what you need to. It worked for us. If you are still going to nurse him some while weaning, I would definitely pick certain times that you will nurse him. Like only before bed or upon waking (or both), but then those are harder to wean from. I know I am a crab upon waking, and as a child being held and loved and nursed by Mommy would be hard for me to give up first thing in the morn and last thing at night. However, if you nursed him every day after he ate breakfast or after he ate supper, then eventually you could use distraction to another activity or treat to get rid of those nursing times. It wouldn't be a first-thing-in-the-morning or last-thing-at-night routine. Does that make sense? Like after breakfast, nurse him but then cut back the time some little by little and move on to fun things like play-do, playing in shaving cream, puzzles, etc. Something special with you. Then after supper, nurse him and then move on to a relaxing bath to prepare for bed. I dunno. Maybe none of this will help, but thought I'd share my thoughts. Sorry! I know it's hard!