Now that we've gained another 2 months (almost) and much less frequency in feedings during the evening, we're going to attempt this one more time. Are you sharing in my enthusiasm? Because if you're not... you should. I need energy, people! ENERGY!
We tried for about a week, last time with NO success or movement in the right direction. At all. This time, I am anticipating that it will be hard, at first, but I'm praying that it goes in our favor.
Now I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I absolutely LOVE having THE MONKEY in our bed. I love just being able to roll over and have him nurse. Cuddling his round little butt. Feeling his tiny little feeties seek warmth tucked under my belly, or my legs. Having him snuggle up next to me and nuzzle himself in for the night. I love it. Period.
The problem is... I'm roasting. For the last 2 to 3 weeks.. I've been sleeping like crap... C.R.A.P. at night because he's a heater. I continuously push him away from me because I'm sweating to death as well as him sweating all snuggled up in his jammies, his blankie and curled up next to me. But yet I can wake up 5 MINUTES LATER to him back up curled up next to me. I can't take the heat anymore.
So here's my plan... I've moved my nightstand out of my room and moved his crib in it's place. I've dropped the front of his crib and pushed it up next to my bed. I've moved his favorite blankie in his bed so he has something to remind him of nice, peaceful warm sleeping conditions that he's used to every night. When it comes time to lay him down for the night, I'm going to nurse him like normal, lay him down and pray to high heavens that he's comfortable enough to sleep.
He will wake up to nurse, I know that. I'm just hoping that he'll be comfortable enough to go back to sleep afterward, without me right next to him. I will let him cuddle up to my hand but he's going to have to learn how to self soothe.
This is going to be fun. Um hmmmm.
Do you have any tricks that helped your little one self soothe once moved into their own bed?
You know, I read somewhere about slowly moving baby out. So maybe you put a pack and play or co-sleeper next to the bed for a week or two. Then move that to the middle of the room. Then near the doorway working your way to his room and then eventually in his room? Take baby steps. Or, where does he nap during the day? Could you put him to nap in the crib while he's drowsy and start off napping in there and sleeping at night with you until you make the switch? The Robot is a blower furnace in bed and the ped. commented that the Samurai is a hot little baby. My goodness if I had to sleep in bed with both of them I'd lose the rest of my baby inches just by sweating in my sleep! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved Isla into her own room, we left the radio on all night. The noise helped her to stay asleep. Her room also gets really cold because the sun never enters her window, so I heat her room at night so that she's all cuddly when I put her down.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I can say, really... Isla's always been a better sleeper when she's by herself. She doesn't like to cuddle and whenever I took a nap with her, she'd be up in an hour even though she sleeps up to three hours on her own.