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FAO TheHistoryGirl and Pixiebob
Thanks again for your replies to my 'cutting the feed out' post girls. How is it going with you both? Hope your gorgeous boys are being good to you.
Well, I haven't got very far yet. The day I posted and was determined to do something about the night feed, Nina got a cold, courtesy of big bro. I've made a bit of a plan of action which is to try and cut down the amount of milk she has by only offering her one side (one boob!) then putting her back to bed after a little cuddle. At first she wasn't best pleased about not getting the extra milk but didn't take long to settle. After a few nights she's ok and settles back to sleep very quickly. The next stage of my plan is to replace her (now smaller) milk feed with water for a few nights, then cut it out all together, although not sure how I'll do that bit yet.
So, I really wanted your opinions. Tonight should be the night for water only and I'm not sure whether it would be best for me to go in and offer it to her and put her back to bed (for which I'm anticipating much resistance) or to send the OH so she's not reminded of the boobs? Did your oh's go to see lo's or did you do it?
I was also wondering what the earliest you will feed lo is?
Oh it's hard isn't it? x
Well, I haven't got very far yet. The day I posted and was determined to do something about the night feed, Nina got a cold, courtesy of big bro. I've made a bit of a plan of action which is to try and cut down the amount of milk she has by only offering her one side (one boob!) then putting her back to bed after a little cuddle. At first she wasn't best pleased about not getting the extra milk but didn't take long to settle. After a few nights she's ok and settles back to sleep very quickly. The next stage of my plan is to replace her (now smaller) milk feed with water for a few nights, then cut it out all together, although not sure how I'll do that bit yet.
So, I really wanted your opinions. Tonight should be the night for water only and I'm not sure whether it would be best for me to go in and offer it to her and put her back to bed (for which I'm anticipating much resistance) or to send the OH so she's not reminded of the boobs? Did your oh's go to see lo's or did you do it?
I was also wondering what the earliest you will feed lo is?
Oh it's hard isn't it? x
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As far as water goes, I offered Peter his water when we substituted it for a nighttime feed. He complained bitterly, but once he realised that was all he was getting, he soon stopped expecting food of any sort. (I still had three or four nights of sitting with him while he cried, but by the end I wasn't even picking him up, just patting and shushing him.) When he was having the water, I put him back down as soon as he was quiet again and didn't pick him up again, just sat with my hand on his head. I also had myself wrapped in a huge and very thick dressing gown so my breasts weren't accessible and I hope it cut the smell of milk. (It was also absolutely necessary as it was freezing!)
He is now going through until 6/6:30, with a couple of brief squeaks every night but he now settles himself back. I would prefer a 7/7:30 wake-up call, but after all we have been through I really can't complain.
I hope the water trick works for you and Nina. Best of luck and lots of love to you both.
I wish i could tell you that Max is sleeping through but he's not
For over i week i didn't feed him until 6am but we were all ill with the lack of rest, he was waking around 3ish and not going back to sleep so we were totally exhausted. I think it would have eventually worked but i felt it wasnt worth our familys health so the 5am feed is good enough for now.
Im thinking of cutting this feed down by a minute every few days, see if i can get him off it that way but im not tackling it again until after christmas.
Hubbie and i did it in shifts-he leaves for work at 4.30am so did as much settling as he could then i'd take over. It's VERY hard to do it on your own so i'd say take it in turns unless your oh is ok doing it all, i definatley think our boobs being in the room makes it harder on the lo's.
Sending lots of love, let us know how it goes!!xx
Well I was quite lucky last night as Nina only woke once at 11pm, before we went to sleep, and was quickly settled (probably because it was so early) by OH. She slept until 6ish so thankfully I was let off. All in all I feel we're getting there and she's doing really well. Just need to cut the night feed out once and for all and I'll be over the moon.
THG, fab that Peter is sleeping through. It must have taken a lot to get to this point but you must feel so much better for it. I agree 6/6.30 isn't entirely reasonable but hopefully he will start getting up later for you soon. I'm liking the tip about the big thick dressing gown. Lol, I think for Nina I may have to layer up and go in like the Michelin Man!
Pixiebob, thanks for the advice. We will take it in turns, if not getting OH to do more I think. It makes sense as she should then be used to both of us settling her in a non bf capacity. Sorry to hear Max isn't quite there yet. As you say, it does sound as if he's doing well and he's not got far to go. Saw your other post. Not that I'm one to give advice at the moment(!) but my plan of action is to cut down the milk , move onto water for a few nights, then move onto shushing and patting only. And then finally, if she's still waking up and I'm confident nothing is wrong, I would feel ok to try controlled crying. Let me know how things go for yoy to. xxx
Everythings on hold here-max had caught his first proper cold, he's Gita temperature bless him so I'll be feeding him if he wakes and doesn't settle back tonight , I've dosed him up with calpol so hopefully he'll get some rest xx
Hope that everyone has a good night and that our poorly babes are on the mend soon.
Thanks for the nurofen tip, will get some tomorrow if he's no better, night everyone! Xx
Just wondered how Peter is doing THG? Has the tonsilitis cleared up? Hope he's better and you are both getting some sleep.
Hmm, we're doing ok but not really completing my mission.Gave in to a 4am with Nina last night. Well, I didn't fight that hard at all to be honest. She has been so incredibily clingy (don't like that word but can't think of another) and seems to be suffering with seperation anxiety to an extreme I've never seen in her. Added to this, Angelo is not himself and was waking up last night so I didn't want to risk waking him up again. I wimped out!
Starting to think sleeping through may be a new year's resolution...xx
Its so hard now that Max is poorly, i can't not feed him as he needs the extra fluids plus i think he's teething. We didnt go out today as he was so upset (very clingy too, couldnt put him down) but im going to get some nurofen tomorrow-give that a go xx
I totally understand what you mean. It's just bad timing really. I often think Nina would have been sleeping through long ago had it not been for the colds she's had. Ah well, I hope Max recovers soon and you have a better night tonight. xx
And lucky THG hey!
His tonsilitis is a bit better, I think. Thanks for asking. But he still isn't very well and we had two days of him just wanting to sit on my lap. Clingy is definitely the right word!
So it looks like we may all be in the same boat for the moment. Hope all the los get better soon and get (and give us) some much needed rest.
Lots of love to all from the Big Apple. x
Love from sunny Cyprus. xx