Calling for nursing mommies who are against CIO

[mumto2]

though you can breastfeed a toddler and a newborn at the same time, around the time you are around 25 weeks pregnant, the milk taste changes and a lot of toddlers just finish up. Also during the time you are pregnant, if you didn't want to feed both, you could prepare toddler with letting them know that baby was coming and big girl will stop having drinks soon.

We had 2 years between the kids but eldest had self-weaned VERY early by herself at 15 months so it didn't end up being an issue...

And yes, we really had no problem after that first week of getting used to the big bed...so proud..but so missed cosleeping for the longest time...but you have to let them advance through their stages of age don't you...lucky for us that each age is just a miracle to watch and enjoy...

 

[nicolejoy]

My friend "tandem breastfed" and did the co-sleeping and everything. She had about 18 months between #1 and #2, and breastfed #1 all through the pregnancy and actually until he was just over 2, at which time he self-weaned when she was pregnant with #3!! #1 currently sleeps half the night in his own room, and then he comes and joins mum and dad, and #2 in the family bed. The third baby will be born in July and I don't know what they will do then - maybe have 5 in the bed? *shrugs*

I don't see anything wrong with co-sleeping, or with crying it out. I think whatever works for your family. For me, I know I neeeeed my sleep - I get migraines when I'm stressed or overtired, so I wanted to do whatever would give me the most sleep. We bought one of those cosleeper beds where the baby goes between the pillows, but there are walls protecting them - and we used that for the first month, until the baby was sleeping for about 5-6 hours straight at night. Then she was in her own room. I always tried to put her down awake (unless she crashed during her last feed of the day) and let her "play" herself to sleep - and she is a good sleeper. Now (6 months old), she sleeps 10 hours straight at night, and sometimes will feed and go back to sleep for another 2-3 hours! But I know that this is HER "personality" and not all babies are like that. And I know that her being a good sleeper is 99% just that she is like that, it has nothing - or VERY little - to do with my "mothering skills".

 

[carang]

thanks for the info... i have never met anyone that BF two children of different ages before. interesting to know that it can be done and that some people do it

 

[freddiebiscuit]

My little one has been waking quite often at night - perhaps 6 or 7 times on some nights. She just rolls around, gets stuck on the pillows and starts to cry because she can't roll any further. I wake up, put her next to me, put her on the breast and she usually falls back to sleep again. I'm not sure why she's waking - sometimes I think it may be because I move to get more comfortable and wake her up. She wakes up for the day at 7 am and is happy and seems well rested. I cannot say the same for me on some days - not well rested.

She seems quite addicted to the breast and its comfort and I sometimes wonder if she will ever wean herself! I don't mind tandem breast feeding when the next baby arrives, but I do hope my girl will be sleeping better at night before then.

I'd like to keep co-sleeping, but also realize the time will come when she'll want/need to go into her own bed in her own room. How do you know when the time is right to make the transition?

 

[carang]

if you are not happy with the situation, have you tried a pacifier? my daughter so needed the comfort that we started her with a pacifier and she used it for almost 2 years. then one day, she said, "no more" and she hasn't used it since.

she was so comforted by it that if we ever forgot it when we went out, we had to buy another one!

 

[freddiebiscuit]

We introduced a pacifier to her when she was around 5 months old and she treated it like a toy! She'd hold the nipple and put the other end in her mouth! She took no comfort from it at all...

It's not that I'm unhappy with the situation. I just worry that I am pressing cosleeping on her because of my need to have her close when maybe sleeping in her own room might help her to sleep better. I also worry about the arrival of our second baby. I will be in the hospital and someone else will need to put our daughter to bed. Right now, she only goes to sleep on the boob...

 

[mumto2]

you might find that with someone else putting her to bed, she understands that she won't be getting boob...my eldest was like whenever hubby put her to bed, she just knew that he wasn't going to be able to do it! lol

also when we brought the new bubs home, we had a chat with the eldest and said that she needed to stay in her big girls bed now so that the baby didn't wake her up and be noisy. that was enough for her not to want to come in til later in the morning.

 

[Little Monster]

my boy will be 3 in August. Up to now, we are still co-sleeping. Recently I try to make him sleep in his own room which is right next to ours, and we keep both doors opened at night. Most of the time, he will sneak into our bed if he wakes up in the middle of the night. and we will simply let him.

We enjoy co-sleeping very much unless daddy is really tired that day (but he can always sleep in my boy's bed as it is an adult's bed anyway). I mean, this is the only short period of time in his life that he can get soooo close to me, let me cuddle him, let me touch his little chubby butt, etc. Maybe few years later, or maybe even a yr or two, he will claim himself as a real big boy, and won't let me kiss him in front of his classmates, and things will just get worse (like he prefers to go out with his friends than with me,), and even co-dine with him can be difficult, no need to mention co-sleep, so CHERISH the moment, enjoy the moment as much as we can!!