In an amazing chain of events my sweet, sweet little girl hasn't nursed in the last 96 hours!
You have to understand this is incredible, especially because of how much I had been fighting to no avail to start weaning my precious daughter. With a new baby coming I knew the process had to start soon for it seemed a very long term goal to reach and I didn't want her to feel replaced by a new baby. Nights were being ridiculously long with extremely early mornings and very tiresome days. I kept trying everything: I'll take away only one nursing per day and we'll go from there; I'll stop nursing her in the bedroom before nap and bedtime; I'll take away one nursing at night time; and the list goes on and on.
Nothing seemed to work. Whichever nursing we chose to take away would ensue a good hour plus of crying rendering me frustrated and exhausted. I prayed for wisdom and retreated from trying while regrouping and rethinking what to do.
Then my man put his foot down. We were out by ourselves on Friday on our way to a wedding reception and after exchanging some thoughts a new strategy was devised. I was to be out of sight that night and he'd be the sole soother. We'd take it from there, one day/night at a time.
First night: I settled downstairs in the guest room with the monitor on in case Ben needed my assistance and we began the process. Ben took completely over, from putting their pjs on to the whole night routine, I wasn't even upstairs at all. It was a very long night. She woke up so many times and cried for so long it wasn't even funny. At some point I had to come get Elena from the top of the stairs so she could come sleep with me. But by that morning, Adriana had spent a whole night without nursing.
Second night: I still stayed away from the night time routine. Ben was it. During the night, she woke up as many times as the night before but the crying was a lot less. Less intense too. She wasn't as much upset as she was resigned in her cry. Elena didn't even wake up through it. I had to nurse her a bit during church on Sunday but Ben took over again at nap and bedtime.
Third night: She woke up once, came to bed with Ben and slept the rest of the night. I still wasn't around for bedtime routine.
Fourth night: I came upstairs before bedtime but Ben still took care of everything and I was gone before they were in bed. For her it was the same as the third night. No crying. As the day went by she asked only once and she didn't really expect it. She is eating a lot, though.
Fifth night: I came upstairs with them and changed her into her pjs but still left before bedtime. I came back to bed for the night. She slept until 4.45 a.m. when she came to bed with us. When she realized I was there Ben immediately warned us we could only snuggle. She climbed on top of me, nestled her head on my shoulder and snuggled.
Sixth night: I put them down for the night, did the whole routine by myself. She went to sleep without a problem. The only thing we have left to do to go back to normal life is switch back to our sides of the bed. He's been sleeping on my side so as to be the first one to meet her when she comes to our room.
Day time she has turned into a little eating machine. Ice-pops and bananas are among the favorites so far. I have mixed emotions as I am so proud of how quickly and well she came around but I also realize my baby is growing up. It breaks my heart when she asks and I have to say no, and it also breaks my heart to see her accept it so well! I am so very proud of her and I will certainly miss nursing her so terribly! How can that be?
You have to understand this is incredible, especially because of how much I had been fighting to no avail to start weaning my precious daughter. With a new baby coming I knew the process had to start soon for it seemed a very long term goal to reach and I didn't want her to feel replaced by a new baby. Nights were being ridiculously long with extremely early mornings and very tiresome days. I kept trying everything: I'll take away only one nursing per day and we'll go from there; I'll stop nursing her in the bedroom before nap and bedtime; I'll take away one nursing at night time; and the list goes on and on.
Nothing seemed to work. Whichever nursing we chose to take away would ensue a good hour plus of crying rendering me frustrated and exhausted. I prayed for wisdom and retreated from trying while regrouping and rethinking what to do.
Then my man put his foot down. We were out by ourselves on Friday on our way to a wedding reception and after exchanging some thoughts a new strategy was devised. I was to be out of sight that night and he'd be the sole soother. We'd take it from there, one day/night at a time.
First night: I settled downstairs in the guest room with the monitor on in case Ben needed my assistance and we began the process. Ben took completely over, from putting their pjs on to the whole night routine, I wasn't even upstairs at all. It was a very long night. She woke up so many times and cried for so long it wasn't even funny. At some point I had to come get Elena from the top of the stairs so she could come sleep with me. But by that morning, Adriana had spent a whole night without nursing.
Second night: I still stayed away from the night time routine. Ben was it. During the night, she woke up as many times as the night before but the crying was a lot less. Less intense too. She wasn't as much upset as she was resigned in her cry. Elena didn't even wake up through it. I had to nurse her a bit during church on Sunday but Ben took over again at nap and bedtime.
Third night: She woke up once, came to bed with Ben and slept the rest of the night. I still wasn't around for bedtime routine.
Fourth night: I came upstairs before bedtime but Ben still took care of everything and I was gone before they were in bed. For her it was the same as the third night. No crying. As the day went by she asked only once and she didn't really expect it. She is eating a lot, though.
Fifth night: I came upstairs with them and changed her into her pjs but still left before bedtime. I came back to bed for the night. She slept until 4.45 a.m. when she came to bed with us. When she realized I was there Ben immediately warned us we could only snuggle. She climbed on top of me, nestled her head on my shoulder and snuggled.
Sixth night: I put them down for the night, did the whole routine by myself. She went to sleep without a problem. The only thing we have left to do to go back to normal life is switch back to our sides of the bed. He's been sleeping on my side so as to be the first one to meet her when she comes to our room.
Day time she has turned into a little eating machine. Ice-pops and bananas are among the favorites so far. I have mixed emotions as I am so proud of how quickly and well she came around but I also realize my baby is growing up. It breaks my heart when she asks and I have to say no, and it also breaks my heart to see her accept it so well! I am so very proud of her and I will certainly miss nursing her so terribly! How can that be?
3 comments:
So happy for you guys. Pastor Ben's the man!
Way to go, Ben!
I'm waiting to see what our own "chain of events" looks like. First up is going down for naps and bed without nursing to sleep. Eventually we'll have to tackle nighttime weaning. Fun fun! :)
Yay Adriana! You are getting to be such a big girl!
I LOVE the picture at the bottom, Keila. It's priceless.
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