A day in the life....... (long)

Do you have a sling? I never got DS used to it, but
I hear that folks learn how to nurse with the baby
in the sling. That might free you up a bit...

But then again, just sitting and reading can be nice

Emily

My DS is 31 months old and just in the past two weeks
we've managed to negotiate him going to sleep in his
room while I am in the room across the hall (doors open
so he can see me) instead of sitting next to his bed.
The sitting next to his bed surfing or catching up on
email was an improvement over sitting next to his bed
patting his back and singing to him, which was an improvement
over nursing him to sleep (weaned at 20 months when
I was pg and couldn't take it anymore).

We've managed this latest step with some carefully planned
bribing. One sticker each morning for each night he
goes to sleep "by himself" (and a bonus sticker if he stays
in his own bed until past 7am, but that's only happened
once in the relevant period so far). The first five stickers
got him a trip to the toy store for a toy (landed on the
day after Christmas, ugh). The next toy comes after ten
stickers...

I don't know if we just played our cards poorly in the
beginning (as a little baby, he wouldn't nap except while
*still latched on* or in a carseat/stroller), or if that's
just who he is. I've worked PT since we was 4 months old
and then full time since 13 months. For a long time, I
didn't push the issue, thinking he gets little enough time
with me as it is (though he loves daycare), I shouldn't begrudge
him this bedtime routine. It did get trying sometimes
though: it typically takes him about 45 minutes to fall asleep,
and he wouldn't countenance my leaveing while he was wake.
On a bad night, it could take an hour and half!

Emily
mom to Toby 5/02

Next question - how did you have time to pump when she was feeding so
much?

Sorry late reply. I pumped during her morning nap.

KC

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
Sounds like you're describing a situation where you actually scoot into
the cot - is that right? Never thought of trying it that way. (I did
think of trying cot next to bed, side down, scoot baby over to me, but
didn't want to try this as thought I'd fall asleep with him still in the
big bed.) Not sure whether our cot will be strong enough for this -
might check!

Actually, probably very little of you needs to be in the crib.
Your hips, etc, could still be on the big bed, and just an arm
and a breast in the crib. Once you've got side-lying nursing
down, the next thing to learn is side-lying nursing where you offer
the other breast (= the one on top). I think it took us until
DS was about 4 weeks old to get the side-lying thing down.
Waaaaaaaaaaay worth it.

Emily