Adventures in Weaning

Ok well I've been wondering how I would decide when to wean Silas and then one night it seems a decision was made for me. I made the decision long ago to co-sleep with this one because I did not want to go trudging through a cold house 4 or 5 times a night for a year +. I did some reading and found a book that assured me that this did not mean they would still be co-sleeping when they were eight. I slept tons better this way because I did not worry about him in his crib and I barely had to wake up to feed him.

Recently along came teething and some mild sicknesses and it seemed he wanted to be latched on all night long. I could not sleep very well this way and was thinking about moving his crib upstairs so he couldn't see me from it but I just couldn't go ahead with that decision because I really wasn't ready to stop nursing. Then came the night. I was dreaming that something (its all kind of a blur) was sucking on me and would not stop. (Imagine that) and I hit whatever it was. Instantly I woke up to find myself sleeping on my back with my little one draped across the top of me(a very creative nurser) and I had sort of lightly rapped his back with my knuckles. It didn't hurt him, he didn't even stir but I knew then that it was time. So it was decided to move the crib upstairs to the guest room. And then night weaning went something like this.

Night One-Sunday

I nursed him before I put him in bed and once again before I went to bed (he can sense when I'm ready to retire and always wakes up) I told Shiloh that the rest of the night was his. He had agreed this was the best way. So at the next awakening he went armed with a bottle of milk. Silas refused to take it and cried a lot so Shiloh snuggled up next to him on the guest bed and tried to sleep as Silas woke up every few minutes to wonder about me. I was blissfully unaware.



Next Day and Night Two-Monday



Silas was very happy to see me the next morning and nursed happily until he felt he had made up for the lost 7 hours. About 11:00 that morning I felt as if I came down with the flu. I somehow managed to survive with the children until Shiloh came home at five and I went to bed. and He decided to let Silas have a bottle while he walked around and played. It worked, he actually drank it then went happily to bed. Shiloh decided to go to bed upstairs armed with a sippy cup of water (because in his tired state Silas was sure to refuse the bottle) When Silas woke up Shiloh brought him to bed with him and gave him the cup. Instead of waking up and crying this time he would wake up and take a little sip and go back to sleep. In the morning he brought him to bed with me and he nursed and dozed a little before the girls came in requesting breakfast.



Night Three-Tuesday



As he was nursing this morning I realized I was super tender and figured out why I had the flu symptoms. I had a clogged duct. This was my first one and it seemed mild compared to other stories I have heard. But I couldn't believe this happened because of 7 hours of not nursing. The only way I knew was because my sister told me a while back this happened to her when her baby randomly slept through the night one time when she was about 7 months old. Any how that night I was still feeling poorly and again went to bed early and woke up when Shiloh came back to bed saying that Silas had had two bottles and he wanted to sleep in his own bed this time. Silas never woke up after that. Progress.



Night Four-Wednesday

Silas went to bed with a bottle and then nursed when I got home late after a girls night out (he instantly sensed when I got home) and then woke up just one time refused a bottle and actually wanted back into his own bed! Gasp. Once more we heard him fuss and didn't respond immediately and he went back to sleep for the night.



Tomorrow night we have a date planned and Samantha our great sitter will be here. We actually have hope that he will not wake up at all (at least until we get home) Can it be possible...