We never had a problem getting Prince to sleep. He could sleep anywhere and for the most part slept through the night. What he didn't want to do was feed directly from Mommy. So she spent long months pumping so that we had milk to feed him and I had the opportunity to feed him, day or night, from an early point. I felt very blessed. I remember more nights when he was a baby waking him up for another feeding than him waking me up.
I never had that chance with Princess because she was a good feeder and a bad sleeper (relative to Prince anyway). It took a lot of effort to get her to a place where she could sleep most of the night. Even as recently as last month we expected her to wake up once or twice during the night for yet another feeding. I couldn't feed her and I couldn't put her back to sleep. I felt left out.
Over Fall Break, we decided it was time to fade out the late night feedings. The way to do that was to send in Daddy who can't feed her to take care of her at night. Even though it's only been scarcely above a month, I am so thankful for this time with her.
She cries and I run right in to her. I hold her a moment then begin singing. As soon as I sing, she calms down. Within a verse she is calm enough to lay back on her mattress. Within 2-3 she is drifting back to sleep. It's so very sweet.
Things did not go all that smoothly that first week, of course. It's taken time to get to this happy relationship. I finally get to comfort my little one in the dark. And as expected, now that she doesn't get fed at night, she is much more likely to sleep through it.
Even though I'm just as glad when she does sleep through the night without waking, I cherish the precious moments holding my little daughter and having the power to calm her cries, wipe her tears, and restore the peace of sleep.
I never had that chance with Princess because she was a good feeder and a bad sleeper (relative to Prince anyway). It took a lot of effort to get her to a place where she could sleep most of the night. Even as recently as last month we expected her to wake up once or twice during the night for yet another feeding. I couldn't feed her and I couldn't put her back to sleep. I felt left out.
Over Fall Break, we decided it was time to fade out the late night feedings. The way to do that was to send in Daddy who can't feed her to take care of her at night. Even though it's only been scarcely above a month, I am so thankful for this time with her.
She cries and I run right in to her. I hold her a moment then begin singing. As soon as I sing, she calms down. Within a verse she is calm enough to lay back on her mattress. Within 2-3 she is drifting back to sleep. It's so very sweet.Things did not go all that smoothly that first week, of course. It's taken time to get to this happy relationship. I finally get to comfort my little one in the dark. And as expected, now that she doesn't get fed at night, she is much more likely to sleep through it.
Even though I'm just as glad when she does sleep through the night without waking, I cherish the precious moments holding my little daughter and having the power to calm her cries, wipe her tears, and restore the peace of sleep.
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