Would love some more advice...CIO isn't working (Bethany just gets more wound up and ends up puking) but dh and I just can't do the up-every-hour thing anymore.

Here's what we've tried:
1. No Cry Sleep Sol'n--worked fairly well until she learned to stand up in her crib

2. CIO--1/5 weeks of nonstop screaming followed by puking and crabiness during the day

3. Giving only bottles (sippy cups) at night (instead of nursing)--we're even more tired than just nursing, as it involves going to get the cup, warming it, and fighting with her to drink it.

Bethany's almost a year old and her ped wants her to take in more calories during the day. I'm supposed to be pumping most of my milk and giving it to her in a cup so we can measure what she's taking in; however, it is he** trying to feed her this way at night. How did you guys stop night nursing/night feeding? I can't seem to find good information anywhere (that doesn't make me feel guilty for not wanting to enjoy all those tender moments nursing my toddler all night...)

Thanks!

Awww This situation sucks. I'm so sorry.

Yeah, CIO doesn't work with some of these guys. Like you said it makes them sicker. I couldn't do it with Eric either. That, and I'm a wuss. LOL

When I stopped sleep feedings it wasn't a problem because Eric didn't care about eating at all. I just waited for him to stir and I would go and make a bottle and give it to him 3 or 4 times a night. It was the only time he would eat so I used it. When I stopped he just fell back to sleep, cus he didn't want me coming in anyway. So I haven't been in your shoes at all, but I'll try to help anyway.

Does she hate it when you offer a cup at night? If she does then keep it up. I think eventually she'll just say "hey, forget it. It's not worth the effort, I'll just go back to sleep." It may take a while for it to sink in that's she's not going to get what she wants. But if it works eventually it's so worth the effort, and so worth the hard times. She'll be more well rested and she may even eat better during the day like Eric did.

Maybe try this:
Go in with a cup and if she doesn't want it and won't eat (Keep in mind that you don't really want her to, and your goal is to have her eat more during the day), try calming her a little (I know easier said than done) and putting her back to bed even if she's still awake and you know she's just going to cry. Make her wait a couple minutes, heck just one if you can't stand it, and go in and offer the cup again. Keep doing this as you add more time to her wait (even if you just add 30 seconds to her wait) till either she takes the darn cup or gives up.

When Eric's not feeling well and waking at night. I give him 5 minutes before I go in (unless he's in panic mode, then I go in immediately). If he still needs me (He needs to be held upright in my arms so he can choke burp and swallow a minute or 2) I go in do my thing and then leave. If he still won't sleep he has to wait another 5 minutes for me. I go in, do my thing and leave again. Usually this does the trick, but there are times when he still won't sleep, and if that happens he has to wait 10 minutes (as long as he isn't freaking out. I take freaking out very seriously, because if I let it go too long like you said he'll just make things worse for himself). He's never needed more than the 10 minute thing. Thank God because 10 minutes is so hard. Usually 5 does the trick. I feel so guilty when doing this, but it has helped his sleep so much, and I get a big thank you every morning.

The thing is you want to want to do this to have it work. Is it important to you that the night nursing stop, or is it something the doctor wants? If you seriously want this and feel it would benefit everyone, then keep your goal in mind and stick to it. Even if it means no sleep for you and DH for weeks. Like I said it's so worth the effort and hard times if it's the goal you want for your family.
If you don't feel it's the best thing then don't worry about it and do what you "feel" is best for the moment you are in.
Remember it's YOUR decision to make, but it has to be one or the other. Going back and forth every night will just make things worse and more confusing.
It's also important to know how DH feels about things. Is he going to support you during "tough love" times? What are his limits and feelings on this?

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I hope things start going more smoothly, and Bethany starts eating like a piggy all day. :)

It's me again,
What about no sippy cup? What about just rocking or soothing without any food? Maybe the cup is pissing her off more than no food at all would. It may be waking her more having to tackle that task, than it would to just not get anything but love.

Poor baby :(

Eric didn't like booby or bottles, any food, cuddles, or rocking. It sucked but it made things easier now that I can look back on it. He didn't really want anything from me except to help his food go down by holding him up. So no addictions, but he made me feel so helpless.

The only thing I could find online was this from Dr. Sear's. It's called "Night Weaning: 12 Alternatives to the All-Night Nurser".

I read it and some would be difficult for a refluxer, like #2....how do you tank up a kid during the day when they won't eat!?!?!

But, I thought you might like reading it....

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/t070800.asp

Thanks for all the advice--I do happen to like Dr. Sears and Elizabeth Pantley (Just went out today and happened to find the No Cry Sleep Sol'n for Toddlers!! New book!!).

Both her ped and I agree that we want to stop the night nursing. I want to stop so that we can *finally* hopefully sleep; he wants her to stop so that she'll take more calories during the day and so we can better measure her food/liquid intake.

When she awakens, sometimes it's b/c she needs to be held upright/burp, sometimes she just needs a pat or two and, often, it's b/c she wants to nurse. She roots around over my jammy top looking for it, then begins biting if I don't offer :shock: . It breaks my heart, as I know she'll stop crying and go back to sleep if I just offer the breast; however, that just isn't going to help anything in the long run. Often she just uses me as a human pacifier. I do think that at almost a year, we really shouldn't still be awakening more than 4 times a night (her average is b/t 6 - 8x).

BTW--she doesn't like the cup for night feedings (we use the Avent soft sippers) and will only take, at most, an ounce or two. Perhaps we'll just keep up the giving-only-the-cup-at-night routine.

Thanks so much for your help! I should really pay you guys for all the advice you've given for all my GERD issues... :notworth:

Hi Mary..
SOrry about the having to get up 4 times a night thing!! :shock: :shock: The boys have me up probably twice or so at night between the pair of them. We cut the night feeds at around 5 1/2 months though and they started sleeping 7pm-5am and we have now managed to get them to sleep until 6am. We routine fed so, it was just a matter of extending the time in between at night time.
It's hard work trying to get a littlie to stop waking at night. Unfortunately some babies/toddlers don't sleep through until they are 3 or 4. :shock:
You must be exhausted!!! Sorry, no wise words there, but just wanting to give you ((HUGS))