I've been thinking a lot on children's sleep habits latley. I want the best for my son of course and has thought deeply about what is best for him. We were at my son's sheck up as we do every month or so. The nurse talked last time we were there about sleep habits. She said that at about 6 months it might be a good idea to consider not breast-feed him during the night. Now the child does not need the nutrition during the night anymore.
She also said that if he is not already doing so, it might be good for him tp sleep in his own bed. The reason for this is that it is easiest to teach him these things now at 6 months. Because when he gets eight months, he will enter a phase of dependent. This means that he will be very dependent on the mother and shy with other people. She said that it is not good to change rutines during this period because the child already has it really hard during this period.
My son is already sleeping in his own bed (for the most part), and he has done so since he was 2 months, but he sleeps in our bedroom. I decided to try not to breastfeed him during the night hours. I tried for the first time last night. It went very well. He was of course sad but I did not take him out of bed, but I gave him the pacifier instead and patted him gently on the head. Then he fell asleep right away! I'm so glad it went well. I hope it goes as well tonight.
All you mothers out there what have you done/are going to do with this sort of thing??
1 Lovley thoughts:
This is the same thing we were told when we had our 2 daughters. Our first started sleeping through the night at 5 months (mashAllah) and she started out in a crib. Our second didn't want to sleep in a crib from day one, it was harder and took all our effort to make sure she slept in her own bed and by the time she was a month she did....even for naps I'd try to sneak her in her bed after she fell asleep and she always seemed to know and wake up ahhhh it was hard! Feedings were just as hard, they say at six months to not do noght feedings because that's when they should be sleeping through the night, she was 7.5 months when that happened. We would give her water since she spit the pacifier out (she prefers her thumb). I personally agree with the advice the nurses gave, it's better for everyone in the long run and the more rest for the mom = a happier mom and a less stressed mom. :D
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