Nurturing Sleep

The story of a family of an early waking toddler.... written by Saul's mother.

 Helping your baby to sleep through the night does not have to mean the end of breastfeeding.

 For 6 months Saul would wake up, on average at 4.30am. and he was awake! there was not a change that he was going back to sleep. My husband and I tried everything: earlier bedtimes, later bedtimes. Nursing, then breaking the latch, putting him into his cot awake, and shush patting him to sleep. White noise. Blackout blinds. A sleep training clock. Bringing him to bed with us in the early morning. And at the age of 2 ½, a rewards chart. Occasionally Saul would generously allow us to sleep until 5, or 5.30am. Any parent who has endured these early wakings can tell you that they are a special circle of hell worthy of Dente.

 When I reached the point that all fellow suffers reach, that pinnacle of losing one's sanity, I realised I needed help. And fast.

 A dear friend recommended Ann, so I made the call. A warm, understanding, empathetic and encouraging coach and expert greeted me on the other end of the phone and later via our Skype session. Ann theorised that although Saul had some good sleep skills, he needed help to develop the skills that would enable him to put himself back to sleep at his naturally occurring wake cycle between 4 - 5 am.

 Ann also understood that I cherished my nursing relationship with Saul, especially the morning and evening times. So we slowly moved ourselves from bedtime nursing to nursing before Saul's bath. After Saul's bath, we would read and tell him a story. We would put him to bed, and then he would put himself to sleep. This was the single biggest change.

After a week of loving consistency, bolstered by the many emotional tools that Ann advised we implement, out new routine was set and Saul began to wake past 6am. After a few more days he played quietly in his cot until his sleep clock told him he could call for us at 6.30am.

 In the months following our sleep work with Ann, Saul's early wakings have stopped and he rarely wakes in the middle of the night. He also transitioned easily into his big boy bed and plays quietly in his room until he knows he can wake us. My husband and I have enjoyed our first 8 hours of uninterrupted, blissful sleep in 2 ½ years.

 As Saul's 3rd birthday approaches, our nursing relationship continues. For any mother who is told she must give up nursing in order for her baby or toddler to sleep through the night, I say nonsense.

 First make that call to Ann....

by Saul's mother, September 2014.