Learning to sleep without mommy – Part 1
Well, it is almost the end of the year and that means our Project #2 is coming into the picture again (I’m not the least bit excited this time – not sure why). We are actually behind schedule as our project was closed after numerous unsuccessful tries earlier this year. So, in order to give ourselves more ‘chances’, PiggyBeng thought we should try earlier than the planed Jan – March 2008 period.
As I had the worst-worstcase of morning sickness and nausea when I was preggy with Darrius and has to be admitted into the hospital for 3 days, it casted a negative spell in me. However, I can’t be possibly running away just because of that… But then my current worries are not about the morning sickness. Instead, Darrius is my major concern. What will happen if I have to leave (in case I kena admitted for bad nausea again) him with his daddy if he must have me when he goes to bed at night?
Since birth, the Lil’ fella has never been separated from me, not even for a night. He is with me practically 24 hours a day except for a few occasions where he followed my parents for a few hours but he never sleep without me at night in his entire life. Therefore, this will be the hardest part… sleeping without mommy at night.
I think among all the daddies, PiggyBeng is one of the luckiest. Since Darrius joined us, he was hardly ‘disturbed’ and can still have his 7 to 8 hours of beauty sleep every day. As I breastfed Darrius directly and exclusively, PiggyBeng do not have to wake up to help with the feedings nor changing of diapers. The only time that Darrius was a little ‘kacau’ was when we first moved back to Penang after my confinement and he hadstuffy nose which made him cried non stop for about 3 weeks. And that was it… everything was smooth sailing after that without any major dramas at night… except that time when I was weaning him off my breasts as well as his teething episodes but PiggyBeng still can have undisturbed sleep… partly because he can sleeps like a log most of the time.
So, about 3 nights ago, I let PiggyBeng tuck the Lil’ fella in. It was no easy feat. Darrius cried and screamed for almost 15 minutes after PiggyBeng switched off the light. I went up to check but Piggybeng told me to leave. The crying did not stop and ended up he has to carry the Lil’ fella down where he continued to cry and only wanted me to carry him. He even told Piggybeng ‘daddy go away!‘ and ‘mommy carry‘ many times. However, I have to be a heart of steel and refrained from carrying him but went up together with him to the room. That means, first night was a failure.
Then came the second night. We let Darrius play till he was extremely tired before PiggyBeng brings him up. He thought I will be going up so he still bid me goodbye happily and said ‘see you!‘. Then after 20minutes or so I heard him crying and screaming again but I decided not to go up this time and let him be. Then after some 15 minutes later, it was complete silence… yahoo! According to PiggyBeng, he let Darrius play ‘football’ in the room and he was really tired out after that. Though he still refused to sleep when his daddy switched off the light but I guess his tired little body can’t take it any longer so he fell asleep.
PiggyBeng was pretty happy so we tried for the 3rd time which was last night. Same thing happened again… the cries and screaming in the first 10 minutes after PiggyBeng light-off. Darrius was very tired last night as he did not take a long nap so that’s why he can doze off pretty fast. I am keeping my finger crossed that he can do better tonight…
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I think I slept with my parents until kiddergarden
I also sleep with my parents till I was almost 10.
We only want to train Darrius to sleep without having me in the room.
Still a long way till we let him sleep in his own room by himself.
wow really not easy to wean off the kid huh…was just talking about my brother’s kids, same thing la…the mother is always travelling and she didn’t do this exercise…so suffer la whoever the babysitter!
Wah, why your SIL never train the kids up 1st.
Kesian lar the kids have to go through the truma of missing mommy.
Ethan can sleep without me but we haven’t try to let him sleep alone in another room. Don’t know how or when to start.
If Ethan can sleep without you, probably you can start training him to sleep in his own room.
It’s good to start early as he is still quite ignorant. Darrius is more mature now so it’s quite
tough for us and for him. He is too used to have us around him.
Oooh, the *playing football* trick just might work… gonna employ that soon. And all the best for the 3rd night!
Hehe… yeah chasing after the ball tiring so used up his batteries.
Ai ya, really not easy, my girl 5 years old still sleep with me, and I don’t bother lah. Don’t worry so much about next baby, things will just go smoothly sooner or later. Be confidence, sure you, hubby and Darrius will get over it.
Thanks for the kind words…
Just hope everything will go smoothly…
So far so good I guess..
Hey that will wear off soon! Speaking from experience lah! I tagged you today! Hope you don’t mind! Cheers and have a blessed long week-end coming up!
http://jangbokjae.blogspot.com/2007/10/seo-meme.html
Thanks for the tag… will do it but have to wait a bit… hehhee
I have a lot on the queue.
haiya… same thing here… my gal cannot sleep with her bouncer, I also wish can wean her off but her crying and screaming made MIL give up & carry her away. So, MIL take care of her sleep lorr… now even worst since she refuse to sleep even in bouncer, MIL use stroller! OMG! Me? “mou ngan tai”…. even harder to wean her now. Hope our kids can outgrow this sooner… yeah, perhaps before no.2 coming…
The weaning is not easy. It took me quite a while too but have to persevere.
You have to persevere..luckily Ian was easy, just say good night and switch off the light, a kiss and that’s it. If he cries, just go up and see if everything is alright and good night and close the door..sounds easy..he will get used to it then you will be fine..good luck!
Wah you Ian so independent.
I can’t wait for the day I can put Darrius to sleep by himself in his own room.
As for now, he still have to sleep with us since there’s no extra room here.
aiyoh…. poor boy la. but its good to let him sleep on his own w/o you ard or even PB. who knows, one fine day both of you will be travelling and its just impossible to bring the lil fella along (dont know travel where la)…
oscar sleeps on his own in our room when he is abt 1 plus… probably bcos i dont bf him so he is not so attached to me la
not a good sign hor?
Yalor… the whole idea is to train him to be slightly more independent and it will be easier for everyone.
Son’t worry about the attachment lar… Oscar is very attached to you mah…
Yeah, it’s a good thing you steeled yourself and let Daddy put him to sleep. My hubby struggled too when I traveled earlier but after the 3rd night, the little guy can sleep with him already. Hubby also had to try fun tactics (can’t remember liau) – the football one sounds good! LOL
We are planning for #2 next year too – hope that we can go down that road together-gether again!!!
So are you going to give birth in China or here in Penang?????
Bryan is worst! he’ll force himself to vomit cause he know taht is a sure fire method for daddy to take him out of the room, or for me to go in.
Aiyoh… so drama one ah Bryan?
heng Darrius is not so tricky yet….
I think a couple more tries and he’ll adjust. I know it must be heartbreaking to hear Darrius cry like that but hang on, soon it’ll be ok.
Btw, your PB really lucky to have you as a wifey. If The Big Kid sleeps like a log, I’d probably whack his sorry a** for not helping with midnite feeds. LOL. *evil woman*
Yeah, it was heartbreaking but we just have to do what we need to do…
Direct feeding also he can’t help much… so he is spared! LOL
Thank goodness my daughter is not choosy who accompany her to sleep…
Guess this was our doing since the beginning… so he’s too attached to me.
i’ve been sleeping with brandon too. still haven’t find the right bunk bed for his room yet. the thing is, he wakes up to use the potty at night, so i think i still probably need to be with him even if he is in his own room.
I think it is better to train when he is younger… if not will be like Darrius…
It is hard.. but you are doing the right thing. Chloe doesn’t co-sleep with us.. but putting her to bed.. can be such a fight.! she doesn’t sleep till midnite.. and wakes up like anytime she wants in the middle of the nite..
Bad thing about my brat is .. donch wanna sleep and eat..!
Weird why Chloe don’t like sleeping huh?
Anyway, she looks ok and healthy so not to worry too much.
Maybe you really need to tired her out so she can have a good slumber.
hahaha..me is training my maid to put my boys to sleep. But so far fail! It will end up Fearles scream and cry and till vomit! *faint*
Aiyoh, poor Fearles… same like shooi’s son… also will vomit.
Maybe a few more nights he will be fine… I think Darrius is getting there.
At least Piggypeng is willing to try. My man just tell me: “Your daugther doesn’t want me lah”and left the room…
I think I must force my man to try now!!!!
PiggyBeng also like that but he desperate for #2 so die-die also will do LOL!
It’s good that you start training him now before #2 comes. My friend started late(when she was pregmant with 2nd one) and now the older one refused to sleep on his own coz of the younger one.
My girl started sleeping on her own after confinement nanny left
So it was easy for us…
Hope Darrius will adjust to it soon…
Yeah, that was what worries me… I might not be able to be with him all the time if I got preggy.
So, better do it now to save him from being extreme truma.
[...] about the Part 1 and Part 2 of this series? In fact we almost achieve quite good results before PiggyBeng left for [...]