Hi,
We moved our daughter to her own crib (beside our bed) almost a month ago and I've been sleep deprived ever since. We co-slept since day 1 of being home from the hospital was hoping to co-sleep for a longer time but, at 6 months, something changed and my daughter wouldn't sleep (arch her back and whine loudly) in bed with us after being nursed anymore. When we put her in her own crib (which we had gotten in case she starts rolling and crawling), she fell to sleep immediately. Nursing to sleep while co-sleeping made my first 6 months with my daughter great. I was hardly sleep deprived, but now that she is in the crib, she still wakes up as if we were bed sharing. I feel so sleep deprived and cranky and occasionally depressed and I would like some suggestions on how to improve the situation. I would just like a game plan that I can stick to.
She sleeps on her own (lie down awake) by 6pm and then sleeps for 4-5 hours on her own the first stretch. I then happily give her a full feeding, offering both breasts, at around 10-11 pm and my husband, dog, and I go to bed. The night waking then starts with no clear pattern. Sometimes it's every 2.5 hours. Sometimes it's 3, then 2, then 1. IOn most days (when there's not teething or developmental milestones bugging her) she naps well, total 3-3.5 hours of naps in the day.
So my questions.
1) I'm hoping to have at least 4 hour stretches of sleep because I know she can go without 4-5 hours of eating. I would love for her to sleep from her first waking and then wake up anytime between 3-5 for her second wakening and sleep till (sigh) 6. I am just starting to do Pantley method and was wondering if anybody has had success with this. I am also exploring other gentle weaning methods; a version of Jay Gordon's (too young?) perhaps, but I'd like to be convinced that the Pantley can work even if it'll take me weeks.
2) She's able to sleep 5 hours straight when we are not in the room but she wakes up every 2 hours when we finally sleep with her. Does this have to do with hunger, a lighter sleep cycle after the first sleep cycle, or me being close to her? Should I move her cot a bit further from us?
Thanks for everyone's time and advice!