Success - In My Eyes, Anyway...

Last night, after spending most of the previous night in Roanen's bed, I decided that I was thoroughly sick of nursing him at night. On Saturday night he stayed at Grammie and Grampa's, and although he was wakeful and restless he survived without nursing, and best of all I didn't have to pump because it seems like I'm losing my milk so I wasn't painfully full. So I read up on the Baby Whisperer book, braced myself for a sleepless night, and went ahead with the plan to not nurse him at all through the night, no matter how upset he got. My first mistake was not putting him to bed early enough, so he was overtired when I finally brought him upstairs. Instead of lying down with him and pretending to sleep so he would fall asleep, I just sat beside him with the light off (and nightlight on) and kept lying him down. He got really upset and just wanted to be held, so when he got really hysterical I would hug him and let him put his head down until he settled down and got quiet again, then I would lay him down again (acceptable by the Baby Whisperer apparently). It took from 8:05 to 8:45 for him to fall asleep, then I got ready for bed because I figured I would need the extra sleep. As soon as I got into bed at 9:18 he started fussing. He chugged half a cup of water, then I did what I had done at bedtime and he fell back to sleep after 12 minutes (amazing, since I expected him to scream for at least an hour every time he woke up). The rest of the night proceeded like this, with me putting him back down the same each time:

• Wake at 11:14 (1 hr 45 minute sleep stretch - Russ had a shower and it woke him up)
• 13 minutes to get back to sleep, asleep at 11:27
• Wake at 1:56 (2 hr 29 minute sleep stretch)
• 13 minutes to get back to sleep, asleep at 2:09
• Wake at 3:43 (1 hr 34 minute sleep stretch)
• 8 minutes to get back to sleep, asleep at 3:51
• Wake at 6:50 for good, in a very happy mood (2 hr 59 minute sleep stretch)

He slept for a total of 9 hours and 19 minutes and was only awake a total of 46 minutes over the course of the night. I understand that this really doesn't look very good, but this is the child that has never gone a night at home without being nursed. I also heard him wake up a couple of times and put himself back to sleep, which he has never done before either. There finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, although he adapts very well to things right away, then everything falls apart usually. I'm determined to not let him nurse through the night anymore, and I expect that he will be completely weaned within a week (boobs allowing). We'll see how he does tonight after getting his one year shots today (boo). I have hope again though!