After one lovely day we decided to take away the soother Alex was still using when going for naps or sleep.
It happened after we visited nearby pet farm. Alex loved the animal there, but some of them frightened her a little. Like a white horse she didn't expect when she turned her head in daddy's arm. The horse was standing just next to her and she nearly climbed up daddy's head to run away.
She loved the rabbits and other small animals, but when we took her in one of the sheds to see ducks and hens and rooster, she run away for a first time. She walked in and watch them all was so interesting, but then the rooster decided to great her with his kikiriki and that was what she didn't expect. While she was holding daddy's hand she turned around like a ballet dancer and run. It was sooo funny. She didn't cry, she was just surprised. But I think this day out affected her night time sleep that night.
She woke up about five times, which was already very unusual for her. The only thing that calmed her down was soother, but she spitted it out in a while and when she found out she doesn't have it, she woke up again and cried.
The following morning we decided to try one of the gentle techniques to get her off the soother. They say you should cut a little piece of the top to leave a little hole. The baby will decide when to stop using it. Either when she doesn't like it anymore, or there is nothing left to cut away.
Well I made probably slight mistake and cut the soother too much. Alex spitted it out as soon as I gave it to her. So there was nothing else we could do than to go with the sleep training technique to get her to sleep without it.
We thought it would be better if she's off the soother before the baby comes.
The first naps that day, there were two, were very difficult. We followed out routine to get Alex to sleep, but nothing seamed to work. She was crying and crying, but after a while we could recognise that the cry wasn't cry for a soother or distress, she was just testing us. She was angry and thought our patience wasn't strong enough and we will give in and bring another dummy.
We didn't! The worse part was falling asleep. Even though she had her comforter bunny in bed, warm milk before night time sleep and bed time story she cried. A lot! The first night she fell asleep after about 45 minutes crying and us constantly checking on her in agreed intervals. She woke up only once during the night, cried a little, but fell asleep within 10 minutes.
The next day was better. Alex fell asleep faster, but still not fast enough and didn't sleep for long during the day. During the night she woke up twice, but was sleeping again even faster.
Following day she slept only once during the day, but night time was even better. Fell asleep withing 15 minutes, only 5 minutes cry and didn't wake up at all.
We are now on day 5. We had already 3 nights without waking up at all and last night she was asleep as fast as with the soother. So mission accomplished. She still cries a little, but last night it wasn't even a minute long.
I'm very proud at her, no more soothers in the house. No need to do drastic measures. Just followed the sleep training routine we used for her before.
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