I think I'm the queen of the parenting board right now. Sorry if you're sick of me!!!

Gave the paci up about 10 days ago. Sleeps all night fine, if she wakes at night she goes right back to sleep, going through a phase of not wanting to go to sleep but that started before the paci (see other thread). Not related to this.

I fully expected that she would have trouble either getting to sleep or waking in the night without the paci. HOWEVER - it's the morning or waking during a nap when I think she's missing the paci. About half the nights without the paci now, she wakes around 5am just screaming. She can't get herself back to sleep it seems if it's after 5am. What I have found though is that if I go to her, pick her up and sit in the rocking chair, she's back to sleep within 5 min. but doesn't want to be put back down. I think *I'm* the replacement comfort for the paci but only in the early morning.
I don't want to start getting her a drink or holding her while she snoozes every morning at 5:00. I feel positive that it's the paci she needs to get back to sleep during that 5-7am time where she's probably sleeping lighter anyway. How should I handle it? Should I go to her and encourage her snuggle comfort (stuffed dog) and leave? Should I just let her cry? At first I thought I should just let her cry, but then I realized after a few days of this that I think she needs the paci then and doesn't know what to do without it. She hasn't said a word about the paci, but did ask for a teething ring once (which I did not give her).

I want to help her get through it. She's ALWAYS been a singer/talker when she wakes up, either from a nap or night. Just so sweet during those times, and happy. All of a sudden she's being traumatized. I guess my question is, should I try to comfort her without getting her out of the crib (with another comfort item) or let her cry? She cried for about 30 min. this morning, I finally went to her, she fell asleep pretty quickly on me, I put her back down, she cried for 20 more min. I just got her up and she seemed really tired. I don't think she wanted to get up, just wanted the paci comfort to get her back to sleep.

If she cries out or wakes at 2am or in the middle of the night, she's fine. She goes right back to sleep. 5-6 though, and she just can't do it since that paci is gone.

By Kittycat_26 on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 07:39 am:

Is her room very dark at that time? It might be easier for her to get back to sleep at 2am because it is still dark out.

Just a thought.

By Reds9298 on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 07:49 am:

Good thought, but we actually have a blanket over her window during the summer because it's still light at 9:30 here! So it's always really dark in there, even during the day. Thanks for the suggestion.
Also, she doesn't wake in the middle of the night very often, but is more likely to early like I mentioned.

By Amecmom on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 11:06 pm:

I noticed that when I put a leak proof sippy cup (the only time she uses one) in her crib, Helen stopped crying at night. She could wake,take a little drink of only water on her own and then fall asleep.

Perhaps putting a sippy cup in there for her will allow her to satisfy her sucking need by driking some water and let her get to sleep on her own.

Good luck.
Ame