The pediatrician gave me the green light to sleep train. He said that T is physically capable of sleeping 10-12 hours and that he trained his own son at four months. He said the first two nights the baby cried for over an hour, but he's slept straight through ever since. Sounds familiar. So I guess the question is - do I have the balls?
I don't know. Tonight I let him cry at 10 pm because I was pumping and I just can't give in to his waking every three hours, especially in the evening when he's just been fed. It would be so much easier if we slept in separate rooms! I may have to get up and sleep on the couch. I'm not sure how I'm going to pull this off. But I do feel slightly bolstered that the ped gave his green light. After all, T is nearly five months. I have a feeling if I worked full time in a stressful job I wouldn't put up with being woken up all night; but because I can (sort of) laze around in the mornings I let things slide that I otherwise wouldn't.
I am definitely getting to the end of my rope with the bad sleeping, though. I am determined not to let it go a whole year like I did last time...it's just a question of how long before I lay down the law?
I did the Ferber method and it worked really well. Of course, Jordyn was much older at the time, but i think you can do it with a younger infant. The book was fantastic and spelled out every little thing, pretty much. I highly recommend it. Good luck - I don't blame you one bit for wanting to get better sleep!!
ReplyDeleteI really fought sleeping in a different room, because I didn't want to give up my bed. And I had a big bedroom, so I thought -- how much difference could it really make? she's not right next to me.
ReplyDeleteUm, it makes ALL the difference in the world. It's SO worth it. Three nights and you will probably be done. You won't believe how good you feel. When was the last time you slept through the night and weren't pregnant? Three years ago? You won't believe how good it feels.
Also, it doesn't get easier as they get older... on the contrary, it gets harder because they are more stubborn and have better memories. So just bite the bullet and do it! Stock up on wine, perhaps. And trust me... he will NOT remember this. and he will be a happier baby when he's well rested. Promise.
I have no advice for you on cry it out - I sucked at it with Finn and know I'd be the same with Z. But I can tell you that I started Z on solids at about 4.5 months or so. This week I finally got around to giving him real food at suppertime, instead of nursing. My sleep has been amazingly good since I started that. Fluke? I don't know, but it's amazing. Last night I slept so well I actually had dreams. Real, complex, crazy-assed dreams! Just something to consider if you're a CIO wimp like me. ;)
ReplyDeleteI think there is an in between of CIO and picking him up each and every time and/or feeding him to calm him down. When he wakes up and cries for a few minutes, go to his room and rub his little belly but don't pick him up and don't talk to him other than a "Sssshhhh.". Walk out of his room and repeat if he cries for a few minutes. He doesn't need to be fed, he needs help learning to self soothe. So... yes, you are going to have to maybe get up with him a few times, but you won't feed him, and he'll soon learn to put himself back to sleep. And yes, he is capable of sleeping 10-12 hours because Sidekick was doing that at nine weeks old. I had to use the above suggestion during naps because he was a horrible napper!
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