What a Nightmare!!! At Reese's last check-up, her doctor said by her 4-month appointment (which is in June), Reese needs to be able to get herself to sleep on her own. Ever since that visit, I have been dreading the start of sleep training. I tried once before, when Reese was about two weeks old and it was too horrible, so I quit. Also, training Reese to sleep in her bed for each of her naps, and being consistent to that end would mean staying home pretty much all day, every day.
I haven't been too strict about Reese sleeping in her bed, especially for naps. Reese has been really good about sleeping in her bed at night--we had a routine where I would feed her and rock her until she was almost asleep and then put her in her bed and she would do the rest. When she would wake up in the middle of the night, I would do the same and she would usually go right to sleep. Love that girl! But, Reese has had a harder time sleeping in her bed during the day for her naps, and certainly couldn't get herself to sleep on her own. I didn't mind rocking her and even holding her for her entire nap some days. Other days I would get her to sleep and then put her in her bouncer or her swing. But now I have to mean business...and it is the worst! It is worse than those first few days of breastfeeding...worse than the baby weight that I can't seem to get rid of...worse than waking up more than once a night for the last 11 weeks.
With so many books and so many methods to teach your baby how to sleep, it is impossible to know which is the best. And trying to figure it out is completely, emotionally exhausting! We started on Saturday night and after an hour of listening to my poor baby cry, I sacked out on the couch...and it was only 8 o'clock! The naps on Sunday didn't go much better. Tuesday brought the first sign of progress when Reese went to sleep on her own with minimal protest, but she still woke up prematurely and had a hard time getting back to sleep. With a trip to Montana coming up next week, I seriously considered giving up again...after all, they say traveling throws your baby's schedule off. But the thought of starting Night 1 over again is just too much for me.
I have to keep telling myself that Reese won't remember this torture, or that I knowingly subjected her to it. When does it get better?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
i feel for you taryn!! putting your baby on a schedule is so hard...but SO WORTH IT!! it takes about a week of torture (and i mean torture) but then you AND baby are much happier. i literally loved jagger more because i got more sleep, crazy. good luck.
Hi,
My name is Paula and somehow (I don't remember the connection) found your blog. I think your little girl is adorable and I feel your pain with sleep training. I have a 7 1/2 month old daughter and I found that Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbulth to be informative and insightful so you don't feel helpless (my sister and her two kids swear by it as well). Check it out because it addresses all the issues you just mentioned. I hope all goes well and good luck.
Tar this is not a good sign for me since my little guy already won't sleep in his bed even at night. Once you learn something that works you will have to teach me.
I feel for you girl My little miss as a horrible sleeper. It's true though. If you can get trough this tough part it will be SOOOOO worth it! She certainly won't remember it. Ava is a wonderful sleeper now! In fact, I have a little poem about what Reese is thinking when going through this. I'll have to send it to you when I find it. It's really cute and funny. Good luck!
You are making me proud! I am so glad you are figuring this all out so that you can help me:)
I'm thinking of you Tar. Sleeping was the hardest thing for me to figure out with my girls. I think it was finally when the girls were 5 months or so (we were traveling before that, and it does throw off things in my experience) we decided to let them fall asleep on their own. I was too exhausted of rocking both girls to sleep for every nap etc. It took some time for them to learn but like everyone else says, it is SO worth it in the end. They are happy, you are happy and it is a skill they need. I ditto on Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Baby. I remember the torture of listening to them cry at first though. I had to walk outside or put on headphones I think because I would give in and go get them! Call me for moral support if you need. :) The next sleeping milestone for us was getting them both to sleep through the night and that I hate to say didn't happen until MANY MANY months later. Happily we all sleep now though! Somehow the joy of having that sweet baby gets you through the exhaustion! Love ya- you're amazing!
I agree with the Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child suggestion. Both my kids are champion sleepers. The 1st few days of them crying to sleep are awful but it does get better. Hang in there.
Post a Comment