Ah, to sleep again.
We went to Olive's six-month appointment on Monday. She's looking good; she falls into the 75-90% for her age in weight and height. My most pressing question for the doctor was regarding her sleeping habits. (When she was one-month old, she was sleeping ten hours every night without any feedings. She kept this lovely habit up until about four-months old. Then she started waking up in the middle of the night. THEN we went on vacation and it turned into several times a night. EEK! I was wondering how I could get back to the lovely ten-hour nights!)
The doctor's first question was what I was doing when she woke up in the middle of the night. I told him I was feeding her. Even as I was saying it, I knew it was the problem. He said that we have basically taught her that she can't go to sleep or go back to sleep unless she's fed. I have totally known this (since we usually have to feed her into the coma). But I was avoiding it, I guess. After all, she won't take a pacifier, doesn't suck on her thumb--nothing to self-pacify. I told him that we have tried to let her scream it out a couple of times, but after 15 minutes she is usually in a rage and sometimes spits up and chokes. I have had to sit her up a couple of times and whack her on the back. He said she needs to concentrate on something to help get herself to sleep. A mobile, a night light, a shadow on the wall, something. And of course, check on her if she spits up and chokes, but other than that, tough it out.
I decided to give her a blankie and Pooh bear since she likes to chew on her blankets. We also put some soft classical music on.
Monday: screamed an hour before nap, an hour before bed, an hour in the middle of the night. Good grief!
Tuesday: screamed forty-five minutes before naptime, an hour before bed, didn't wake up in the middle of the night. YES!!
Wednesday: repeat.
Thursday: repeat, except she woke up at 5:30 a.m. instead of her normal 7:00 a.m. :(
Friday: repeat, but he screaming times are getting shorter.
Saturday: fussed five minutes before nap, 10 minutes before bed.
So that's where we're at. I don't think I have as hard of a time letting her cry as some people do (Kevin), mostly because I'm glad I don't have to jog around the house anymore. Wish us luck for an even better week!
This is kind of funny, really. Before you know it, those little tiny people have you trained like a well-mannered puppy. And I don't know anything about that--I've only heard it can happen. xoxo
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys are figuring it out.
ReplyDeleteHehehe, I love your mom's comment.
ReplyDeleteDid she just magically start sleeping 10 hours at night at 1 month, or did you do something to get her to do that?
I hope you find something that works...if not I found a great book that really helps with the sleeping issues, with very minimal crying on both sides!! Good luck you guys!
ReplyDeleteYeah that's just crazy. Cody still wakes in the night sometimes and he's 2! I just ignore him usually :) Like a good mother would! HA!
ReplyDeletedoesn't much cuter then that picture right there!
ReplyDeleteOh the sleeping patterns of a child. I think it I'd more "normal" for them to wake up and not sleep all night than it is for them to consistently sleep all night! Kaitlyn still struggles with this. In between teething and sickness...it messes up any so called schedule that you try to put them in. I can't do CIO. Kaitlyn screams and throws up every time! Instead what I have to do is rock her to sleep and then lay her down. Then when she wakes up in the night if she isn't needing a diaper change then we have just been letting her cry herself back to sleep...which by that point she only cries for 5 to 10 minutes and falls right back to sleep. She's been doing lots better but it's still so up in the air. I wish there was one secret to cure all babies of sleep issues...but every kid is different and I think what works for one doesn't work for another. The joy of parenting! I hope you find something that will help both of you get more sleep! She is a doll by the way! I love her little chubby rolls! I want to bite her!
ReplyDeletei totally know how you feel! Sleep training is such a hard thing to do! It's hearbreaking. But just remember that you're teaching her how to get herself to sleep and that is a wonderful and important thing for her to know how to do. She needs lots of sleep to grown and progress so you're doing the right thing! Keep it up and good luck! It'll be so worth it.
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