Friday, July 8, 2011

Our "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" Experience, Part 3 - The Second Day

7:23a - Woke up for the day.  Hungry!
8:53a - It hasn't been 2 hours yet, but he's showing signs big time signs of tiredness (slower movements, droopy eyes), so I put him down for a nap anyway.
8:55a - Crap.  He's crying.
9:20a - Quiet.  He cried for 25 minutes.
9:25a - Went to check on him.  He's asleep!
9:50a - Whimpering.  Dammit.  I'm not sure what to do because the book didn't really cover this, but I decide that since he has not been asleep for an hour yet, I'm going to leave him in his crib.
9:52a - He's back asleep.
11:50a - I decide to wake him up because 1) it was a long nap, and 2) it's time to meet Michael for lunch.
12:45p - He fell asleep in the car!  No!  The book said not to allow this.  I'm not sure how to prevent it.  Good thing it's a short trip to Costco.
1:35p - Fell asleep in the car AGAIN on the way home from Costco.
1:54p - Took him out of his carseat and tried to put him in the crib without waking him up.  Fail.
1:58p - Of course he's crying.
2:04p - He's asleep.
2:08p - He's screaming.  Hmmm.  He ate about 12:35, so he shouldn't be hungry.  He's supposed to be sleeping now.  Crap crap crap.  I decide to leave him.
2:36p - He's been quiet for a few minutes now, but I just now went to check to make sure he's asleep.  He is!
4:12p - Decide to wake him up.  The book says never to wake a sleeping baby... unless you're sleep training.  I am, so I do.
7:52p - Bedtime routine (no bath, diaper, massage, nurse, hold him until very drowsy/sleepy)
8:14p - Put in bed
8:27p - I hear whimpers
8:29p - Silence.  90 seconds of whimpers.
8:38 - Just went in to check.  He is most definitely asleep.
1:57a - Woke me up by making noise - not really crying.  It was mostly babbling.  Boy was HUNGRY!
2:19a - Whimpers :(
2:24a - Silence.  I get back in bed.
7:00a - I wake up to get ready for the day, and he's still sleeping soundly.
7:55a - I go to wake Atticus up for his big day today (four-month doctor's visit), and he is laying in the crib happily playing.  He's trying to swat a colorful bee I have hanging from a crib rail.

Was last night a success?  Um, YES.  I LOVE Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child!  It works!  He took 90 seconds to fall asleep at the start of the night, and he only woke once to eat.  This is a significant improvement from two nights ago when he woke up eleven times.

I understand that there is a lot of controversy regarding letting your baby cry it out.  Any reputable sleep training method that advocates crying it out DOES NOT mean that you should put your baby in their bed and listen to them scream for the hell of it.  You are supposed to learn and watch for signs of tiredness, and put them down then after all of their other needs have been met.  Will some babies protest (cry) if they don't want to go to sleep?  Yes.  Did mine?  Yes, for 49 minutes the first night and 90 seconds the second night.  I don't see that as any different than a baby crying because he wants to stick his finger in an electrical outlet, and you won't let him.

Yesterday, I thought he slept way too much.  I suppose he didn't because he slept a ton last night.  I noticed yesterday that his wakeful periods were much more happy and playful.  He was not fussy.  I am still EBFing, and BST (before sleep training), I was constantly questioning my supply because he always wanted to eat (snacking!), and I never felt full.  Yesterday, he had full meals at the breastaurant, and ate 6-7 times instead of 10-15.

I give yesterday an A!

2 comments:

  1. Seems to be working well for you! That's a good thing. Hope the nights continue to get better. :)

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