Self Sleep - 232 Days

A bit of a milestone last night. We've been at wit's end recently with your sleeping patterns (or lack of). You don't seem to need much sleep. A 30-40 minute nap suits you fine and 2 hour chunks of sleep at night seem to be enough for you.

Not fine for us though.

Compound this with the fact that getting you back to sleep after you wake up can take upwards of an hour...more sometimes. Recipe for two tired parents (though to be honest, it's your mama doing all the late night work).

I've been advocating for a bit more of the Cry It Out technique. Controversial for sure, it's a very difficult, heart wrenching thing to do. What made it easier for me was this though: you're a faker.

You are kid, sorry. A few nights back I wanted to let you cry for a bit at bed time. We gave you your final feeding, changed your diaper and put you into your crib fully awake. This you did not like.

You cried and wailed and made faces of agony. You appeared to be in pain beyond belief. We thought you might really be in pain. We wavered.

I picked you up and miracle of all miracles....you stopped crying. Instantly. And realizing your victory, you did something that would ultimately double our future resolve.

You smiled.

Before even picking you up I knew I was being conned. I felt it, yet was powerless. I picked you up. I caved. But when you stopped crying and then smiled, I knew round 2 would be mine. You overplayed your hand. 

Last night, with quiet determination, I took you upstairs at bedtime. Normally mama does this, but I had a plan. And I was sticking to it.

I fed you a half bottle of milk, giving you a chance to drink yourself to sleep (something you like). And it almost worked. When there were but a few drops off milk left your eyes were mostly closed. Had there been a few more ounces you probably would have made it.

But, with the bottle dry, you woke up and started to fuss. This was my cue. I stood up, placed you gently in your bed, and walked away...your screams trailing me down the stairs. 

Mama and I then just watched TV, with the ebb and flow of your cries drifting to the living room. Soon, all was quiet, so mama snuck upstairs to check. No dice. You were wide awake and playing.

Undetterred, we continued watching TV, while you went from babbling, to crying to quiet...and usually back to crying.

After some time, your cry became a whimper. Your babble became a burble. Then. Silence.

Suspecting it was another "I'll be quiet until they come upstairs" ploy, mama cautiously climbed the steps to check on you. To her amazement and delight...you were fast asleep!

You'd done it! Put yourself to sleep without mama's reassuring snuggle or a milk bottle. Granted, you were sideways and on your belly, tangled in a mess of swaddle blanket...but you were asleep.

Hallelujah.

You woke up several hours later and after a prolonged spell of crying, put yourself back to sleep again!

Not ready to say you've turned a corner just yet, but for a night, for this first battle of will...I think we all did very well. 

Sleep more little man. Dreams are a wonder.