Sleep Training... Ugh.

This may not be for all of you. That is my disclaimer. I am a firm believer in baby sleeping in her own room in her own bed, and sometimes using the cry-it-out method, but I seem to be a bit more gentle than others. Once they are old enough and big enough, sleeping through the night (7:30pm-7:30am) should be encouraged because sleep is so critical for babies- really for all of us. We decided to use a simple comfort/cry method to wean her from her night feeding. We knew she would cry- babies cry! But we always made sure it wasn't a hurt or scared cry. She was usually just tired and wanted attention. This is what worked for us.

Piper is a year old now. I told myself that I would give her a full year to wake at night and not worry about it until then. She now takes a bottle, only wakes once (sometimes none!), sometimes won't eat during the night, and is big enough to sleep through. So when my husband offered to help me, I took him up on it.

The first night that we planned for my husband to get up with her came- and she slept through on her own! She hadn't done this in months! Figures.

The next night was rougher. She and Daddy were up from about 4:30am to 6:30am. Our plan was for him to go in, comfort her, offer water from a sippy cup if needed, and put her back to sleep. It didn't go so well. He came back to bed and we listened to her wailing on the monitor. I told him she may want him to stand there and rub her back and reassure her. He said that she just wanted attention, and that it wouldn't help. I said that she didn't know how to put herself back to sleep yet, and she needed a little help while she learned. He went back in. She continued to cry. I finally hit a breaking point and stormed out of bed. I made a bottle and opened the door to her room to find her quiet and Daniel rubbing her back. I waited in the kitchen for a few minutes and eventually went back to bed. She was finally asleep, and my husband was very tired.

The third night she slept through the night. She's such a little teaser.

The fourth night she woke up at 3:50am, a pretty normal time. Daniel went in, comforted her and came back to bed. She was quiet for awhile. I had taken a Benadryl the night before because I had terrible allergies, and my head was a little groggy. I kept hearing her fuss on and off. I reached over a few times to Daniel and asked if he was going in. As soon as he would get up to go, she quieted. He never went in again that night, and she slept until morning! Hurray! We're making progress!

 This went on for almost 2 weeks (as in, her sleeping through the night!), until she got sick... then it was a night awake like no other, I had to sleep in her room and get up often... After that, she went to waking once a night and NEEDING a bottle. Last night, she slept through the night again. Yes! We're well on our way!

So this is where we are. I am beginning to realize that her sleeping through the night may never be a 'permanent' thing- children get sick, or scared, or wake just because and need their mommy. And I'm okay with that. But for now, mommy is getting a few more zzz's which makes this household a whole lot more lively and happy!