We tried sleep training once and I botched it big time. A month ago maybe I couldn't handle being up in the middle of the night for hours at a time so I decided that this was it, sleep training had to start. I gathered advise from my friends who had done it and we started with the Ferber method -you let your child cry but check on him every 5/7/10/15 minutes. We decided to go and check on him every 5 minutes. The first night, he cried for 50 minutes. Joe checked on him and I finally picked him up and rocked him until he was drowsy -at that point I put him back to bed. That is called "pick up, put down" or PUPD in the baby-friendly acronym lingo. The second night he cried for 30 minutes and 20 minutes the 3rd night. After that, I don't know. I might have stopped sleep training right there. The pick ups became more frequent and I put him down sleepier and sleepier. Sleep training was officially a bust. He keeps on waking in the middle of the night for hours at a time and I keep on wishing I knew what to do.
For the past few nights it has become worse. That might be because he's teething, but that might also be because he's 6 months old and understand that crying will get us to him bedroom stat. It's taken a long time to put him back to bed in the middle of the night and tonight he flat out refused to be rocked or to be put down in his crib. My over tired baby wanted to play! So that's it: we're doing sleep training again. Joe told me to take a walk, but it's cold and dark outside. I might watch something on Netflix with headphones on. Uh. I just don't know what else to do. I have tried rocking, patting, feeding, shushing, walking. Nothing seems to work. So Ferber method, here we come. Again.
I heard somewhere that ALL sleep training methods works as long as parents are consistent. So let's try to be.
Have you dealt with sleep issues? What worked?
2 comments:
Just yelling, "go the f* to sleep!" usually works for us...
Ha, just kiddin' ya. Isla doesn't have sleep issues but Shea has never slept very soundly. When he has his periods of sleeplessness, we make sure he's physically alright and then we ignore all the rest of the crying and complaining. But that's for an older child. I wouldn't know what to do with an infant! If Isla won't go to sleep it's 'cause she's hungry. Is little Leo getting a bottle or nursing right before sleep time? She absolutely must have a full tummy before naps and bedtime. Good luck Johanna! You can do it! Thinking of you...
Hang in there, mama. I am inclined to give more advice, but I won't because I think you are fully equipped to help the whole household get some better sleep in the weeks ahead. Please put headphones on, though...really. Otherwise it won't work :-) oh, and make a plan for what you'll do *if* and then stick to it. I guess I did give advice. You are such a smart, kind mama.
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