Saturday, April 20, 2013

Sleep is Happening!

Our little wee one is doing surprisingly well with sleep training thus far.  We actually started last night instead of Thursday night like we planned.  She went to bed fine without her paci, but that happens sometimes, so we still weren't sure what to expect throughout the night. Her first waking was around 4:30am. That's much later than normal. I think it's because we've been increasing the ounces in her bottles to 6 each (so 5 bottles during the day 6 oz each) and her belly was full.

I went in after the first 3 minutes and rubber her back and shushed her while trying to cover her with her swaddle a little. Then I left.  She was still crying, but it wasn't horrible.  We have a video monitor, so we turned the sound down and just watched her to keep an eye on her.  I just LOVE the video monitors. Anyway, since she was still crying, I waited 5 minutes before returning again.  I tried settling her again, and left, that was the last time I needed to go back in.  She fell asleep after only 2 checks!!

That wasn't the end of it though.  She woke a couple more times after that, but each time I only had to go in once.  I didn't return for the 5 minute check because it seemed as if right as I was about to she would have more of a whine cry than a true come-and-help-me cry.  Around 6 am, she woke up crying again, but we didn't go in at all.  No 3 minute check. She fussed for a LONG time for that waking though though.  But again, it was never a continuous come-and-help-me cry so we kept holding off because we felt like at any minute she could fall asleep and if we went in we might interrupt her as she was finally learning how to sooth herself back to sleep.  Good thing we waited, because she eventually quieted and had fallen asleep.  How rewarding it is to see her eventually sleep without any external help!

Right now she's napping.  We are hoping to keep her paci out of naptime, too. So far so good. She went for her nap at 9 am and fussed for about 8 minutes or so, but nothing that required me to check in on her.  It usually isn't the initial falling asleep that causes problems, it more the mid-sleep wakings requiring the replacement of the pacifier that are trouble.  She hasn't woke from her nap yet, so I'm hopeful she could go the whole nap with no intervention!  Praise the Lord!!!


First night of sleep training and one nap down.  Who knows how many more to go.  I am so thankful we took the leap and started this.  It hasn't been nearly as bad as I imagined it to be and G seems to be picking it up slowly but surely.  Thank you for your advice, thoughts and prayers.  Will update more later!

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