Go to Sleep, Close Your Eyes...

Sleep is such a wonderful thing, especially when it's a full night of it! A couple weeks ago while Brandon was on a mission, I decided to help our 3 month old learn to sleep through the night.  Truth-be-told, I was dreading it.  All the books I had read said to expect at least 3 nights to 2 weeks of crying?!  But, after doing the zombie shuffle at 1:40 and 4:00 am that morning; I had decided that our 15 pound baby was ready and able to sleep through the night (plus mom was dead on her feet).


So, armed with techniques from my sis-in-law and the books, I was ready.  I opted to teach him my way, a combo of a couple different ideas and a little of my own thrown in for good measure.  Instead of starting with night sleep as his first intro into the "Cry It Out" (CIO) method, I decided to use his first nap of the day.  I follow the Baby Whisperer's Method of E.A.S.Y. (Eat, Activity, Sleep, You), so before each nap little fella had about an hour of activity before hand.

For naps and night sleep I used to rock our little guy to sleep and place him in his crib.  With the (as Brandon calls it) Michelle Method; I still rock him but not to sleep.  I rock him for a set amount of time (depending on the day) or until his eyes get heavy--which ever comes first, then I lay him in his bed, with a kiss and "mommy loves you".  If he wakes before his next feeding I let him cry until he goes back to sleep, this is supposed to teach him to self-soothe (which he does by cooing or sucking on his hands).

Letting my baby CIO was heartbreaking.  I would do anything and everything to keep myself busy so I wouldn't go "save" him.  I did try verbally soothing him, but found it made him madder and cry longer.  When it was time for his next feeding (I kept the times flexible so he could get some good sleep if he had cried) I turned off his music (for naps), opened his curtain and let him wake himself.  I also made sure I was there before any cries escaped.  This is the rocking "schedule" I followed.
 
DAY 1: Rock for 20 minutes or until eyes are heavy

DAY 2: Rock for 15 minutes or until eyes are heavy

DAY 3: Rock for 10 minutes or until eyes are heavy

DAY 4: Rock for 5 minutes

DAY 5: Rock for 3 minutes

DAY 6: Rock for 2 minutes

DAY 7: Rock for 1 minute


On the first day, after rocking our little man for 20 minutes his eyes were heavy and I put him down for his first nap of the day.  He was still awake when I put him down and he fell asleep without a peep.  Half an hour later he woke himself early and cried for 20 minutes until he fell back asleep.  I did this for each nap of the day.  His night sleep was the same, I rocked him for 20 minutes and put him down awake but drowsy.  He fell asleep really well.  Then he woke at 3:40 am and cried.  I stood by my video monitor the whole time and I'm not ashamed to say I had a few tears of my own.  He fell back asleep at 4:12 am and slept until 7:40!


The following days only got better and easier.  The second night and the following nights baby boy slept until morning!  Brandon was amazed when he got home and said it was like coming home to a completely different, happier baby.  There are still some days where he wakes early from naps or during the night but after a couple minutes he's back to dreamland.  I'm sure there will be nights when our fella will revert back to waking every few hours, but we're going to enjoy him sleeping for 10.5 hours while we can!  Ahhh, sleep...welcome back old friend!