One of the more unpleasant duties of parenthood is definitely sleep training. Right up there with cleaning up bodily functions and discipline! I hate it when they cry and you feel like an awful person! Alex and I don't call it "crying it out," we call it "figuring it out!" Sometimes there is crying and you just have to shut the door and let them "figure it out." I leave all of this up to my motherly instinct, and knowing what my child needs.
Audrey used to be a wonderful sleeper, she would go to bed around 9:30pm and wouldn't wake till 5, 5:30, or even 6am some days...it was great! Sure, we had our growth spurts and gas issues, but for the most part - AWESOME! But then, something changed... somehow... I'm not sure what happened... right around 5 months old... something had been undone and I was left exhausted and confused!
So, last night was the night... I was at my wits end! This baby needs to learn how to get to sleep on her own!! We did our bed time ritual, except I did the bottle before the bath and then after Audrey was all squeaky clean and dressed for bed, I placed my tired little Toad, that's her nickname, into her crib awake and tip toed out of the room and turned out the light. Guess what? She went to sleep! I was so proud of myself, I even bragged to my husband!
It didn't last long... around 9:30pm she was up and she was mad!! I settled her down with her pacifier and pats to her belly. I was proud of myself for not picking her up. Once she was settled with eyes closed, I moved my hand to the rail of her crib, she stirred, back on the stomach. After a few seconds, I tried again...success! A few seconds later, I took a step away from the crib, it worked! I slowly made my way out of the room! And...
She slept until 5am!! Hallelujah!! When she stirred this morning at 5am, I felt different, dare I say it... rested! We had just completed night 1 of baby sleep training.... and we can't go back now!
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