So, Nicholas is eight months old now. And he has only slept through the night maybe ten times since he was born. Based on what I've read online about sleep training convinces me I'm guilty of "accidental parenting." I meant well from the beginning, but with all of the moving around and living with different people, I know that I haven't exactly helped Nicholas really learn how to fall asleep on his own. When we lived with Brandon's parents, I didn't want Nicholas's cries to wake up his siblings, who already have a difficult time sleeping anyway. Then we went on vacation for almost the entire month of July, where I didn't want Nicholas to keep those around us awake, either. When we moved in with my parents, Nicholas slept in the room right next to my brother, and I didn't want to disturb him either. Now we just moved, and I don't want to wake up the neighbors on either side of our townhouse! Do you sense a trend? I think all of these good intentions have created an eight month old who needs his mom (or dad) to hold him and cuddle him in order to go back to sleep! And I really don't like waking up two or three times a night, believe it or not! So, if anyone has had similar problems or has suggestions, let me have them! Fortunately he takes great naps of the appropriate length during the day, so at that's not a problem!
I feel your pain. Lindsay was doing great until we went on vacation. All the holding and rocking has turned her into a raging beast. I've put off the inevitable--letting her cry it out--since we've been back. That was the only thing that finally worked with Allison. It is VERY PAINFUL though. It takes about a week or so, but they eventually learn to soothe themselves. Lindsay is getting a little better, but we still have horrible nights like last night. I bet your neighbors can't hear as much as you think they can. Just buy some earplugs for yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you end up doing, do it now, otherwise you'll be left with a toddler who has sleep problems too.
Natalia always slept pretty well but would wake up once or twice a night in Springville. We got in the bad habit early on of giving her a bottle to help her to sleep. When we moved though, she was in her own room with her own door that closed and so she was farther away than we were used to. (She was eight months old by the way). Because of this, we must not have heard her the first few nights and she just learned to get herself back to sleep! Believe me, I was quite surprised when I woke up the next morning completely refreshed (and I also felt horrible that I hadn't heard her to but it was just what needed to happen). Since then, she's slept about 10 hours a night plus a 2-3 hour nap during the day. She struggles still here and there so it's never perfect.
ReplyDeleteAll kids are different so it just depends. Steve and Jamie are right though, you don't want him be a toddler still doing this! I know on that Super Nanny show she helps parents get their kids out of their bed by just going in their room every five minutes but letting them cry it out. Eventually, they give up and tucker out. You should check out her website.
Well, that's my two cents. Good luck!! Just remember you know best as his mom.
Yikes, sorry that was so long!
Thanks guys! I had let Nicholas cry it out when we first moved to my parents, and it worked really well. Then he had bronchiolitis for nearly the whole month of September, and then croup after that! So, I broke down because I felt so bad for him and just wanted to make sure he was breathing at night, which disrupted him. Last night was a better night because I finally said "to heck with the neighbors, my boy needs to sleep!" and I could hear him calm himself down by talking to himself. Not only was it cute, but it helped me know that maybe he knows how to fall asleep on his own better than I thought he could!
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