1) The sleep training was successful. Sorta. After the 2nd night (after my last post where Kaua took over 1 hour to sleep, then finally went down with grandma's help), he slept all the way till 3 am then got up to nurse. And man oh man, were my boobies soooooorrrreee from all that waiting! The 3rd night, Kaua went to sleep after only 15 MINUTES!!! AND on top of that, ONLY 7 MINUTES of those 15 were actually crying minutes. The rest were just fussing minutes. AND the 4th night, psshh, my professional sleeper fell asleep after ONLY 7 MINUTES OF JUST FUSSING --- NO CRYING! Whew pat myself on the back, huh?
2) ok, here's the bad news. Since then, we haven't been able to sleep train because our schedules have been such that we haven't been home around Kaua's sleep times, so he's had to fall asleep either in his carseat, or in my arms after nursing, etc. So all that loveliness.....is out the door. We try again.
3) and here's more bad news. Even though the ST was going well on nights 3 and 4, Kaua still got up more often through out the night. Before he was 3 months old, he'd only get up 1 or 2 a night to nurse. But lately, and even on nights 3 and 4 of the ST, he's been getting up four or five times a night. He'll get up once before 12 am and about every 2-3 hours thereafter. It's insane! I read that sometimes, babies just kinda fuss, then go back to sleep, so I should wait it out for a few minutes to see if he's actually up...and yup, each time he is.
So what has all this getting up in the middle of the night business led to? more CO-SLEEPING! Ugh. I know, I know. I'm a bad mommy. But who the heck wants to get up 4-5x a night, sit up, nurse their baby, then wait 10-20 minutes for him to fall back asleep and pray that when you put him in his crib he doesn't get back up? Not me! So when he first gets up? I bring him right into our bed, pop that old booby out, he nurses, and we both fall asleep. It's bliss..till he gets up in 2 hours wanting to nurse all over again!
Ugh!
So tonight I'm trying a different approach. We've added rice cereal to his meal repetoire (spelling?). I know, its a smidge early (he'll be 4 months old on Saturday)...but I think he's ready. He's huge, probably over 16 pounds by now and in 6 month old clothes already. He's eating like crazy and I think he's ready. I also know that feeding rice cereal isn't a cure all for sleeping through the night, but I think in this case, it could help. We'll see. I only added a tiny spoonful to breast milk tonight, to see how his tummy would take it. He chomped it up like a champ, not even batting an eyelash when sucking down the bottle, and fell asleep shortly thereafter on the carride home, so I think we're doing ok in that department. The test will be to see how many times he gets up tonight.
If he does well, we'll slowly increase the amount and go back to the sleep training. I'll work on the co-sleeping thing sometime in between all of these big plans......
Sorry the ST is hit-or-miss. But please don't think you're a 'bad mommy' for co-sleeping, many families around the world co-sleep (including us!), and it doesn't make you a bad mommy! But I totally get not wanting Kaua in your bed, so I hope he gets better at sleeping in his own crib for you!
ReplyDeleteI am eagerly waiting your results!!!
ReplyDeleteOur pediatrician recommended rice at four months so I don't think your too early!! Besides, he's a growing boy. He needs more than just milk to get him through the night!!
ReplyDeleteyour son is so cute! GL with the sleep training, mateo (10 months) still never sleeps more than 3 hours in a row. . . oh my drooping eyelids. . . LOL :)
ReplyDelete--steph (stephfernie G&L)