Dear Colin,
Tonight your Mommy got serious about sleep training. Every few weeks your bed is in a new location or I am trying something new to get you to sleep more than 30 minutes at a time. While I love nothing more than cuddling you at night - your lack of sleep is impacting Mommy and Daddy in a very negative way. So, today you are 10 months 15 days and starting your first night of sleep training. I documented Conor's sleep training and so I will do the same for you to ensure that I stick to it and follow your routine.
Tonight we had dinner, you took a bath and the it was bedtime. As always, I rocked you and nursed you in your room and allowed you to fall asleep in my arms. You fell asleep nursing and after 10 minutes or so I gently placed you in your bed. You slept for 38 minutes and then proceeded to wake up every 15 minutes after that until 8:35. At 8:35 I nursed you and you have been asleep now for almost an hour. My goal is to get you to sleep until 11 or 12, nurse you again and hopefully you will be in a space to sleep longer. I am also going to start letting you cry for 2 minutes when you wake up to allow you to start trying to soothe yourself. I am not overly optimistic about this as its going to be a new skill for you and those take time but we shall see. If things don't go well then I'm ok brining you into my bed for the remainder of the night and we will simply work on the first part of the night this week and let you get better at that and then we will work on the second part of the night next week. I'm trying to be strict but fluid - but no more sleeping on the floor!!! :)
Showing posts with label sleep training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep training. Show all posts
Monday, September 15, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Three Months Old!
Dear Colin,
In January 31, 2014 you turned three months old. Our 4th trimester is nearing completion and I have been back at work for a month. You are a beautiful BIG baby! You only look 3 months old when you are tucked up against me in one of our wraps. If you are on the floor or in the swing you look much older. Your physical attributes aren't the only thing that contribute to the general public thinking you are older than you are - your muscle tone is amazing! You are holding your head up, you can stand on your legs, your abdominal muscles are hard at work as you try to pull your shoulders off the floor or hold yourself in a sitting position. You are also incredibly alert and will track people and things around the house with both your ears and your eyes. Such a smart boy!
You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes and, just like Conor, your feet are such that socks are a huge issue because they are all too tight! You are in cloth diapers the majority of the time now, including at night, but because I cannot change your diaper during the evening you have many inserts stuffed in! Despite this we are still dealing with a leaking issue but I am hoping that this may resolve itself when you are nursing a bit less at night. So, for now you sleep on a blanket with a towel underneath so I don't have to worry about mattresses and sheets.
You still have reflux and you spit up quite a bit. Because of this you really don't like to lay on your back and while you seem to like your play mat a lot - you do not like being there for more than a few minutes. You are also very easily overstimulated (likely a product of Conor being around all the time and being a crazy 2 year old!) so Daddy and I work hard to ensure you don't get too worked up when things are a bit hectic around here.
You smile so much - you are a very happy baby (when you are not crying). You do tend to cry more than I remember Conor crying but this is also a much busier house than the one he came home to. But, you hold your own little man and your BIG personality is starting to emerge.
You are able to roll over! If I place you on your tummy you will roll to your back. You are also working on rolling from back to tummy but I think that will be a while still. Your hair is starting to grow in and your favorite thing to do is munch on your hands so I can only imagine what's going on in that mouth of yours.
Sleep. Colin you are a terrible sleeper. I'm really sorry to have to say that but its 100% true! You don't sleep well because you are always wanting to eat. Right now you are eating every 2 hours around the clock. CRAZY! I have decided that for my own sanity and yours that you will only be fed at night every other wake-up. I am determined to have you only eating every 4 hours at night by the time you are 5 months old because your Mom needs sleep! Right now you are sleeping in your co-sleeper for the first part of the evening and then after 11pm you are moving into the bed with us. Its not ideal but its how we are all managing the 2 hour feeds.
You and your brother are still a wonderful pair and it has been a lot of fun watching you respond to him. I can only imagine how much trouble to two of you are going to get into in the future! In this series of photos I was giving you a massage and he wanted one too. He loves to be helpful and get diapers and wipes, put dirty diapers in the trash or the wetbag. He also likes to try to hand you toys and is very good at helping you with tummy time.
The month has been a slow one. You haven't had any visitors other than Grandma and Grandpa Jakan and the playgroup ladies. But you did go bowling with Mommy and the Moms for Mother's Night Out. It was fun to have you there and we did pretty good too!
You love the bath and while I don't give them to you too often because they really dry out your skin (which is already dry and seemingly sensitive), when you do get one you go to town splashing and kicking and trying to drink the water as I let it run down your face. After each bath you get a full coconut oil massage to help rehydrate your skin. You LOVE it!
Overall, we couldn't ask for a better baby!
xoxo
Mommy
PS. Here is the comparison photo of you and Conor
In January 31, 2014 you turned three months old. Our 4th trimester is nearing completion and I have been back at work for a month. You are a beautiful BIG baby! You only look 3 months old when you are tucked up against me in one of our wraps. If you are on the floor or in the swing you look much older. Your physical attributes aren't the only thing that contribute to the general public thinking you are older than you are - your muscle tone is amazing! You are holding your head up, you can stand on your legs, your abdominal muscles are hard at work as you try to pull your shoulders off the floor or hold yourself in a sitting position. You are also incredibly alert and will track people and things around the house with both your ears and your eyes. Such a smart boy!
You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes and, just like Conor, your feet are such that socks are a huge issue because they are all too tight! You are in cloth diapers the majority of the time now, including at night, but because I cannot change your diaper during the evening you have many inserts stuffed in! Despite this we are still dealing with a leaking issue but I am hoping that this may resolve itself when you are nursing a bit less at night. So, for now you sleep on a blanket with a towel underneath so I don't have to worry about mattresses and sheets.
You still have reflux and you spit up quite a bit. Because of this you really don't like to lay on your back and while you seem to like your play mat a lot - you do not like being there for more than a few minutes. You are also very easily overstimulated (likely a product of Conor being around all the time and being a crazy 2 year old!) so Daddy and I work hard to ensure you don't get too worked up when things are a bit hectic around here.
You smile so much - you are a very happy baby (when you are not crying). You do tend to cry more than I remember Conor crying but this is also a much busier house than the one he came home to. But, you hold your own little man and your BIG personality is starting to emerge.
You are able to roll over! If I place you on your tummy you will roll to your back. You are also working on rolling from back to tummy but I think that will be a while still. Your hair is starting to grow in and your favorite thing to do is munch on your hands so I can only imagine what's going on in that mouth of yours.
You and your brother are still a wonderful pair and it has been a lot of fun watching you respond to him. I can only imagine how much trouble to two of you are going to get into in the future! In this series of photos I was giving you a massage and he wanted one too. He loves to be helpful and get diapers and wipes, put dirty diapers in the trash or the wetbag. He also likes to try to hand you toys and is very good at helping you with tummy time.
The month has been a slow one. You haven't had any visitors other than Grandma and Grandpa Jakan and the playgroup ladies. But you did go bowling with Mommy and the Moms for Mother's Night Out. It was fun to have you there and we did pretty good too!
You love the bath and while I don't give them to you too often because they really dry out your skin (which is already dry and seemingly sensitive), when you do get one you go to town splashing and kicking and trying to drink the water as I let it run down your face. After each bath you get a full coconut oil massage to help rehydrate your skin. You LOVE it!
Overall, we couldn't ask for a better baby!
xoxo
Mommy
PS. Here is the comparison photo of you and Conor
 |
| Conor on top, Colin below |
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Sleep Training Night #3 & 4 & 5
Dear Conor,
OCTOBER 12, 2012
So sleep training continues. Tonight I continued to stick to the routine we have established. You ate dinner (you had a teething biscuit, two tiny cubes of potato, 1/3 a pouch of puree, and some breast milk in your sippy cup) and after you spilled your milk all over the place (mom didn't have the cap on right) you went upstairs for a tub. We played in the tub for a little bit making sure to get all the food out of your hair and then it was time for jammies and a story. We sit in the rocking chair and read a story while Daddy makes his way upstairs to say good night. After the story we nurse until you fall asleep or are just about asleep and then into the crib you go.
Tonight you did well right off the bat. Each time you have woken up or 'stirred' you have been able to put yourself back down within minutes. I can't tell you how proud your Daddy and I are of you! Your Daddy laughed at me a little today because I insisted that we be home for dinner, bath, bed because right now while you are still getting used to this process routine and consistency are key (says all the books and all the moms I talked to).
You got up in the middle of the morning but you were able to put yourself back down fairly quickly (20 minutes) and you were mad mad mad mad mad but Mommy watched you in the monitor and knew you were safe. You woke up around 7:30am and the first thing you did was want to eat!
OCTOBER 13, 2012
Night #4 Conor - I just knew you were going to be awesome! You went to bed around 8pm (after you stood unassisted a few times in the kitchen - what a HUGE thing!) and we didn't hear a peep out of you until 3:15 when you were up for about 15 minutes (though you weren't screaming - just whimpering) and then you were up again around 5:00am falling back asleep until 5:45am. That was WAY too early so Mommy brought you into bed with her and Daddy and nursed you a bit and you slept until 7:30! We all loved cuddling in the bed together!
OCTOBER 14, 2012
Today you turned 10 months old and you made history by sleeping through the entire night!!!! You went to bed at 7:45pm and woke up the next morning at 6:30am. I was so proud of you and couldn't believe how amazing you did. I have to tell you a little secret too. On this night I nursed you from both sides and you were just fussy and Mommy was tired of nursing so I just laid you in your crib and let you cry for a few minutes until you fell asleep (of course I told you I loved you and kissed you good night). You are turning into such a big boy this week.......going to sleep on your own and sleeping all night! I love you little man and I know that you won't be perfect every night but I am proud of you!
xoxo
Mommy
OCTOBER 12, 2012
So sleep training continues. Tonight I continued to stick to the routine we have established. You ate dinner (you had a teething biscuit, two tiny cubes of potato, 1/3 a pouch of puree, and some breast milk in your sippy cup) and after you spilled your milk all over the place (mom didn't have the cap on right) you went upstairs for a tub. We played in the tub for a little bit making sure to get all the food out of your hair and then it was time for jammies and a story. We sit in the rocking chair and read a story while Daddy makes his way upstairs to say good night. After the story we nurse until you fall asleep or are just about asleep and then into the crib you go.
Tonight you did well right off the bat. Each time you have woken up or 'stirred' you have been able to put yourself back down within minutes. I can't tell you how proud your Daddy and I are of you! Your Daddy laughed at me a little today because I insisted that we be home for dinner, bath, bed because right now while you are still getting used to this process routine and consistency are key (says all the books and all the moms I talked to).
You got up in the middle of the morning but you were able to put yourself back down fairly quickly (20 minutes) and you were mad mad mad mad mad but Mommy watched you in the monitor and knew you were safe. You woke up around 7:30am and the first thing you did was want to eat!
OCTOBER 13, 2012
Night #4 Conor - I just knew you were going to be awesome! You went to bed around 8pm (after you stood unassisted a few times in the kitchen - what a HUGE thing!) and we didn't hear a peep out of you until 3:15 when you were up for about 15 minutes (though you weren't screaming - just whimpering) and then you were up again around 5:00am falling back asleep until 5:45am. That was WAY too early so Mommy brought you into bed with her and Daddy and nursed you a bit and you slept until 7:30! We all loved cuddling in the bed together!
OCTOBER 14, 2012
Today you turned 10 months old and you made history by sleeping through the entire night!!!! You went to bed at 7:45pm and woke up the next morning at 6:30am. I was so proud of you and couldn't believe how amazing you did. I have to tell you a little secret too. On this night I nursed you from both sides and you were just fussy and Mommy was tired of nursing so I just laid you in your crib and let you cry for a few minutes until you fell asleep (of course I told you I loved you and kissed you good night). You are turning into such a big boy this week.......going to sleep on your own and sleeping all night! I love you little man and I know that you won't be perfect every night but I am proud of you!
xoxo
Mommy
Friday, October 12, 2012
Sleep Training Night #1 & #2
Dear Conor,
This post will be boring as there probably won't be any pictures but I want to document what I might not remember down the road. I felt we needed to start hard-core sleep training with you for a variety of reasons.
#1: for the last week you have been unable to sleep without nursing all night long. Mommy has been very tired and her body exhausted.
#2: you need a schedule and since you don't nap well having a set bedtime routine and sleep schedule is necessary
#3: you have reverse cycled (meaning you don't eat during the day and you feast all night keeping Mommy up) and this is impacting your eating of solid foods (says Mommy)
#4: Since you aren't napping Mommy and Daddy need to use the nights to work and do house stuff - things we can't do when you are eating all night
#5: nursing all night means you are not able to put yourself back to sleep when you are startled or you wake up which means that Mommy has to get up each time and help you get back to sleep which makes her very tired.
I did not start sleep training early because I didn't believe you were ready and I wasn't ready. I also needed to make sure that I had nothing scheduled in the mornings so that I could catch a nap if needed. I am working on sleep training with you in two steps. The first step is taking away night feedings and this is what we started this week. You typically are ready for bed around 7:15pm and so this is when you get your last feeding. If you fall asleep great - if not then I will rock you till you do. There is no breast milk after 8:00pm. Each time you awake I will give you a minute to see if you are able to put yourself back down. If you are not then I will go upstairs and rock you, bounce you, or sing to you in order to help you get yourself back to sleep - NO MILK. You can have milk anytime after 5:30am as long as we aren't in the middle of a battle started earlier.
Once this is like second nature to you we will begin working on you putting yourself to sleep without Mommy or Daddy but I didn't think it was fair to make you do it all at once (and I'm hoping that with no milk it will just start to happen)!
Now, I don't want you to think the plan is to starve you. The first night should be the most difficult but you should be taking in more food during the day to make up for it which will make the other nights less difficult. Of course, once we have training complete if there is a clear pattern to you needing milk at some point in the night you will get it - but for training it has to be all or nothing to ensure you don't get confused...Daddy and I are ALL IN!
OCTOBER 10, 2012
To prepare for such a drastic change I had been not nursing you during your first wake up for about a week (this would be your 9:30 wake-up). Therefore when you woke at 9:50pm I was able to get you back down within a few minutes.......then the nightmare began.
You woke up again at 11:50pm and you fought me for milk until 1:15am. You were terrible Conor. You cried, screamed and pushed against my chest trying to get me to give you milk but I refused. The whole time I told you I loved you and that it would be ok. You finally fell asleep around 1:15am and this exhausted Mommy went to sleep.
You were up again at 3:15 and this time you were up for a long time - Daddy rocked you and loved you this time. I was sleeping so I don't remember when you fell asleep.
You were up again 30 minutes later and you were MAD! You really wanted milk but we had to be firm and so Daddy and I ended up switching off and I finally got you back to sleep at 5:55am. You slept until 7am.
OCTOBER 11, 2012
Today you ate a lot more than usual (both milk and table foods). It is my hope that each night gets a little easier. You took a two hour nap this morning (10-12) but you missed your afternoon nap due to a doctor's appointment. So, after a good dinner (and your first time having breast milk in a cup) I gave you a nice bath, read you a story, and we nursed until you fell asleep around 6:27. You were up again at 6:47pm and I did nurse you because the rule was no nursing after 8pm (and since you fell asleep so quickly I was worried you hadn't gotten enough to actually go without all night).
You were up again at 9:15pm and there was no nursing. You rocked back to sleep within 10 minutes. You work up again around 9:40pm but you put yourself back down (this was the second time you had done this already). So, Mommy was very positive. You continued to get up a few times but your waking only lasted a few minutes and neither Daddy nor I tended to you.
However, you awoke early in the morning at 2:37am. You struggled for a long time so I went in to see you and rocked you for about 20 minutes to help you get out of your play-mode and back into sleepy time mode (but I did not nurse you!). When it was clear that you were tired but that I wasn't going to be able to rock you to sleep I told you how much I loved you, put you back in our crib and said goodnight. Then I went into my room and watched the monitor.
In reality, I didn't need the monitor as you cried and screamed for the next 45 minutes. You stood in the corner of your crib facing the hallway and cried and cried. But your cries slowly got quieter and you sat down in the corner furthest from the hallway. And you quietly fell asleep as I softly whispered to the monitor that I loved you.
You did not wake up until 7:43am.
You did beautifully my little boy and I am so proud of you.
xoxo
Mommy
This post will be boring as there probably won't be any pictures but I want to document what I might not remember down the road. I felt we needed to start hard-core sleep training with you for a variety of reasons.
#1: for the last week you have been unable to sleep without nursing all night long. Mommy has been very tired and her body exhausted.
#2: you need a schedule and since you don't nap well having a set bedtime routine and sleep schedule is necessary
#3: you have reverse cycled (meaning you don't eat during the day and you feast all night keeping Mommy up) and this is impacting your eating of solid foods (says Mommy)
#4: Since you aren't napping Mommy and Daddy need to use the nights to work and do house stuff - things we can't do when you are eating all night
#5: nursing all night means you are not able to put yourself back to sleep when you are startled or you wake up which means that Mommy has to get up each time and help you get back to sleep which makes her very tired.
I did not start sleep training early because I didn't believe you were ready and I wasn't ready. I also needed to make sure that I had nothing scheduled in the mornings so that I could catch a nap if needed. I am working on sleep training with you in two steps. The first step is taking away night feedings and this is what we started this week. You typically are ready for bed around 7:15pm and so this is when you get your last feeding. If you fall asleep great - if not then I will rock you till you do. There is no breast milk after 8:00pm. Each time you awake I will give you a minute to see if you are able to put yourself back down. If you are not then I will go upstairs and rock you, bounce you, or sing to you in order to help you get yourself back to sleep - NO MILK. You can have milk anytime after 5:30am as long as we aren't in the middle of a battle started earlier.
Once this is like second nature to you we will begin working on you putting yourself to sleep without Mommy or Daddy but I didn't think it was fair to make you do it all at once (and I'm hoping that with no milk it will just start to happen)!
Now, I don't want you to think the plan is to starve you. The first night should be the most difficult but you should be taking in more food during the day to make up for it which will make the other nights less difficult. Of course, once we have training complete if there is a clear pattern to you needing milk at some point in the night you will get it - but for training it has to be all or nothing to ensure you don't get confused...Daddy and I are ALL IN!
OCTOBER 10, 2012
To prepare for such a drastic change I had been not nursing you during your first wake up for about a week (this would be your 9:30 wake-up). Therefore when you woke at 9:50pm I was able to get you back down within a few minutes.......then the nightmare began.
 |
| peacefully sleeping before the fight began |
You woke up again at 11:50pm and you fought me for milk until 1:15am. You were terrible Conor. You cried, screamed and pushed against my chest trying to get me to give you milk but I refused. The whole time I told you I loved you and that it would be ok. You finally fell asleep around 1:15am and this exhausted Mommy went to sleep.
You were up again at 3:15 and this time you were up for a long time - Daddy rocked you and loved you this time. I was sleeping so I don't remember when you fell asleep.
You were up again 30 minutes later and you were MAD! You really wanted milk but we had to be firm and so Daddy and I ended up switching off and I finally got you back to sleep at 5:55am. You slept until 7am.
When you woke up at 7am I opened your curtains to let the sun in, said good morning to you and then gave you milk in your room. We came downstairs and played a little and I gave you more milk telling you what a good boy you had been and how proud I was that you made it through.
OCTOBER 11, 2012
Today you ate a lot more than usual (both milk and table foods). It is my hope that each night gets a little easier. You took a two hour nap this morning (10-12) but you missed your afternoon nap due to a doctor's appointment. So, after a good dinner (and your first time having breast milk in a cup) I gave you a nice bath, read you a story, and we nursed until you fell asleep around 6:27. You were up again at 6:47pm and I did nurse you because the rule was no nursing after 8pm (and since you fell asleep so quickly I was worried you hadn't gotten enough to actually go without all night).
You were up again at 9:15pm and there was no nursing. You rocked back to sleep within 10 minutes. You work up again around 9:40pm but you put yourself back down (this was the second time you had done this already). So, Mommy was very positive. You continued to get up a few times but your waking only lasted a few minutes and neither Daddy nor I tended to you.
However, you awoke early in the morning at 2:37am. You struggled for a long time so I went in to see you and rocked you for about 20 minutes to help you get out of your play-mode and back into sleepy time mode (but I did not nurse you!). When it was clear that you were tired but that I wasn't going to be able to rock you to sleep I told you how much I loved you, put you back in our crib and said goodnight. Then I went into my room and watched the monitor.
In reality, I didn't need the monitor as you cried and screamed for the next 45 minutes. You stood in the corner of your crib facing the hallway and cried and cried. But your cries slowly got quieter and you sat down in the corner furthest from the hallway. And you quietly fell asleep as I softly whispered to the monitor that I loved you.
 |
| a very exhausted Conor |
You did not wake up until 7:43am.
You did beautifully my little boy and I am so proud of you.
xoxo
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