Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Sleep Training

I’m doing it. According to the book that is guiding me through this process it’s 5 days early, they suggest starting at 4 months and Evan won’t be 4 months until the 19th, but his freak outs have hit an all new level so we’re in training and I hope what we learn works for both of us.

Sunday was the breaking point. John and I had to do the most ridiculous things to get him to sleep for his nap. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but we actually howled. Yes, like wolves, to get him to stop crying. The shhh shhh shhh wasn’t working, the rocking, the bouncing, the swaddle, the soother, nothing would calm him. For some reason the howling was the only thing that made him stop crying. John discovered it... Don’t ask me what made him think of trying it. I was reluctant because a) It sounds ridiculous and b) I don’t want to teach Evan that howling is okay. That being said I was on my last nerve Sunday trying to get him down so I tilted my head back and gave him my best wolf howl. I don’t know if he sensed my reluctance, but it didn’t work. I eventually had to call in John, the “big dog” to do the job. I thought to myself, I just howled at my baby… I have hit rock bottom, time to start sleep training.

5 comments:

  1. If it helps any, many of my friends (including myself) had some great success following this book: http://www.amazon.ca/Baby-Whisperer-Solves-Your-Problems/dp/0743488938

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My sister SWEARS by the Fisher Price Aquarium -and my nephew ended up loving it so much too he learned how to turn it on by himself when it would go off = happy Mommy & Baby!

    Worth a shot!?

    ReplyDelete
  3. lmao...good for you; do whatever works!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had TONS of trouble getting my little guy to nap early on. Then I followed this book called "On becoming baby wise". It saved me! I swear by it. My little guy adapted super great, and started sleeping through the nights (7pm - 7am) by 6 months.

    Check it out - it's a lifesaver.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats on going to work while facing the sleep challenges.

    I know I could hardly function when my son was giving me the gears at 8 weeks. We had to do some training at that point under the guidance of "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child".

    He is by no means sleeping in 12 hour stretches, but he naps and goes back nicely after a feed in the night. Moreover, he is truly happy, sociable, and hitting all those milestones!

    ReplyDelete