Finally! We have stumbled out of the darkness into the light of the wisdom of a book called The Sleep Easy Solution. I don't know why we didn't buy this book months ago! Our trip to Barnes and Noble after the nth sleepless night was quite fruitful. We brought home this book and went to reading. The next night we put their suggestions in place and it actually worked! They propose a technique which is a middle ground between full on soothing/holding/rocking/nursing/walking the baby to sleep (which we've been doing for oh...8 months now) and letting him "cry it out" (which we couldn't stomach. It involves checking in at certain intervals while he's crying, and offering reassurance verbally without actually touching or picking him up. The first night he was out in 32 minutes (average is an hour for first nighters, according to TSES). Next time it was five minutes, then four, then one, and now there is nary a whimper when we put him down!!! Hallelujah! And, it also involves a sleep routine you perform each bed time (nap or night) in the same order. It has created a lovely snuggle/bonding/reading time out of what used to be a frustrating struggle. And, he's learned how to soothe himself back to sleep when he wakes in the night. AND, he sleeps for 11-12 hours a night now. MAGIC!
So, imagine this. We're four nights into TSES training. It's working great. And, in these four nights, as guided by the book, I have been weaning him from the night feedings. So...tonight...I could actually sleep...all night...without waking up...without feeding...without an alarm...without bumping into stuff in the dark...all night! Can you imagine it?
I will miss him though.
In other news, tomorrow is the long planned Ladies' Night to have dinner/drinks and see Sex and the City. I am so excited. I've rustled up about 12 ladies (no small feat for one who not long ago knew no one in the state), and we're heading downtown tomorrow night for the festivities. I have purchased (at an outlet) the loveliest of dresses for the occasion. Girl Clothes! Clean Girl Clothes! How exciting!
Posted by Mama (I don't know what is up with the crazy lay out, but I couldn't fix it).
3 comments:
Congrats on the sleep!! And, have fun with the girls :) I went with the girls last weekend, while the husbands all went to play disc golf. We all loved the movie!
Yeah, sleeeep..... I still remember those wonderful nights of sleep after the not so wonderful nights with no sleep!! Enjoy!! Have fun with the girls, although I'm very sad that I'm not one of them!!! Love to you all!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is SUCH exciting news! Isn't sleep the best?!? Congrats to the little sleeper!
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