Sleep training time!

I was so unbelievably wishy washy with Rohan when he was a baby. I was so shell shocked, I read way too many books and articles and information on attachment parenting. I ignored the calls of the sandman, thinking, assuming, that they only other way is to let him sit in his crib and cry. Not an option.

I spent a year with Rohan sleeping beside me on the futon in the living room. He would wake up at least every two hours. EVERY TWO HOURS for a whole year. I was a little tired by that point. I felt like a bad mom, I wasn't getting any proper sleep and neither was Rohan. On the other hand, I didn't want Rohan to suffer the consequences of any form of negativity, resentment, or just overall maternal hatred that would inevitably arise from any form of sleep discipline. At the same time I constantly heard in the background, anytime I mentioned any amount of exhaustion 'let him cry it out'. I couldn't even bare the sound of his cries for a few minutes, let alone hour (s) at a time. Stress and anxiety were the name of my game at that time.

I finally read a book that made a bit more sense to me (I am sure I have mentioned it before in this here blog). The baby whisperer. I didn't necessarily take all of her advice to heart, but I (for the first time I think since reading all those bloody baby books) took heed and implemented her sleep training advice. It worked really well (eventually) and so I kept her in mind come bambino number two.

As I mentioned (I think) before, I was giving Avery three months of love and sleep, wherever you want time. On my chest in my bed, in the car seat, where ever and whenever he pleased. At the same time, however, I was tracking his sleeping patterns on the Trixie Tracker Site to assess any pattern that may evolve. Lo and behold, a pattern did indeed form!

Now I can spot his nap times like a pro (ish). At the first little squeak I run him up to the bassinet, flip on the U2 lullaby's, pat his enormous diaper and sing totally and utterly off key. In fact, at times, I believe he fakes the sleep in order to shut me up! But it works. At the tender age of three months, Avery is going down for regular naps. Wow! It is STILL a challenge to get Rohan down, tears from me tears from him. Amazing! Does this mean that Bambino # 1 is just not a great sleeper, or that mama was a bit slack when it came to teaching the ole self soothing? A bit of both? Who knows, who cares, it works and mama is happy

Now to stop being so slack at night time.............................oh nursing while sleeping, I just can't seem to live without you!