The past few months have been a series of sleep trials for us. Baby started out as a fantastic little sleeper--sleeping through the night at just five weeks. She hit the four-month "regression" and really wasn't too bad, only waking a bit for the binx or a quick meal. After only a couple weeks she was back to sleeping through the night again.I'm not exactly sure when the common night waking began with the cutting of her first two teeth, but at one point she added back in a 4 am feeding. This was fine, I figured she just needed a little snack, but that eventually we'd need to cut the nighttime eating.
Shortly after we finished that sleep training there were new nighttime trials. With the 7-8 month regression in view, more teeth likely emerging and her little body trying to crawl, to walk and to grow, sleep has been insanely messy for quite a while.
She woke up every ten to fifteen minutes for an hour and a half one night. The next night she'd fall asleep only after ten to twenty minutes of rocking only to wake up again after an hour to start the process over again. Some nights she would soothe quickly and easily but still wake up every hour. This poor kid just couldn't get through a full night of rest for her life. We tried playing her favorite CD, adding in a nighttime feeding, a box fan for white noise, snuggles, etc. All we got was a few hours less sleep and bad back pain from leaning over a crib.
Babies decide to do what they want to do. I'm all about training and scheduling and helping baby learn how to live. But there are still a lot of factors that you just can't do anything about. It sometimes amazes me.
Anyway, last night was blissful after so many sleepless nights. Baby woke up for a quick feeding and that was it until 7 am. Added to this were two beautiful 2-hour naps. That was a first for her. We are usually fortunate to get one 2-hour with a twenty minute or an hour for the other nap.
This doesn't mean I got a whole lot more done today, but that's ok I guess. One day at a time. I'm planning on being much more productive once these doggone Olympics are over.
Here's hoping for another good night of sleep.
5 comments:
sounds like you are doing okay with the sleep thing...It took Gabe 2 years to go to sleep on his own NO MATTER WHAT WE TRIED....and now he sleeps wonderful (...and that 2 years was bed between 8-9 and up at 11 and/or 2 with a 6 AM wake up call...and he wasn't an execptional napper either!)
Keep it up...She'll get the hang of it...once they aren't dependent on us for sleep they do a LOT better!
Sounds very familiar...Leah also slept very nicley for awhile...then added back in that darn 4-5am feeding. Not so bad when she goes right back to sleep, but when she dosen't, i have trouble keeping up.
All we can do is keep trying to keep up with their crazy growing schedules :)
Man, I'm in the same boat right now. Baby is cutting three teeth at once and I'm sure that has something to do with it. He didn't sleep through the night at all until 6 months but he's always been a fantastic napper (one 3 hour nap and one 2 hour nap) so I can't complain too much. But this last week he's been up at 5am and not going back to sleep. He's not napping well and he's turned into Mr. Crabby-Pants. I feel for him. And for me. So I can feel for your household as well!
Wow, in that picture she looks just like you Anne! She is so sweet! I remember those sleepless days or nights. It will get better...mine sleeps great now at 3.
Babies. Just gotta love 'em. And thank God for naps. :-)
Hi, Anne. Just wanted to let you know I stopped by.
Post a Comment