Starting WI/WO tonight...

[lyeats44]

My LO was been an OK sleeper, but lately we have slipped into a bit of accidental and are stuck rubbing her back until she falls asleep and have been having NWs that last up to 2 hours... so I think its time for WI/WO...

She has never been a completely independent sleeper (I have also been in the room while she is falling asleep) but she is becoming more and more dependent on me to sleep.  Last night she refused to sleep unless she was holding my hand and I think we need to do something for all our sanity!

Im going to start WI/WO tonight... just thought I would add a note asking for some good BT vibes!!  And also start this thread in case I have an questions about technique.

Wish me luck!!! 

[Natdebe]

Hi there,

I have no tips, but want to wish you Good luck for tonight and future nights. May you have all the patience to see it through. I am sure it is worth the sanity in the long run

Nat

[lyeats44]

Thanks for the support Nat!

That was tough!!!  My DH is out tonight, so I had to do the first night of WI/WO on my own and there were many times i wanted to cave.

Overall it took 45 minutes, but Jaden is now asleep in her crib, and she fell asleep without me in the room.  

The first 40 minutes were terrible.  She stood up immediately and screamed every time I left and I was back in her room almost ever 10 seconds.  The second I walked back into her room she stopped crying and all I had to do was touch her back and she would lay down.  I spent about 5 seconds rubbing her back and left again... leaving was so difficult, because I knew that if I just stayed another few minutes rubbing her back she would be asleep!

Then after 40 minutes she gave in and stayed down and just stopped crying!  For the next couple minutes I heard single cries every 10-30 seconds and now she is out!

I hoping for minimal NWs...

One BT down... many to go!  I'm just scared becuase I hear the second night is the worst. 

Time for mama to have a large glass of red wine!

[Natdebe]

Oh wow congratulations,

That is such a good effort. Could you please keep me posted on how you go. I have been doing the GW method with my LO after some accidental parenting and a few nights back I started WI/WO without much success. I gave up after 45 minutes and got cranky. I have gone back to GW for another week setting earlier bedtimes while I try to work out the strategy tackling WI/WO again. I know all roads lead back to WI/WO.

Tell me did Jaden cry the minute you left the room or walked away from the cot?

Again good luck and may your strength carry through. If not may you have enough red wine to stay happy

Nat

[lyeats44]

Thanks again for the support... it definitely helps! 

The second I walked into her room she stopped crying and all I had to do was touch her back and say night-night time and she would lay down and even closer her eyes.  But the second she heard or saw me starting to leave the crying started. 

I thought it would never end and then she just realized she was really tired and I wasn't giving in I guess!

Im not too worried about nap time becuase its usually the easiest, but Bt is not going to be fun.  At least DH will be around tonight for support!

Ill keep you posted on how its going!  Lindsay

[lyeats44]

Second night... 25 min

Third night... 10 min!! 

The crying is difficult, but looks like its working.  I had to laugh at my DD tonight... she was screaming for me and after my 10 seconds I walked in and she gave me a huge smile and puckered up for a kiss! 

[pinzer78]

Ok, your post just gave some hope. We are going through the same thing...our lo just wants to hold hands or fingers to fall asleep. We've been working on that and he doesn't seem as needy, but still needs us in the room. A few weeks ago we were leaving the room before he fell asleep but then some awful teething came along....regression!  We are going to start the WI/WO this weekend. What is going to be awful are the night wakings! Blahhh! He always has at least one, and is really "needing" my hand to go back to sleep and I always cave in b/c I'm so horribly tired. Thanks for posting the great news!  Good work!! 

[Natdebe]

Hey Lindsay,

That is such great news. How do you resist going i for the kiss?

I do believe that this method is the quickest. I am still standing there with my LO while she is trying to fall asleep. Admittedly it takes her around 10 -20 minutes, but I can't see how I will ever get out of the room using this technique, also there is still NW that I have to do the same with. I am waiting until I finish work for the week to give it a really good go at WI/WO

Good luck with night 4, I so hope that your LO goes straight to sleep. Will be thinking of you

Nat

[lyeats44]

Just thought I would post on how we are doing.

The 4th night we had a sitter (unplanned and not great timing) and we didnt make her do the WI/WO... probrably a bad idea but I think we are over the worst of it now

5th night, 20 minutes and a NW that lasted 45 minutes (I sooo wanted to just rub her back until she was alseep so we could all get some rest, but somehow I managed to get through it).  She woke again at 6am, let out one yell and fell asleep again on her own until 8am! 

6th night, 8 minutes and I only had to go into her room 3 times!  She cried and yelled a bit at me, but stopped between and gave in pretty easily! 

She seemed to have her new BT routine down pretty well too! I was worried about putting teeth brushing after bottle becuase I thought it would wake her up too much (I know its better for her teeth, but I was worried it would be worse on mom!) 

Old routine was - sleep sac, books, bottle, bed

New routine - bottle and cuddles, teeth, sleepsac, books, bed

Tonight we did bottle in the living room with cuddles, then I saod "time to brush your teeth" and she waddled into the bathroom, then "time for books and night night" and she waddled right from the bathroom into her bedroom tonight!! 

[Natdebe]

Hi Lindsay,

How is everything going with the WIWO and your LO? Sounds like she was really getting the hang of it.

Your story has inspired me and the other day I decided I'd try out WIWO. I Left the room and my LO didn't even cry. She was awake during the night for 2 hours though, crying every 20 minutes. I just stood in her room at the door where she could see me, because I was unsure of what to do.

Anyway I have continued WIWO and she has cried a bit when I leave but I notice that the time for her to drop off has reduced from 10 minutes to 3 minutes tonight.  She is even sleeping through the night again. I am ecstatic. It really is so important to get the timing right. When I tried it before we both ended up hysterical after nearly one hour.

It seems simple if you read that but I had been doing GW for over two weeks with her plus during NW and even though I was exhausted, she must have somewhere in there started to trust the process again. Now I have to keep it up.

I wanted to say Thanks for keeping me updated though because it was your information that made me decide to take that jump for myself.

Hope things are good on your end and you are enjoying a glass of wine.

[lyeats44]

Hi Nat,
Things are really going well now...

WIWO is GREAT!!  Most nights we still have a bit of crying, but usually I only have to go in once and she stops crying immediately and as soon as I leave she just babbles away until she falls asleep on her own!  2 months ago, I was starting to wonder if I would ever get to this place!!  Instead of the nightly BT struggle, I now do our regular routine, put her in her crib and I'm enjoying that glass of wine within minutes!! 

Added bonuses... we haven't had a NW since night 5, and in the morning she is much more content to just hang out and babble away in her crib (which is good, because for some reason we are getting EWs and it helps that she is happy to stay in her crib for 30 minutes or so while I drab myself out of bed!). 

I'm sure you have heard it over and over on this forum, but the key is consistency!! 

Keep me posted on your progress!  It really helps to post how things are going here, it kept me motivated! 

[lyeats44]

Hey Nat - How are you making out with your WIWO? 

[Natdebe]

Hi Lindsay,

Well I love the change in picture. Your LO is just so cute.

Everything is going very well here. My LO Jessica is back to going to bed no noise and STTN. We are all so much happier. As you described with your LO, Jess is happy to chat away to herself for a while in the cot each morning before I have to go and get her. She is happier throughout the day, having less tantrums and sleeping so much better. I am feeling more normal and relaxed myself. The key is definitely consistency.
Was looking forward to celebrating with some wine, but have found out that I am pregnant again, so celebrate with sip of my DH beer instead. All so worth it.

Thank God we got this sorted out already. Now we just have to hope that these blasted teeth come soon and stop upsetting her.

How are things on your end? I hope everything is still going well.

Nat

[lyeats44]

Wow!!  Congrats on the STTN again and most importantly the pregnancy!!!  So exciting! 

All still good here.  We had a couple bad nights because of illness, but back on track quickly! 

Congrats again!! 

[Natdebe]

Thanks so much. Very excited !!!

I am thinking we may be in for a rough night tonight. LO was off this afternoon. Lots of poos, red red bum and grabbing at her mouth and ear. Also she wanted me near her side even though Daddy had been at work and just got home. Not like her at all Fingers crossed, but yes I have hope that if we are up we can re settle quickly and get back on track.

Good luck at your end. Hope all keeps on track for you lot.