Hey Mukta,
I have read through this thread of yours, no other, and I could have written this story almost to a T. OK, I actually did
on another thread with Sarah Squared, Alison_3 and Lilah's mommy, Sabrina. We sleep trained together. Henry did very much the same thing at about the same age. Until 1 year of age he would wake occasionally and I would give him a watered down bottle of formula and he would go to sleep in a flash. Then he started waking, crying, we would give him the milk and he would keep screaming and crying for 1, someitmes two hours on and off until we offered another bottle and then only would he collapse in exhaustion. Really, that 'occasional' bottle crept up on us liek a thief in the night. He started waking every night for it, instead of once every week or two, and then it escalated. I knew he did not need the calories, with him STTN from 4 months, I just became a habit, a prop really.
PUPD modified with Shh/pat used to work like a charm as well, until this whole episode. He would just not settle, and our shh/pat and PUPD was more stimulating. I read that the other girls were going to do WIWO and I popped onto the bandwagon. I am SO glad I did. Yes, for two nights he cried ALOT. As he was crying in any case for upto 2 hours even after the milk, I figured he was going to cry regardless and rather than him crying for no 'reason' or benefit, we can rather turn it into a positive thing. So we started.
The first night he cried long and hard, as he did even with the PUPD. He was so mad at us. I would go in, reassure him, rub his bum or tummy or back, depending on what I could reach. I would go out and count to 10, go back in and reassure, telling him I love him, I am here, but that he needs to go back to bed to grow big and strong and be rested so we could play the next day. almost 2 hours of this. Next night, same thing, just a little shorter. By the third night he knew he was not getting any milk - he spat the clear water out previously BTW but would drain sometimes with the two bottles combined about 14 oz of diluted milk in 2 hours
. He did not need it, I think after the crying, he was just soothing, IYKWIM.
The following nights he would occasionally wake once or twice, but most times I just needed to go in once (sometiems a more, but mostly once only), rub his back tell him it is OK, go back to bed and he would settle immediately. Sometimes I just needed to lay him down again. It was as if in his sleepy state he would stand up and not know how to go down again, although he was walking and cruising well by now, sitting and standing as he pleased.
I just want to encourage you. It is tough. But being consistent is much better for them. As Jess also said, esp so for Touchy spirited kiddos. You might have a few EW, but by having an earlier bedtime really helps. And if he is tired early in the am, 15-30 minute naps really helped us the one or two times we needed it.
HUGS and remember this too shall pass. You and DH will find the time and energy to go through this all again
xx
DI
I will go and find the link of our WIWO sleep training episode. If you have time and are interested, you might find some reassurance there.
