DS is usually a great night sleeper. He only wakes if there's a reason- it's never been habitual. So I knew something was up with our routine when he suddenly started having frequent NWs within the past week and a half-2 weeks and it wasn't for hunger. When I do need to settle him whether for naps or after BT, I always try shush/pat and that usually works most of the time. If I give it a really good try and he's still very frustrated, I'll give him the paci.
DS abruptly stopped the DF 3 days ago (he kept refusing it) and he hasn't needed it ever since, and I was hoping stopping the DF would help with some of the NWs. And it has..the first two nights we went down to two NWs (that I had to settle for). Last night was only one, the later one, around 5 am. Just to see what would happen, I really wanted to not give him the paci too quickly. He started fussing at 5:09, and although I thought it was turning into a mantra, it was definitely escalating and DH was making me feel like a horrible mother, so I went in at 5:18 to shush/pat. He got really mad sounding so I think I made it worse. But since I made it worse, I stayed to calm him....I got him to a mantra cry (and couldn't remember if Tracy said to stay and don't touch or just leave when that starts). I tried both....but I feel like i'd always end up making him more frustrated (at least I think it was me). So at 5:55, because I felt I was making it worse and I wanted my boo to sleep, I gave him the paci and left. He was good until his morning feed at 7.
SO...ALSO we're working on reducing his day time sleep (if that's what the NWs are from), upping his A times, and getting rid of the CN. We did this successfully last night. Yesterday his first nap was 2.5 hrs, his second was an interrupted 2 hr nap (I had to transfer him from the carseat to the crib and it took him a good 20 minutes to fall back asleep) and BT was at 6:45. It was the best day we've had in a very long time.
Sorry I feel like I'm rambling, but do I sound like I'm on the right track?
