help, i'm loosing steam

[cheriec]

it gets very confusing, and it's all in the details.  i bet you get tired of repeating yourself so often.  thanks so much.  i really appreciate it.  i will waste no time trying all of these things.


thanks yaya (chuckle) didn't know there was a dictionary to this jargon 

[yaya]

I still have to keep looking most of these up! let us know how u get on!

[teezee]

no problem! that's what we are here for!..it's def not a waste of time for me if you are willing to try something new and think a little 'outside' the box..kwim?! good luck and please do keep us updated! good luck hun!

[cheriec]

we had a great night!! i'm so pleased.  i took all of your suggestions, we did the 4 hr easy yesterday, no cereal, no df, no rocker....

he went to bed at 7, woke at 11 and 3 to feed went straight back to sleep and slept til 6:30.  i can't tell you how much i need those stretches of sleep. today i am one happy mama!

[teezee]

good for you guys! way to go!! i'm soo happy for you hun! keep up the great work!!!!!

[cheriec]

okay, 1st night after going to 4 hr went great. the next day (yesterday) went okay, but afternoon naps were messed up due to my older son's t-ball practice and last night, we seemed back to square 1.  today, we've still been doing the 4 hr easy, he hasn't napped very well.  i'm still following all the "rules".  anybody want to give a peptalk?  in tracy's sleep interview, she says that she feels if you go at it really firmly, you should see improvements after 3 days and nights.  anybody have that experience??

[cheriec]

also,  any advice on finding a balance between keeping on schedule with naps on days when you feel he'll be overtired by then. does it create more problems if he's overtired or if he get's off his 4 hr easy?

[gavinsmum]

Just to give you some hope - I was you 1 month ago.  Now DS is sleeping much better.  He goes down at 7:30 ish, DF at 10 and gets up at 6 - 6:30 ish.  Our nights were dreadful when we were rocking him to sleep everytime he woke.  We were exhausted.  I know it is not popular, but we finally let hime cry it out.  He was consictantly waking around 4 am and would sleep in our arms but wake as soon as we put him down.  He cried two mornings in a row, and has been fantastic since.  Lucky for us he didn't cry too hard.  On and off mostly.  I wouldn't have beedn able to stand it if he were in there wailing.  It was almost like he was telling us he needed to learn to do it himself.  Anyway, just wanted to let you know that there is hope - It won't be long and you'll all be sleeping.  Good luck!

[cheriec]

gavinsmum,

i just let out a little "yippee"when i read your post.  i'm so glad for you and your lo, but i'm also glad to know that it'll get better soon.

stacy,
i'm still feeding him at night if he wakes after 4 hrs, i agree that i can't be sure yet that it's not hunger.  i'm also starting to think that the overtiredness is sabotaging us at times.  i'm going to work on longer naps.

thanks ladies,  i knew i would feel better after hearing from some of you

[cheriec]

5 wake-ups last night. i think i fed him to much in thenight.  he woke up at about the 3 hr marks and i fed him.  i guess i should try to keep his night feedings to 4 hrs until we get a little more settled into out 4 hr easy.

i think i will work on naps today.  good naps=good night sleep, right??

[teezee]

gavinsmum - you are right CIO is not a popular thing around here...tracy did not, bw does not, none of us advocate CIO in any way shape or form! when you let a lo CIO you are only showing them that they cannot trust you and it will eventually break the bonds of trust between parent and child. not only will you have to repair the trust (very, very hard and tedious work!) but you will still have to deal with the original problem thereafter...really not worth it imo!!!

there is a distinct difference between a lo CIO and a lo settling themselves.  CIO is when a lo is crying desperately for you - i think everyone can honestly say they know that 'I NEED YOU NOW MOMMY' cry when they hear it - and you should absolutely go to your lo if they need you - that's why we are parents - to give our lo's what they need! if a lo is mantra crying, or settling himself/herself it is ok to let them 'fuss' or cry out a bit as long as when it escalates to the other you go in and be there for your child who is trying to communicate his/her needs to you.

[teezee]

cheriec - i just wanted to add that many times (more than not) there is regression after some change and that is TOTALLY normal. keep consistant with what you were doing as you were obviously on the right track!  

perhaps you can take a week to be totally consistant with naps, bedtimes, etc so lo gets used to the routine and is 'set' in it kwim? could someone else help (anyone?) with you other lo's outings?

[cheriec]

teezee, i 'm glad to hear that.  i was beginning to wonder. he woke last night again at the 3 hr marks and i fed him.  but he went right back to sleep each time.  he's doing okay at naps.  i've been making sure to get him down before he gets overtired.  he goes off to sleep quick, but wakes at the 45min mark, so we'll keep working on that.  during the day he's doing really well on the 4 hr easy, so i guess we'll just give it a week or so and see how he settles in .  thanks again!

[teezee]

if you could post your routine now that you are on 4hrs i may be able to see something that may help hun?!

[cheriec]

wake ~7am
E  7
A
S 9-11 (usually with a lot of wake ups after 45min...if he's woken, i try to keep putting him back to sleep til 10:45 or so)
E 11
A
S  1-3 (usually with a lot of wake ups after 45 min..if he's woken, i try to keep putting him back to sleep til 2:45 or so)
E  3
A
S 5-5:30
E6:30 or 6:45
bed at 7

he's been waking every 3 hours or so during the night.

thanks teezee