When Libby was about eight weeks old she started sleeping from 8 to 8. I was worried. I called the doctor. I got online. I feared she would waste away to nothing. I woke up every hour on the hour and stared at the monitor to make sure she was breathing. She was fine. Of course she was fine. And if I knew then what I know now, I would have relished in the fact that I was one of those moms that brag about their baby who slept through the night at two months.
But things changed.
Fast forward about five months. Two teeth, one stomach bug, and a lot of developmental feats later, I had a Libby who wanted to nurse EVERY TWO HOURS. And I had become an enabler. She'd make a peep and I'd be in her room and have her on the boob faster than you can say "manipulate." And she's nurse back to a peaceful sleep. I'd stroke her little soft head. She'd sigh. And I'd think, "This isn't THAT bad."
But then sleep deprivation began to wear on me.
I got sick.
Felicity got sick.
Chris got sick.
There was one night when Chris was in the guest room, Felicity was with him, and I was in Felicity's bed, just to avoid making too much noise with a cough that might wake Libby more frequently than the EVERY TWO HOURS she was waking up.
So, last night: I decided to put my food down. (Duh Duh Daaaaah)
Let the sleep training begin. Now, I am writing this down as much for myself to show me that I can do this and that I do have resolve. And I'm doing it to have a documented entry to point skeptical friends to when they are not sure how sleep training really works.
Here was last night:
7:30: Libby asleep in bed.
9:00: Libby wakes up. I go to her to make sure she's warm enough and diaper is dry and I decide to feed her one last time before the inevitable long night.
11:00: Libby cries hard. Chris goes in after 20 minutes and pats her back. She screams louder after he leaves, but is back to sleep by 11:40.
2:00: Libby cries. We wait until 2:20. Chris goes in and pats her back. She screams louder when he leaves, but then settles down by 2:40.
5:00: I WAKE UP. She is STILL SLEEPING. I go back to sleep.
6:15: She stirs, I go in and unload a gallon of milk into her for both her comfort and mine.
7:45: She wakes up happy.
SO, that was night #1. I'm bracing myself for night number 2, but I am hopeful that the twenty minute "pat" time from Daddy will let her know that she is not alone but that the all-night buffet has closed. Here's hoping...
