Ok, I need whoever out there in blogger land sleep trains their babies to give me some encouragement. I trained Bryce to fall asleep on his own, and it worked like a charm (although it sucked during the process). He is a great sleeper and never argues when it's bedtime. He's almost three and still takes great naps during the day. I never have to rock him or pat him, etc. He goes to sleep at eight at night, and it's easy. I do remember, however, being ready to pull my hair out with him trying to train him. I used Baby Wise (way too strictly that time). This time around, I am trying to use more of a modified version of the Baby Wise system. I love the idea of them being awake after they sleep (so you're not feeding them to sleep). I do not like listening to them cry though. Brayden isn't a crazy crier like Bryce was, but he still cries...a lot. I have way more sympathy for him than I did Bryce and am trying to go in there right when he starts crying, which is probably teaching him that when he cries, I come running (I know, I know). Anyway, he also seems to want to be held all the time. My aunt suggested getting a sling so I can hold him but still have my hands free. Umm...no.
Anyway, Brayden is only six weeks, but I am ready for the napping to be better. I definitely don't want to have to rock him every time then gently lay him down only for him to wake up five seconds later. Please remind me that it's worth it in the end because right now, I'm annoyed and kinda feel like giving up! If you're not a sleep trainer, don't read this:).
7 comments:
Tammie,
I feel your pain! Sleep training/scheduling is such a pain...but it's so worth it! Don't give up!!! I do remember with both of mine, though, having to "figure them out" before it really worked. They have such different sleep preferences, but we now have the same result for both of them---sleeping peacefully on their OWN!
Kendyll still does need some wind-down time, which now is a story and a couple of nighttime songs,etc. but it used to be a few minutes of rocking and singing. I never did it until she was asleep, but she did seem to need the cuddling a little more than Carlie ever has.
Carlie, however, did cry too, but for completely different reasons. We figured out that she liked a very dark room and got too stimulated by anything around her. She has always been a passy girl too, whereas Kendyll never needed a passy. With Carlie, we had to bundle her so tight to sleep (which might be what Brayden likes about being held...the tight cuddly feeling) and lay her on her side with the passy. Then, she was out like a light.
I say all of this BORING stuff about my own kids to say that eventually you will figure out exactly what Brayden likes and it will work like a charm! But, it might be completely different than Bryce.
(By the way, I let both cry it out a little bit, but I didn't stress over Babywise as much with Carlie and went in when I wanted to....and she now puts herself to sleep just as easily as Kendyll ever did...and with no rocking, patting, etc. So, it will work out! Good luck!!!)
I was also a dedicated Baby Wiser with our oldest. Then with the second I was half Baby Wise and half Baby Whisperer. Both stress sleep training but one is very strict and the other is pretty lenient. I took the middle ground and it was still hard. Noah had reflux and once we discovered that and treated it things got better. But it is definitely worth the pain (and heartache). I think it's normal to baby your second one a little more. They just grow up too fast. That's why I allowed myself to rock Noah to sleep a couple of times (but not a lot). I just wanted to cherish those moments. Anyway, hang in there...they won't be like this forever.
Thanks, girls! You're helping me feel more at ease (I forgot how crappy this first part was).
Sara--how are you treating Noah's reflux? Bryce and Brayden both are/were on zantac and bethanacol. We think Brayden is starting to have reactions to Bethanacol, so I was just wondering what else was out there. Things have definitely gotten better since we treated reflux with Brayden, but it's just hard right now with the sleeping stuff.
Personally, Zantac did not work for us. After calling a GI friend of ours (helps to have connections) she informed us that some babies actually get more irritable when taking Zantac (it has a moderately high alcohol content). We used Pepcid and it seemed to really make things better. Also the latest research is looking at drugs like Prilosec and Prevacid in infants and it is showing good results. They work on acid in a completely different way than Zantac and Pepcid. I would definitely discuss changing him to something different if you don't think its working. As far as bethanacol, I'm not really a user of that med so I can't speak on it. Good luck and remember, most babies grow out of it by the time they are six months old.
Tammie,
Carlie also had reflux (another similarity between Carlie and Noah!) and we started on Zantac and Bethanacol too. It just did not do the trick for Carlie and also made her more agitated for sure. (The Bethanacol is known to do that, if I remember right...)
Anyway, we switched to Prevacid after seeing a GI doctor, and it is my favorite medicine of all time! It solved every problem for Carlie and it was only once a day instead of every few hours. I would definitely ask about it. The reflux issue could be the one thing holding him back from sleeping well. That was always the hardest thing for Carlie...laying flat.
Good luck!! (And, I love the Baby Whisperer too and used it with both my girls. I did find that even with both books, I still had to develop my own set of "rules" and style intead of trying to be just like either expert....)
Thanks, I'll call his doctor. Bryce didn't grow out of reflux until he was 14 months old!! I still have it. Fun times...
I'm afraid I can't help. I think I blocked all that stuff out of my mind.
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