Sweet little guy was sleeping through the night until just before Halloween when we took a trip to Texas- that little bit of traveling really threw him off and he was up in the night again. Now, he only gets up once-- usually around 3-- and will eat and be back down again in 15-20 minutes. Sometimes he is up for longer than that, but typically, I can get him back down pretty quickly.
Last week, he was up for a few hours in the night and I decided it was time to try the ol' cry it out technique that I was preaching about before our Texas trip.
Well, the first time he was crying, his screams were awful, so I went in to check on him after 20 minutes and he was soaked-- completely wet. I felt like the world's worst mother, letting my soaking wet kid cry it out! So, I quickly changed him, and sat down to nurse him. Cal had problems with this too when we were starting this process with him. I upped Andy's over night diaper size (he and Cal are now wearing the same size over night diapers-ha!), and hoped it would help.
The next night, he was crying it out, and he was getting louder and louder. I was worried that he was soaked again, so I went in after about 10 minutes and he had a poopy diaper... again, I felt terrible for letting him cry while sitting in his own mess! Again, quick change and nurse...
Well, this pattern kept happening: I would be determined to let him cry it out and then something would happen: he was soaked (the over nights are not helpings), he pooped, or, one night, he had his arm stuck between the crib and the wall. Talk about feeling terrible!
Last night I had dinner with a bunch of friends and we got to talking about me getting up every night around 3 and then having a really hard time falling back asleep. One girl in the group is a self-proclaimed sleep nazi and she started coaching me through it. I know I can do the cry it out method-- I have done it before...with BOTH kids! I also know it is really hard the first few nights and then it's over and done...
so last night, I was ready. BRING IT ON.
Andy woke up at 1:30, which is a little early for him. I went in to check on him, and his diaper was soaked (side note-- how on earth is his diaper getting so filled in that few hours?? Is it because he sleeps on his tummy and it pushes it all out?). I changed him, without saying one word, as per the sleep nazi, and then put him back in his crib. He was mad. Ohhhh, buddy was he mad. He screamed for about 15 minutes and then fell asleep. I thought it was a miracle. I rolled over, snuggled my pillow and got ready to zonk out.
Welllll, 15 minutes later, he woke up suuuuuuuuper mad. His screams were LOUD and he wasn't giving in. He was HOT mad! I let him go for about 20 minutes, then went in and patted his back and gave him a paci-- this made him even madder. I left and came back in another 20 minutes later to try to calm him down and he was really upset, but I was determined! I turned on his little projector box thingy that puts images on the ceiling, hoping that would distract him into falling asleep. No luck.
This routine went on- with him never stopping to even catch his breath- for 2 hours. I was exhausted. I think the hardest part is knowing that if I just go feed him, he will be out in 15 minutes and I can get to bed. I was so adamant about this last night, but I finally gave in around 3:30... his face was wet from tears and he just looked so hurt that I wouldn't pick him up and love on him.
So, night one of crying it out: FAIL. Maybe tonight will be better? Any suggestions on what to do to reduce the soakage would be great also. He nurses before he goes to bed, but I can't cut that out, right? Don't kids take a bottle before they go to sleep?
I'll update tomorrow with hopefully some good news on the cry it out front. Wish me luck!
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| it's a good thing you are cute, you little nugget. |
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