Do you hear that sound? That would be me, obsessively knocking on every inch of wood within a six foot radius before I write what I’m about to write…
Coco is sleeping through the night. She is sleeping all night long. Going down at 7 and sleeping through until 7 the next morning. This is not a joke.
I’ve written so many times about our need to sleep train the baby. She started out as a good sleeper, but somewhere along the way, it all went wrong. And suddenly, I had a 10-month old who was waking every two hours at night. And me? I went to her. So yes, I know it’s really my fault. But something in me would not let me leave her to cry it out. And crying it out? It worked like a champion with Pea, at a time when nothing else was working. It was so easy, she got it in about three nights, right around her first birthday (coincidentally, she started walking right around then, too, so maybe she was passing out from exhaustion at night after days spent waddling around our home).
But with Coco, I couldn’t do it. Was it because her nursery was right next to our bedroom in our old home? Perhaps. Or was it really my melancholy over her being our last baby? Highly likely. Honestly, I wanted to soak in every minute of her babyhood that I could. She’s so tiny and quiet and sweet and I just needed to hang onto that before she got up and walked away from me, which is right around the corner, I might add.
Who knew that all it would take to get this little bambini to sleep through the night would be a move to a high altitude up in the snowy mountains of Utah? Because seriously, that is the only thing that has changed! You know, when we flew up to Utah in December with Coco, she also slept through the night the one night that we spent in the new house. And then, we returned to Fort Worth, and it was immediately back to the every-two-hours-throughout-the-night schedule.
It’s been about one week now and I’ve been averaging a solid 8 hours each night. 8 hours!
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Thanks for the encouragement, Melissa. I think the Ferber method might be better for us. Although I cringe at the thought of using a CIO method, I have only heard positive stories from parents that have actually done it.
I think part of the problem is that we’ve been helping him get to sleep more since he hasn’t been feeling well – rubbing his back for long periods of time or holding him more. And I think too much help at bedtime makes it harder for him to get back to sleep on his own when he wakes up at night.
So this weekend, I for naps,and then bedtime, I just left him longer in his crib when he started fussing after I left (I never put him down asleep). After the first minute or two, we found that his crying was more like a yodeling which was funny and made it easier to wait out than with true sobbing. I went back in once or twice (to replace his pacifier he dropped out of the crib – which I know we need to wean him from to really solve the problem), but for the most part, the yodel-cry died down within 5 minutes. It just seems longer if you don’t look at the clock.
So maybe we just need to be more disciplined and wait a little longer before going to him at bedtime and in the middle of the night.
We do tend to *baby* our babies don’t we? I have 2 boys, ages 4 and 2, and since I’m not sure if I’m gonna have any more, the 2 year old gets a lot more attention than the 4 year old did at his age… Granted I’d had another baby by the time he was that old
Liz,
Sorry, no secret knowledge here! Our older daughter was a terrible sleeper until we used the Cry It Out method on her (“Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child” was our bible at the time) and it worked after all else failed. But it’s definitely not a method for everyone, although those I know who have used it have done so with much success. And Pea is now a terrific sleeper. But Coco always ALWAYS has a slip backwards when she’s teething. There’s not much you can do at the point, I think, other than follow their cues. Honestly, my husband and I were going to sleep train her at one year, just as soon as she was weaned, but it seems we aren’t going to have to do that now. Although if we were, we were going to use the same Cry It Out method. I just knew that my husband would have to SIT on me to keep me from going to her. But there are so many other methods out there for sleep training that their followers have been thrilled with. Why not check into Dr. Ferber’s method, called “Ferberizing?” Maybe that won’t be as hard for you. And in the meantime, I’ll say a little prayer for you that you get some sleep! It does make all the difference, doesn’t it?
That’s great! But I was hoping you’d have some secret knowledge that would help me. My 10 month old was either sleeping roughly 6pm – 6am or going from 6pm to 3-4am, nursing, and then going back to sleep until 6am. But first teething started waking him up more often, and more recently the stomach flu.
Like you, I can’t let him cry it out and I usually end up nursing him, which means he is starting to expect more calories at night. (Of course with the stomach flu, he needs to rehydrate, but in general, he should be able to make it through the night.) I’m just hoping once he’s through this we’ll start getting longer stretches of sleep again, because I don’t think moving to Utah is an option for us.
That is truly amazing! I had no idea altitude could affect sleep…We live in CO and my first was (as a baby) and is now (as a preschooler) a VERY good sleeper…He too ‘cried it out’ for few nights and then got it together sleeping 11 hours every night. He still takes a 2 hour nap every day! Our 6th month old wakes once/night and that is just a-ok w/me…As much as I feel tired and overwhelmed in general, I will soooo miss the baby days when they are gone. Glad you are getting lots of sleep!
Awesome! Further proof that the move was the perfect decision for everyone (as if you needed any proof).
Yea CoCo! Yea Melissa! Sleeping baby=Happy Mama. Life is good!
So happy for you! Moving is such a stressful and busy time, you can really use that extra sleep now. I hope the altitude continues to be your friend!
Alright, I’m convinced. I will even brave that nemesis of mine (snow) for this boon. Currently, my husband and I share a bed with our three year old. This, after 2 years of working hard to get him to sleep in his own bed. I really don’t know why we’ve caved in again but, does it matter? The kid sleeps with us. Sometimes it is heavenly – especially with a little warm body snuggling in close and, I know what you feel when you say you want to enjoy Coco to the max. Other times, it is an utter pain. Especially when little feet have been kicking wildly throughout the night and no rest was had by all. So, guess that means we’ll be moving to Utah. Are they selling the house next door or what?
Fantastic! My littlest one is just about to turn ten months old, and we are having a horrible time with sleep. Here’s hoping we will have some success soon as well.
Yay for Coco and yay for Mommy. 12 hours of sleep is heavenly (we’re currently doing 10-11 hours).
YAY!!!!! I’m so happy for you all!!! What a wonderful ‘housewarming’ gift!!
So glad to read that you’re all doing well.
Big HUGS!!
=) Meredith
Ahhhh, sleep. Congratulations! You are going to be one well-rested Momma!
High altitude is magical. It’s worked the whole time for the Little Dude, and I would just like to say … welcome. Welcome to my world.