Dr Weissbluth your my sleep man, you've got my back.(This is what I got from the book & what happened as a result)
Up until 6 weeks don't expect enough maturity for your baby to sleep through the night.. just try REALLY hard not to let them get over tired.
TICK
6 weeks you will notice your child wanting to sleep earlier in the evening, say bed time goes from 10pm to around 8.
TICK (exactly 6 weeks Bastian did this)
Now you can try sleep training.. YAY!
Have a night time ritual, a wind down time.
Bastian has boobie time.
bath time
soothing time 10 - 15 min (low lights, and a nibble)
- I think I might add book time here too
TICK
Then we put him down, turn the lights off and leave the room.
This is the extinction or 'let cry' method because Dr Weissbluth says the most important thing at bed time is consistency and I'm terrible when it comes to being consistent with controlled crying and he's too BIG for me to rock to sleep.
So extinction seemed the best option.
He probably whinges for 10 minutes and then lays there until he falls asleep. (aka puts himself to sleep, OH yeah go Bastian)
Weissbluth says: Hes crying because he loves me and wants to spend more awake time with me, just like if he was crying because he wanted to cross the road on his own, I know better. AND so will not pick him up!.. this was really hard the first couple of nights.
although BONUS because if I were to rock him it would take close to 2 hours (apparently this can stimulate him to try to stay awake.. well who would've thought)
Weissbluth also says don't be under the impression that keeping him up longer will make him sleep longer. Sleep begets sleep. Tired begets over-tired/wired.
(Yeah, tried to keep him up before I got the book & you don't want to know what happened)
Anyway after the first two days of using this method Bastian would sleep 6 pm to 12 am then 12.30 to 5 am then 5.30 am to 8 am. Which is a whole lot better than getting up every 4 hours.
Now for me, thats pretty good .. but THEN.
Last night after 5 days of using this method Sebastian cut out his 12 am feed himself.
YES thats right he slept from 8 pm to 5 am then 5.30 am to 8 am
TICK TICK TICK
DR WEISSBLUTH YOUR MY HERO!
(A massive thanks to Kristen who suggested this book for me to read)
p.s: the book caters for children from birth till.. (unsure) I'm only half way through because Bastian isn't old enough to really bother reading anymore.
As he gets older I shall read the appropriate chapter and see what to do next!
5 comments:
good job there "Jess the baby tamer"...but even better for Bastian...you will all benefit from setting good habits now...there are bound to be hiccups but you know how to get back on track now...go girl!!! you will be having another brood of babies before you know it!!!!!he he
That's awesome that you have taught him to sleep so early on Jess. If you can teach your child to settle themselves to sleep you are set!!
Things change when they are sick or teething, but as long as you are consistent when they are well life is GREAT as Mum and Dad are happy and baby is happy too :)
Awesome Job little boy (and parents!)!! its great he is so settled! I agree with Lisa - teething and sickness throws them - it really messed up my one good sleeper - coz I started doing all the 'wrong' stuff. Life is soooo much better with sleep!
Thats awesome! Good work Jess!! I am glad you are getting some sleep! Well done little man!!
I am totally investing in this book, with a 15 month old that has slept through the night 3 times in his life... my first was cake, still likes his sleep, but this little one... hmmm like I said, got to get that book! Thanks for sharing and GOOD BOY BASTIAN and yay for mummy too!
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