Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ferber.

After a couple of weeks of fighting EVERY night, we have decided to try sleep training.

Every night we put her down, and for the next two hours we were taking turns going in every 2.45 minutes or so to TRY to calm her. Sing to her, pat her back, walk up and down the hallway, tickle her face, rock her. Nothing. Just screaming. for at least TWO WHOLE HOURS.

Now I know we're a bit spoiled with such a good baby and many people have dealt with FAR worse-but for us, and from 8-10 every night, this was bad.

So we did what all good postmodern parents do and looked it up online. Now, the thing about EM is, when one would open the door to the second apt, she would stop crying. Just listen. Now if one did not get over to her crib fast enough, the screaming would continue. This was a sign that maybe she was reasoning that if she screamed, someone would come.

So, Mr. Ferber, whadaya got?

The cry it out method (CIO). We put her down, set a timer for 5 minutes. If she is still screaming we go in (don't ever pick her up!), and comfort her through patting her back/singing a lullaby/talking quietly and slowly. Then I leave. If she continues to scream, the timer gets set for 10 minutes. If still screaming, repeat the comforting minute. Repeat this process until the poor little thing tires herself out and decides to give in to sweet sleep.

after 4-7 nights, this should work and we should be able to put her down in her crib awake and she can soothe herself back to sleep.

It is starting to work like a charm.

Napping-now THAT is another story. Napping? what is Napping? This method should also work for naptime. However, it does not.

Some of it may be my fault in that because of how crazy our schedules are, a nap doesn't happen at EXACTLY the same minute everyday, does that have to be the case? Do I have to be a slave to my child's sleep schedule for us to function during the day as a normal family?

When EM was born, Skywalker and I consciously decided that the baby fits into our lifestyle, and totally changing our lifestyle for the kid was not what we wanted to do. Now, we have definitely compromised and met in the middle, but now must I be home every day from 10-11:45 and from 2-4?? Maybe.

Maybe that is the only answer.


Or maybe it's just teething?

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