So, after reading Jessica's comment on Sunday, we headed to the library to check out Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. I spent nearly all that evening and most of yesterday reading it. By yesterday afternoon, I was ready to begin implementing its plan. It's all about watching your baby for cues. When she starts to yawn, it means she's tired and needs to be put in her crib then so that she can go to sleep on her own. I've been doing it all wrong. Before I read the book yesterday, I was rocking Adeline to sleep then putting her in the crib and she would wake up within 20 minutes screaming bloody murder. The Baby Whisperer says this is cruel. It's like if someone drug your bed out into the yard while you were sleeping. It scares a baby to go to sleep in your arms and wake up in a strange place. So, anyway, you watch to see when they're tired (yawning is the first sign, staring into space is the next). Then you go lay them down. You do NOT let them cry it out, which is my favorite part of this book. You go to them and comfort them, but you leave as soon as the crying stops. You don't even pick them up if you can get them to stop crying without it. She's also all about rituals, especially a bedtime ritual. She suggests bathing your baby every night as a way to calm them down before bed. You do this after their 5-6pm feeding. So, that's what we did. Then it was off to bed she went. Yes, her own crib! I had to go comfort her and give her the paci approximately 5 times, but then it was off to dreamland she went! I woke her up again at 9:30 and she ate while still asleep (another idea from the Whisperer), then she went right back to her bed. I stayed up late watching the Frogs, so I fed her again at 11:30. She woke up this time, but went right back to sleep in her crib when feeding and diapering were done. She slept in there until 5am! I am so so happy. I'm so glad that it seems like I've found something that works and that makes us both happy.
As far as the Frogs go, I am not so so happy, but I still love them. They had a great season. I'll leave you with some pictures of Adeline and me cheering them on.
Rah Rah TCU!
YAY! I'm so glad that you checked out that book! I'm its #1 fan, for sure!! Stick with the routine, after about 2 weeks its smooth sailing :-) Aren't those dream feeds the best??
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
YAY!!! SO happy for you! I can't get into the baby wise book. I think it might go returned to the library unfinished. BUT the baby whisperer I might just check out. It sounds for sure like something that is more for us.
ReplyDeleteOh, and another thing we did was post her schedule on the fridge. I got a large piece of paper and copied down the suggested schedule based on her age and stuck it on the fridge for everyone to see. That way her myself, Kyle, her nanny and anyone else who was watching her knew what to do when. That helped keep everyone on track!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother thought I was nuts trying to get a baby on a "schedule" and laughed at me... But darned if it didn't work! Lucy has slept straight through the night (save when she has ear infections...) since 3.5 months!
Yay! I'm glad you found something that works for both of you! Yay, YAY!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm so glad that it worked! It is freeing to see them sleeping peacefully in their own bed! I am so jealous that she slept until 5am!! Braysen still feels the need to wake up about 3am - I think because his diaper is really wet.
ReplyDeleteSorry about TCU - we were cheering for them!
Yea!! Glad you found something that works!
ReplyDeleteWhat cute pics!!! At least TCU made it to a BCS game! That is more than I can say about my Hogs! Glad the Baby Whisperer is working! Stick to it, girl...you will be so glad you did! I wish I would have been more strict with bed time routines and sleeping a baby. I may have saved myself so many sleepless nights for nine months!
ReplyDeleteGlad it's working for you!!
ReplyDelete