Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Sleep Diary of a Tired Mom

Here in the Random house we have some sleepy bunnies! I thought I knew what I was getting into 5 years ago when Mr 3.0 and I were thinking about having a baby. I just didn't fully understand the depth of sleep deprivation that I would be under on a day to day basis 4 years later.  Let me fill you in on some background. Baby 1.0 born 2007, at the time we were renting with my BIL and his girlfriend. I was terrified that a baby crying at night would keep them up, so with every peep I was in there nursing, rocking, basicly trying to pacify him so that he would not keep them up.
Fast forward two years. Him still waking on average twice a night, occasionally sleeping through the night. 

Then what comes along? Why its Baby 2.0! Now I couldn't let her wake him when he just started sleeping through the night now could I? Nope, I was in there at least twice a night for the last two years. This one is stubborn though. She would sleep through maybe once a week. But when she didn't want to sleep and you said to yourself. "Self she is old enough, let her cry it out. How long could she possibly cry till she falls asleep? Ill go in every ten min to see how she is doing." How long? She can cry for hours nonstop. That is how long. Ha Ha Mommy jokes on you.

Fast forward to 8 months ago. Yep you guessed it Baby 3.0! By now this mommy is accustomed to waking a few times a night. But all this is catching up and three babies are much harder to raise when you're tired.
I am trying everything now. I got a book called The Sleepeasy Solution: The Exhausted Parent's Guide to Getting Your Child to Sleep from Birth to Age 5  by Jennifer Walburger.

Mr 3.0 is on a business trip to Vegas for CES. So I decided that by the time he gets back my girls are going to be sleep trained. You are probably wondering why I am waiting till he is out of the house to try this. Well to say this nicely... I have an easier time letting 2.0 cry it out then he does.  I started last night and let me just say I hope that tonight is better.

The simplified idea of the book is
1) Compile a list of the things that your child/children need to go to sleep. For 2.0 she really needs someone in the room to go to sleep, that or needs to be held. 3.0 needs to nurse and fall asleep nursing.
2) Get everything ready that you will need for the night. They recommend having a sleep journal and write down everything. All wake-ups, intervals of going in, anything that you need to keep track of. Like if she/he asks to go potty/get some water/have a song... then the next day you can have all that done before lights out. At lights out there is no more contact with the child.
3) Once you are ready and you have made sure child has had what ever s/he needed. Time to shut out the lights and head out of the door.


What I did was this: Dinner, bath, brush teeth, PJs, tell them a story while nursing 3.0, sing a song, send 1.0 to his room, kiss 2.0 and say good night, kiss 3.0 say good night. Let them both know that Mommy is going to shut the door now and it was time to go to sleep and I'll see them in the morning.

Then sit outside the door crying quietly listening to my two babies screaming and crying. Go in 5 min half way in the room quietly say "Mommies here, its just time for sleep, Ill see you in the morning" leave, cry some more, go in again 5 min, repeat, 10 min, 15 min. This goes on till both girls are asleep. 1 hour.

At 1am 2.0 wakes up and comes into my room, I get up and walk her back into her room (she's crying). Get 3.0 up and dream feed her for 7 min (we are weaning) put her down (easy as pie) leave. At 2am 2.0 wakes again, put her back to bed, she is crying 5 min, 10, 10, 15,15,15 finally she stops crying. Now just making little noises for about 20 more min. I've stopped going in because at this point she is not crying (Thank God that 3.0 didn't wake up at all!)

She gets up again at 5am, I go in and dream feed 3.0 and bring her in my room cause 2.0 is screaming at me to hold her. I say very sweetly "Chlo, Its still night time, when the sun comes up then it is time to get up, but right now its sleepy time. Goodnight love I'll see you soon." With that I leave. And guess what only 7 min of crying then silence. 3.0 went right to sleep too. I got 2 hours of sleep before the sun came up and 2.0 walks in and touches my head and sweet as pie says "Mommy the sun is up wake up now". Day 1 is over!

Here is pic of Nap Time today


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