Most of you know how obsessed with this book I am. "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cameron was an awful sleeper when he was a newborn. His days and nights were messed up, and he never slept more than a few hours at a time. The first few weeks were okay, because I expected it, but when he was 3-4 months old, I was starting to get frustrated. Also, he was waking up about 10 times a night to nurse.....it was awful. So my pediatrician recommended this book. I read it cover to cover about 4 times in just 2 days!! Cameron was about 5 months old, so we decided to let him start crying it out. It was so hard. I would want to go in there SO bad, but Nate was awesome and helped me be strong. Lo and behold, about 4 days later, Cameron was sleeping 13 hours a night, no joke. So from when he was 5 months old until he was 15 months old, Cameron slept from 6 pm until 7 am, and napped at 9 and 1, on the nose. SO AWESOME!!!!!!!! It was like magic. And at 15 months, he started napping from noon until 2, which he still does. And he went to bed at 6 or 6:30 up until about a month ago. But now he goes down at 7, which is the latest I will allow him to stay up. I don't think kids this young need to go to bed ANY later than 7. And if he doesn't nap one day, he'll still go down at like 6:30 Everybody is always shocked at how well Cameron sleeps. But like Dr. Weissbluth's book says, kids need a schedule and to "learn how to sleep". I just don't give Cameron a choice. Bedtime is bedtime, naptime is naptime, and that's the way it is. You can't let kids make their own sleep schedule, otherwise they will be overly tired, cranky, and everyone will be miserable!!
I cannot wait to put this to the test again with my next baby. I'm SO much more relaxed now about this baby because I know that after 4-5 months of getting up all night, then I will be able to let Baby cry and all will be well! I have been babysitting a little 5-month old the past few days to help my friend out, and even just this morning, I layed her down on her own, she cried for maybe 20 minutes, and she's been asleep for an hour now! I'm just NOT a fan of rocking and cuddling your baby to sleep once they've hit this age. I know it's fun, but in the end, it comes back to bite you. I have a friend who STILL has to rock/nurse her 14-month old to sleep. And he STILL doesn't sleep through the night....because he doesn't know how to put himself to sleep!!!!! I don't know how she does it! I would go crazy! Not to mention, her child is REALLY cranky all the time! He's exhausted!!!
A LOT of parents think that letting your baby cry is mean. It is hard, but I promise your baby won't hate you! Like I said, Cameron only cried for a few days before he was sleeping all night, and it only took a few weeks for him to not cry AT ALL when we put him down. It was hard to ignore his crying during the night, but I remember waking up the first morning after he had slept all night and I rushed into his room, expecting him to be dead, and he was just happily lying there smiling away.
So to all of you moms who are struggling with your baby or kids' sleeping, READ THIS BOOK! It's broken down into age groups, so it will have helpful ideas for whatever age your child is.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Sleeping Through the Night
Posted by Becca Jane at 8:13 AM
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11 comments:
My opinion is every kid is different. Some need extra training to learn how to put themselves to sleep while others instinctively know how to.
My pediatrician told me not to let Gwen "cry it out" until she was about 6 months old. She has been crying it out since she was 3 months old, same as her brothers.
I don't agree with your thoughts on early bedtime. My kids have never gone to bed before 8 pm and they sleep for at least 12 hours plus take long naps during the day. I think bedtime is a personal choice and most people I know set a bedtime based on when they want their kids to wake up in the morning.
Ethan has always been a terrible sleeper but whenever I'd let him cry it out he'd just keep throwing up. Hopefully I am stronger with it this time, but I really couldn't stomach the vomit every night!! I may have to read that book!!
Daniel used to cry until he threw up too. He's my only kid that I would not let cry it out because I would rather go to him than clean up milk vomit. However, it's worked wonders for Natalie. I honestly think that the reason she is so much happier now is because I realized that she was old enough to let her cry and she did for a couple of days, but then she just started sleeping more, and now she sleeps 12+ hours a night and takes 2 naps during the day.
It worked for my other two kids as well, but like I said Daniel was just one of those personalities that didn't deal well with it.
I don't think I had too many problems with ours because I was always of the frame of mind that crying never killed anyone and of course by the time you're onto your 3rd or 4th etc., you learn real quick.
Ooh I couldn't deal with vomiting either, you guys! I know, I hope I wasn't just lucky that Cam took to those methods so well. I'm hoping this baby will be a great sleeper too. I'm just glad I read this book when I did because who knows what would have happened. By the time Cam was 5 months old, I was doing everything wrong....rushing to him and nursing him whenever he made a peep....of course he was going to keep crying if a feeding was the reward he got!! I just assumed that he'd sleep through the night on his own, I didn't realize that my own behavior had anything to do with it.
My kids go to bed at 7 every night and they don't fuss. At about a year old i stopped running to them every time they made a fuss and i was shocked at how fast they started sleeping through the night. Now I wish i would have done that sooner, i WILL with the next baby.
Personally i think kids need a lot of rest. Once they get used to a schedule they are usually fine with it.
I am a huge fan of early bed times, I need the evening time for myself, for my sanity. And my kids need the rest. When they go to bed later than 7 they are soo cranky the next day and sometimes it throws their schedule off and we are in for a few days of crankiness.
I'm a huge fan of this book. While it may not be as simple as this doctor says, he's basically true. I had a harder time following his advice with Rachel (she's the deaf one) and she is still an awful sleeper--and she needs rest so badly! The others do pretty well--I think its both their disposition and training. Without quiet evenings, I'd go nuts!
I am so with you on the sleeping thing.....Jacob was our worst sleeper out of the new babies.....probably because he was so big and always so hungry. We weren't as nice as you though because we made the tough love switch at one month. Didn't want him to get into so bad habits. I couldn't take being up in the night with the other girls being so little........I am so glad that I get great sleepers when they are small.......we struggle with bedtime now and then since they can get out of their beds but they have been awesome this summer and sleeping in till 10 a.m somedays.....it's after 8a.m now and I haven't heard a boo from anyone....yay!!!
I've definitely followed more of an attachment type parenting style when it comes to bedtimes. With two kids it has worked great, but I worry about when we have our third...I might need to try something different for things to work out!
I guess I'm just lucky and have never had a problem with bedtime with Wyatt. Maybe I will just not have any more children so that I don't have to deal with a difficult one since I've been so blessed!
Amen, sister! My aunt bought me this book when Maddie was a baby and it totally opened my eyes. The sucky thing is, I lost it before Chloe was born (2.5 years ago!) and still have never found it! I think I lent it to someone who never gave it back. But, the general philosophy - that sleep is so important and that a great sleep routine can affect all aspects of a baby's life - has made a big impact on me.
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