A Little Tough Love

Nora's sleeping habits had been better at 4 weeks than at 9-10 months.  She was consistently getting up in the middle of the night.  To make a long story shorter...I woke up 5 times in a night, fed her each time (why, I know why did I do that) and she went back to bed.  Usually it was 1-2 or 2-3 times I would do this and it "seemed" easiest to nurse her to sleep so I could get back to sleep. (not like I can actually fall asleep before I hit the pillow or anything!)  I had myself convinced that it was a good idea until that 5th time that last night in early January.  After talking with Jake we decided a little lost sleep a few times would make up for the long periods of sleep that we could gain if she would sleep through the night like she did from 4 weeks-4 months and 5-8 months. 

Our plan: feed her 6-8 ounces before bed time and only feed her after 8-9 hours of sleep (so around 5 am).  When she woke up and cried we would let her cry for 20 minutes then hold her until she went back to sleep & put her down & do this until the 5 am feeding time. 

Night #1: She woke up at 1-consistent with what she had done. After 20 minutes crying and 20 minutes of holding her she was back to sleep and didn't wake up until 5:30 am.  Progress...

Night #2: She woke up again around 1-Jake held her for 15 minutes and she was in bed & didn't wake up until 7 am. More progress...

Night #3 She slept until 8 (12 hours) and then woke up.  Holy cow..it works!

From then until now which has been about a month she has gone to bed and not gotten up until after the 5 am feeding.  She does some nights wake up crying, but has learned we are not getting up to get her.  Of course I get up and listen through her door for a minute, but what new Mommy wouldn't. 

Now, if I could just sleep through the night myself! I've been having problems with this for a while now which has led me to a Diet Mountain Dew addiction-that doesn't make it any better. I try to cut myself off before 4 pm so it doesn't keep me up at night (LOL, officially old!).

We are thankful she is enjoying good night time sleep again after a little rough patch that I blame solely our parenting for that time being.