Stringy813 ... It can happen!

JGY

Gabe slept through the night last night.  Not just "STTN," he slept from 7:20pm until 6:00am!  Now I'm not anticipating that this is his new normal or anything, but OMFG I got 8 hours of sleep last night.

It's coming for you too, lady.  You can get there, just keep taking 1 night at a time.

Sending hugs and a light at the end of the sleep-deprivation tunnel.

(And I started this thread rather than sending a PM because I know there are others, lurkers, out there that know how we feel.  I wanted to give you all hope as well!!!)

 

JGY

Oh I'm so sorry for you about this morning.  I have DEFINITELY had those mornings!  Just this week I had started to have to leave Gabe awake in his crib with toys while I showered as quickly as humanly possible.  It scared me to death to do it, but what I found out (hah) was that he would quit screaming within about 45 seconds.  Now some of that may have to do with the fact that he can hear the bathroom fan and the shower through his nursery wall, but still.  It was enlightening.

Anyway, to answer your question, YES - this happened all on its own.  No sleep training at all.  And this isn't the first time he's slept through the night, he's done it before but it was more of a period of, like, Midnight until 5am.  This was the first time he didn't wake up AT ALL.  And just Monday night he was up about 4-5 times.  But the night before that (Sunday) he was up at midnight and then down until 6am.  So perhaps there's a transition on the way??

Funny you should mention sleep training, S just said after Friday night (another bad one), "If his sleep habits don't change after this ear tube surgery, I think we need to sleep train him."  I'm wasn't convinced that I agreed, but I did believe that something had to change.  So I ordered a used copy of "The No Cry Sleep Solution."  It should be delivered today.  Maybe Gabe sensed this?

And to answer the other important question, NO, I did not sleep the whole night because we also have a dog and a cat.  The miracle was that the dog also stayed asleep and on the bed.  But the cat decided to take advantage and be needy.  Still, I'd rather sleep with a cat on my neck, than not sleep with a kid hanging off my boob! 

IT WILL HAPPEN!

 

JGY

Good to know about the NCSS book.  I guess I had hoped that wouldn't be the case, but perhaps we can glean something from it.  I did try to start charting the sleep stuff on Monday night, and I couldn't do it.  Honestly, I couldn't.  By the time I stumble to and from his room and in and out of bed, the last thing I can do is find the piece of paper, pick up the pen, look at the clock, and think clearly enough to document what happened.

I hear you on not having time to even think about reading a book.  I was kind of wondering when we'd have the chance to even crack it.  Seems like as soon as I put him down, I start the chores for the next day (setting the coffee, packing his diaper/clothes, thawing his milk, pulling out clothes) and then I go to bed in the hopes of piecing together enough sleep.  Perhaps I can sneak it into the Mothers' Room with me at work.

And yes, I do the angry and unproductive reactions as well.  Yesterday I was LIVID because a friend who we spent time with over the weekend emailed to give us a heads up that her kid now has Strep.  Totally not their fault, the kiddo showed ZERO signs of anything being wrong over the weekend, and hey at least she had the awareness and cared enough to let us know.  But I was completely unable to react rationally.  Luckily I kept it between S and me and just thanked her for keeping us in the loop.

Anyway, any time I am feeling like I've done the wrong things and set up bad patterns with nursing him to sleep, etc, I go over to the Attachment Parenting board and read for a bit.  As they like to point out, none of their teenagers are nursing to sleep and none of them are still bed-sharing or getting up in the middle of the night.  It happens, and we just need to have faith and trust that we are doing the right things for our individual children.

Also beer and wine during the nightly chores help.