**PreemieParent**

lstaylor73

How did Dominic learn to soothe himself back to sleep?  I would love to know how you got through that, as I'm assuming he's now doing it fine.  Does Olivia soothe herself to sleep?

preemieparent

Well, thanks to my SUPERIOR parenting skills Dominic was able to go to sleep on his own (without me laying down/sleeping next to him) at the age of *cough* four *cough*.

Dominic always had trouble settling down from crying (still does).  Unlike a lot of babies he went from being totally fine to being completely inconsolable in about 3 seconds.  So it was difficult to try the whole crying it out thing or anything else.   I fully admit some of it was us - we didn't want to do it but he also didn't need to expend all those calories crying.

The thing that finally got him to go to sleep on his own was partly his age.  He also fell in love with the tape that I made for Olivia in the NICU.   It was me reading stories to her.  We would put him in bed, read him a story and then put the tape on.  Then I left the room and he fell asleep.

Olivia is a total self soother.   We got lucky that the NICU nurses would let her sleep through the night as she got older.   That helped a lot.   She now she has a favorite blankie that she HAS to have to go to sleep but otherwise she is just mellow about going to sleep.  I can put her down totally awake and she will go to sleep on her own.  

I really think a lot of the adaptive skills can really depend/vary based on personality. Dominic just isn't someone who feels strongly about doing stuff himself.  Honestly - he would still let me dress him if I didn't make him do it.   Olivia on the other hand is very much an "I'll do it myself" kind of girl.  And that makes a big difference.  If she didn't have the medical issues that she has than I think her adaptive skills would be right on for her age.

lstaylor73

Okay, four is okay.  I can make it to four right?  With two little Dominic's right? My guys are the same way and complicated by the vomiting. 

*sigh* this too shall pass, hopefully sooner than four....