I want to kiss Kim West on the mouth.

mamarazzi

I've been researching different sleep training methods to try and help Andersen get better sleep and learn to self-soothe a bit.  I absolutely couldn't do CIO with him (despite having it done it successfully with Law) -- I just don't have it in me when he has so many health problems.

The "Sleep Lady Shuffle" (by Kim West) seemed to be our best bet.  I decided to try it today with naps.  It took him 30 minutes to fall asleep the first time.  He woke up smiling and talking instead of fussing.  It took him less than 10 minutes the second time. Less than a minute the third time.  I just put him down for bed and he didn't fuss a bit! 

I haven't not had a child in my arms in the evening for almost 8 months.  He always falls asleep in my arms (with a lot of effort) and then sleeps in bed with us.  If we can get him in his own bed, he ends up in ours by midnight.

I hope it continues to work and get better!

sooosie

That is so great!  I'd been thinking of you guys as we did our own little sleep training over here w/Max.  I'm going to google her method to see what's different from CIO.

mamarazzi

sooosie:

That is so great!  I'd been thinking of you guys as we did our own little sleep training over here w/Max.  I'm going to google her method to see what's different from CIO.

It's sort-of like CIO, but you stay with the baby until he falls asleep.  You can touch/talk to/soothe the baby, but you don't do it constantly so it becomes a crutch.  You slowly move further away and offer less soothing.

How'd it go for you guys?  Is Max a little sleeping champ now?

sooosie

I will say he is much better than he was.  He's getting better at the self-soothing thing.  I hate CIO too, but I have to admit it kind of works (for these kids anyway).  We haven't had to go more than 5 minutes, though.  If he cries, it is typically w/in the first 30 minutes after going down - and then if he doesn't calm w/in the 5 minutes we go give him his nuk, and he falls asleep.  (Makes me wonder if we should skip the crying and just go shove it in there.)

Otherwise, he's gotten progressively longer at night - we're averaging about 8pm-6am right now!  I can't even remember the last time we fed him at night.  Occasionally he'll wake up and whine for a couple minutes and fall back asleep.

Next up ...longer naps.  He's a big catnapper so I'd like to stretch those out (and get him to nap in his crib).  Ian had this problem too, but eventually it worked out.

I hope your method continues to work!  How's he been feeling otherwise?

mamarazzi

That's awesome!  I know CIO works -- it was a lifesaver for Law and I still credit it for his great sleeping habits now...I just couldn't make AJ cry when I couldn't be *sure* it wasn't because he was in pain.

I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner.  He was totally playing me for a fool!

He's doing okay otherwise.  His poop/vomiting issues are freaking me out, but hopefully they work themselves out.  If not, we have an appointment with a GI specialist at the end of September.

Hope both our little guys' sleep habits only get better!

CubbyMama

We used that method, too, and though I still loathed every second of it, I felt better about it than just leaving her alone to cry.  I'm so glad to hear you're having some success!

mamarazzi

CubbyMama:

We used that method, too, and though I still loathed every second of it, I felt better about it than just leaving her alone to cry.  I'm so glad to hear you're having some success!

It was awful this morning when he was looking at me like "WTF are you doing?  Just pick me back up already!"  I almost think CIO would have been easier on me because I wouldn't have had to sit right next to him while he fussed and cried.  Hope it's a success -- then the crappiness of it today will have been worth it!

mikeandmonica

Yay!  You guys have had a rough time with sleep stuff, so I'm glad that something is working!