Do any of you sleep train? I hate calling it that. It sounds like boot camp or something intense. We found it works for us. Giving them the confidence to be able to soothe themselves and figure out they are capable of doing so has been soo helpful. I know people who are adamantly against it, for it, and tweak their own schedules to make it work. For us sleep is so very important, we have 4 boys who go to bed without fight and wake 90% of the time on their own and without any resistance. I know many a family whose situations do the same for them and they did not sleep train what so ever. Again just curious what works for everyone else. Each child we have adapted to, but in the end they are able to be laid down awake and fall asleep alone.
Also binkys? What are your binky "rules", if any? My grandparents are soo awful to my cousins who either have binky toddlers or diaper toddlers. My boys all rejected their binky at 4-5 months. Every single time I have this inner panic of how will I soothe them. But they just find something knew that works for them. Never had a thumb sucker, surprisingly. My cousins all ask advice on binky weaning and I have none as they do it on their own.
Potty training we try to have done by 2. Again each child is different. I've only potty trained 2 girls (not mine) and I felt they grasped it soo well. It has been the hardest part of parenting this stage IMO. It sure helps having older ones to chase after. Nice weather potty training worked well for my boys. We live in rural areas so they go out in their undies and boots and pee on trees. Not sure what it is about peeing on trees and ant hills, but seems to be the key for them. I guess I'd like the ability to pee on trees too. 😄
I don't think there is a right or wrong in any of these, again just curious what works for everyone or tips and tricks on how you got through a stage.
For night time potty training I put regular undies under their night time diaper and they learn really quickly and you have no mess... I figured this out on a roadtrip with my 2nd and haven't looked back!!!
@thoseboysmama I only have my first child right now and I was 19 when I had him. I can't say for sure what I will and won't do again until I'm in the moment. But I'm personally not a believer in "cry it out". I didn't do it with Reese, and I don't have intentions on doing it with Kai. I personally believe that by tending to my kids when they cry for me, I'm building a relationship of trust that ends up being successful in the long run to help them know they are safe to fall asleep and wake up alone etc. By 9 months, Reese did sleep in his own room, went to bed without me (usually) and woke up peacefully(usually). Then he begun getting ear infection until 2.5 and woke up throughout the night because of that. I always tended to him when he woke up because I knew he was likely in pain. Now at 7 he goes to sleep relatively easily, sometimes with an argument lol. But he does sleep through the night, walks himself to the bathroom without waking me up or anything. And when he wakes up in the morning on a weekend, he gets himself settled in the livingroom and puts a show on for himself while he waits for us to come down. As far as pacifiers go, he stopped using his at 7 months when he got thrush and I never reintroduced it. My hope is that Kai will be done with his by 1, but I have no idea what this child will be like. I think 2 would be my cut off, but I really dont know. Potty training didn't happen until 3 and he never really had an accident with pee again aside from occasional nighttime accidents, but pooping was harder for him. There was something intimidating about pooping in the toilet and that took a little longer to convince him of.
We worked really hard on sleep foundations (bedtime routine, putting him down drowsy but awake, etc.) and that worked for us. We also let him fuss for short periods, but we never did much true CIO. He's been a great, independent sleeper, although he's always been a very early riser.
We used a paci until he turned two, but only for naps/nights.
We're planning to potty train during the second half of my maternity leave when I'm home (he'll be about 2.5.)
@peyts228 good luck with potty training. We bought a little green frog urinal that we have suction cupped to the shower and our dude LOVED learning on that. They can make the center spin by aiming on it. It was very cheap.
@hitcj4687 yes CIO was never our way either. I know some people who had success doing it but it just made me soo anxiety ridden. And I'm not an anxious person. A baby crying just always gets to me.
Thanks ladies. I am always interested in these things as many options work and every kid is different.
@thoseboysmama - sleep training is in the cards for us if we can. I don’t think of it like that though. I was in the military for a bit and know how well routines work for me, so I’m hoping a pretty consistent routine for bedtime/sleep will work for baby. We’ll see though. I’m a FTM and I can hear all the experienced moms laughing at my hubris now lol. 😊
@monkey_mcfee no laughing here. I think consistency is key as well. My kids know what time it is we get very little to no resistance every night and it's lights. They got their loveys, waters, and night lights and are good to go. I think they are so comfortable with it as it is as it has always been. They know what to expect. I'm excited for you to be a FTM! So many firsts coming your way!
We worked really hard on laying good sleep foundations as well and would occasionally let them fuss for a few minutes when we knew they were just over tired or something like that. For the most part though, we have just been lucky with really great little sleepers. We still have issues every now and then. But they share a room and do great for the most part!
Re: Weekly Check-in 3/6
Also binkys? What are your binky "rules", if any? My grandparents are soo awful to my cousins who either have binky toddlers or diaper toddlers. My boys all rejected their binky at 4-5 months. Every single time I have this inner panic of how will I soothe them. But they just find something knew that works for them. Never had a thumb sucker, surprisingly. My cousins all ask advice on binky weaning and I have none as they do it on their own.
Potty training we try to have done by 2. Again each child is different. I've only potty trained 2 girls (not mine) and I felt they grasped it soo well. It has been the hardest part of parenting this stage IMO. It sure helps having older ones to chase after. Nice weather potty training worked well for my boys. We live in rural areas so they go out in their undies and boots and pee on trees. Not sure what it is about peeing on trees and ant hills, but seems to be the key for them. I guess I'd like the ability to pee on trees too. 😄
I don't think there is a right or wrong in any of these, again just curious what works for everyone or tips and tricks on how you got through a stage.
For night time potty training I put regular undies under their night time diaper and they learn really quickly and you have no mess... I figured this out on a roadtrip with my 2nd and haven't looked back!!!
We worked really hard on sleep foundations (bedtime routine, putting him down drowsy but awake, etc.) and that worked for us. We also let him fuss for short periods, but we never did much true CIO. He's been a great, independent sleeper, although he's always been a very early riser.
We used a paci until he turned two, but only for naps/nights.
We're planning to potty train during the second half of my maternity leave when I'm home (he'll be about 2.5.)
@hitcj4687 yes CIO was never our way either. I know some people who had success doing it but it just made me soo anxiety ridden. And I'm not an anxious person. A baby crying just always gets to me.
Thanks ladies. I am always interested in these things as many options work and every kid is different.