Sleep Training Starts NOW

I loved that this was the first thing I saw when I woke up. Wouldn’t you? Gonna miss this…

I’ve always been a huge fan of co-sleeping, especially while breastfeeding my little babies.  There’s nothing sweeter than the company of a sleeping angel by your side…watching the rise and fall of their little tummies while they are off in dream land, so content and peaceful.  But they are not little babies anymore, just little monsters that have gotten spoiled by being by my side 24/7, except working hours.

I don’t regret it one bit, but lately I noticed that it has created a dependency that is no longer healthy for A&Z.  They don’t go to bed until Jeffrey and I go to bed.  After a full days worth of work, making dinner, eating, cleaning up, getting everything prepared for the next day, bathtime/storytime, etc…a normal bedtime for all of us would be 10:30 or 11 pm.  Then, they would wake up at the same time as me which is at 7 am.  So if you’re doing the math, they were definitely not getting the right amount of sleep that a 3.5 and a 1.5-year-old should have.

Not to mention, the lack of downtime I have as a human being with having to meet their demands at their every waking moment (which happens to be exactly the same as my every waking moment).  I think this has played a big part on my stress levels since I operate without any time to pay bills, exercise, read, think, and take care of myself.

The solution: Sleep train A&Z to go to bed in their rooms.  On their own. At 8 pm.

The outcome: They get a good night’s sleep and I get my sanity.

Here’s the 9 day plan:

• Nights 1-3: Get ready at 9:30 and in bed 30 minutes earlier at 10 pm.  IN THEIR OWN ROOMS.
• Nights 4-6: Get ready at 9:00 and in bed 30 minutes earlier than the previous at 9:30 pm.
• Nights 7-9: Get ready at 8:30 and in bed 30 minutes earlier than the previous at 9 pm.
• Nights 9+: Get ready at 8:00 and in bed 30 minutes earlier than the previous at 8:30 pm.

I read books and followed tons of forums on this topic.  It’s going to suck for the first few days, just need to hold steady and repeat in a firm tone yet quiet voice, “It’s time to go to sleep, it’s okay.” No eye contact.  No picking up.  Daddy has to be as equally dedicated to this effort as Mommy.

Tonight was literally night one.  I was in charge of Arielle.  She pouted and whined a bit like, “No, Mommy! I want to sleep with you..I want to sleep next to Mommy!” I told her that it was her big girl room and that all her cousins sleep in their own big girl room.  I also put a few of her favorite stuff toys next to her and told her that those were her babies and they needed to sleep next to their mommy.  Coconut stayed and hung out with her, too.  So far, so good!

Zavier struggled a lot more.  It took 50 minutes of standing in his crib and screaming at the top of his lungs.  Jeff went in every 10 minutes or so to calm him down, but every time Jeff left, Zavier got all fired up again and screamed even louder.  I’m glad it was him and not me.  That one was tough.

Wish us luck!  I’ll keep you updated on our progress…