Thursday, March 05, 2009

Sleepy sleep

My little girl is growing up! Tonite she spends her first night in her crib, in her own room. She went down for naps in her crib today with no problems, and went down for the night just as easily. I'm hoping we'll all sleep better now that we're separated. It'll be a drag to walk the 20 feet into her room when she wakes up hungry, but I think I'll survive. I finally sewed up some "draft dodgers" to put in front of her drafty closet doors and hung thermal-backed, black-out drapes on her window. Hopefully it stays nice and warm and dark for her.

I read Babywise and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and they tell me she should be sleeping 8 or 9 hours at night by now. This is not happening. Right now she goes down between 7 and 8 and will go until 12 or 1, a good 5 or 6 hours sometimes. And then she'll wake up ever 3 or 4 the rest of the night. What gives? It frustrates me. I did read these books before she was born, so I think I shall read them again and see what we can figure out. I think my problem is that I just feed her when she wakes up crying because I know it will quiet her and she'll go back to sleep quickly.

Now that she's out of our room, I can read in bed at night again! Let's hope I get this figured out soon!

7 comments:

Jennifer Gilmore said...

you hit the nail on the head. You are better than you give yourself credit. :) I have been told that they wake up usually out of habit - couple nights of crying it out - and she will sleep through the night (but those nights SUCK for you - you feel like you are an awful mom)....FYI. So - keep feeding, or deal with a few crappy nights. :) Either way - whatever helps you get though the newborn times.....not looking forward to that part in a week! :)

vanessa said...

I think you're doing just fine. I've read those books several times and still stink at the whole sleeping thing. Camryn is almost one and still wakes up at night. It'll get better when she starts eating solids too.

Lara said...

I've discovered that every baby is different. Just because she isn't doing what a book SAYS she should be doing, doesn't really mean anything. Some babies sleep through the night at six weeks. Some at six months. Some at six YEARS. She'll get there. You are a patient, loving mom. It will happen.

Emmy said...

I have read all of those books, talked with my pediatrician asking what else can I do and yeah my kids still woke up in the night way longer than I want to scare you with.
So good luck, do what feels best to you.. but yeah at some point for your sanity you might just have to let her cry it out; though no guarantee it will work ;)

Anonymous said...

Hey Karen,

I also read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Go back and review it, that's my advice. Basically, it says in there at that don't let her cry-it-out until she is between 4 and 5 months old. It is okay that she still gets up, Morgan did as well. Once she hit 4.5 months we did the cry out, and what a lifesaver. Otherwise, before that she'd go down at 8, get up at 1 or 2, then like Summer, she'd be awake ever 3-4 hours after that. She'll grow out of it, I promise. Morgan is 5.5 months and goes down at 7, gets up at midnight, and then at 6. So, no worries! Be patient:)

Ligia said...

Girl, sounds like you and your little babe are doing great! I sleep-trained Madeleine at 4 months, just like Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child suggested and let me tell you, waiting those 4 months was SO WORTH IT! Let's just say that this sleep bible is the valuable and cherished read ever and for the past 5 months little Maddie sleeps 12 hours a night straight. Summer is doing great and you just wait and see, she'll suddenly jump to sleeping 7-8 hours in no time. Every baby is different. Hang in there!

Miriam said...

Piper sounds like she's on a very similar schedule. She always gets that longer stretch the very first one and it's usually about 5-6 hrs and then from there on it's only 3hrs. She and Summer should be friends. O' for the night we'll wake up at 7am for the first time that night....cant' wait!