Sleep Training Continued

I'm happy to report that the sleep training is going well. This makes me very excited, and has allowed me to celebrate one success of parenting.  There are so many times that I feel like such a bad mom, so I'm very thankful when I have a clear answer that I'm doing something right, or well.  I won't lie, it's been hard, but each night it gets better!

My last entry on sleep training was 2 nights ago.  Last night went VERY well.  I put Blake down as he was awake and he laid in bed entertaining himself for quite some time.  He cried for about 5 minutes then dozed off to sleep without waking himself up at all.  He didn't wake again until 7:30am. (By the way, have I mentioned that he is sleeping 10-12 straight hours?  SUCH A BLESSING!) Tonight I laid him in bed, again, awake, and he started to cry after about 6 minutes.  I laid him down at 8:28, and he cried until 8:35 when I noticed his foot was stuck in the bed railings.  I went upstairs to remove his foot and quietly said "Good night.  I love you."  Then repositioned him in the center of the bed and walked off.  He cried for 8 minutes after that.  He was pretty upset that he couldn't get his foot out so I really think this is why he was crying for such a length of time.  He made himself comfortable in the bed…for him this means rolling over onto his stomach. I seriously cannot break him of this, and it's clearly become his new favorite position.  I'm just letting him.  Starting to wonder though if I should put his bumpers back on the bed because he manages to spin himself around at night and I'm concerned he's going to hit his head.  His bumpers are not breathable.  Though this doesn't concern me too much because he's got really great head control, so I feel he would have enough sense to reposition himself. (Yes? No? Maybe so?) I read online that if infants have good neck control then they are most likely "safe."

It's funny how "sleep training" really is "training", and that "training" does not flow from nighttime to nap time, because we have NOT mastered this for naps.  That seems to be a whole other training in itself.  I need to get on this, but truthfully, I enjoy holding him and cuddling him as he naps.  He's getting so big so fast and it's our time together.  If I were wise then I would use this time to clean my house and get things done, but my little man has taken a priority.  Sometimes I do place him in the Baby Bjorn and do chores, but sometimes I'm too tired and just want to cuddle.

I don't mean to make this sleep training sound like it's a breeze. It's difficult to hear him cry, because every mommy bone in my body wants to rush upstairs, pick him up, and hold him! It was rough going upstairs tonight to remove his foot from the railing then walk away as he was crying.  I just had to tell myself this would be better in the end and take the advice from my friends who said "He won't remember this day.  You're not hurting him by letting him cry it out."  (Remember, my cap is 20 minutes of crying and on the worst night he cried for EXACTLY 20 minutes then went right to sleep.  Since then it's been 10 or less.) It's hard, it's hard, it's hard.  But I'm so glad we are doing it. And he's really being a champ about it!

I really feel that a nightlight has been crucial in this, just so he's not in the dark.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe it has no impact on him whatsoever, but it does give me peace of mind.  For what ever reason.  Currently we are using a nightlight that is normally in the kitchen, which is in the shape of a wine bottle.  Totally inappropriate for a child!  It's all we had.  I've been in so many stores and have searched online attempting to find one that I like. To my surprise, I couldn't find one at Pottery Barn. Finally, I had the bright idea to try Etsy! Why didn't I think of this before?  Etsy is one of my favorite sites!
So, I'm excited to receive this little gem in the mail….

This seller has many cute things if you'd like to check them out here!

To all my fellow sleep training mommies, or sleep-trainers-to-be, hang in there! IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU! Trust me on that one!