What sleep does for us...

For sometime now sleep has been an issue. In the beginning we co-slept and it worked wonderfully we all slept great. I loved my boy snuggling in close, we nursed most of the night, and we slept! Then at 7 weeks we started a slow transition to the crib, and that too went great. We did drowsy but awake and from 3-4 months he was STTN in his crib and we all slept.
Then the 4 month wakeful hit, and we went back to co-sleeping. At first just in the night, but we had to nurse/rock to sleep. And then we went to Florida and everything went out the window! Of course on vacation our schedule and routine were totally off, and so we went to full time cosleeping. This too was fine for a while. L would nurse to sleep in our bed then I coudl get up and get soem stuff done, I went to bed when he woek around 11 to nurse. And then he started waking more and more. At the worst it got to him waking 8+ times a night and only being able to sleep if he was nursing. I was forced to go to bed with him at 8pm or keep him up let, making him overtired and miserable. I was at a loss. I felt like cosleeping was what he needed, since he slept somewhat that way.

But he was exhausted, overtired and cranky and to be honest so was I. A few weekends ago it was at its worst and I just couldn't do it anymore. I read a few books and decided to do CIO. I never ever thought I would be I was desperate.

I loosely followed Ferber but followed my gut as well. I did the 5, 10 and 15 minute soothing except that if he was really worked up sooner I went in early and if at the specified time to go in he was whiney and not crying I waited longer. The first night it took 14 minutes at bedtime and one very painful hour at 11:30 pm when in the past I would bring him in my bed. I did it for naps as well. I think the longest at naps was 12 minutes, by the third night there was maybe 1 minute of moany whining if at all. Same with naps. Its like I have a different baby. He is sleeping 10-12 hrs straight at night, sometimes I hear him wake and fuss a little but I have only had to go in 2 nights in the last week and a half. He is napping for 1-2 hrs both in the morning and afternoon. I rock him and give him a bottle and then lay him in his crib. If he falls asleep in the car I have even been able to transfer him into the crib and he goes back to sleep. I am so glad I did this, despite the really tough first few nights.

And now I have a well rested happy boy. And he has a well rested, calm and patient mama. I know this is not for everyone, and please don't judge us, I assure you he never cried for more then 10-15 minutes without me going in to soothe him. He never got so upset he was sick, I always went in far before then.