Let the screaming begin

It has been a trying few nights in our house as our good little sleeper has decided that he was going to start waking up at midnight, demanding a bottle. I chalked it all up to a growth spurt but after five nights of this, I realized that Benjamin was starting a habit of this. Too lazy and tired to dig through my healthy sleep habits book, I called the pediatrican’s office and talked to the nurse for some hints. Lo and behold, night time feeding is a no-no at 10 months and so is falling asleep while drinking a bottle (NOT in his crib, we’re holding him). Since he started drinking a bottle, this has been his night time ritual – bath, pjs, books, bottle/rocking. Ben has been sleeping until 5 a.m. most mornings and when he has woken up at midnight or 1 a.m., I usually rocked him back to sleep or held him. Another no-no. So, we’re faced with crying it out, again. It wasn’t hard the last time but seems harder because he can now stand up in his crib.

Last night, we had decided that if he woke up at before 3 a.m., we wouldn’t give him a bottle. The last five nights, he’s woken up at midnight. Guess what – last night, he woke up at 3:30 a.m.

My point – kids are not predictable. You’re playing Russian Roulette every night when it comes to sleep. Someone said this lasts until they are 5! Yikes. Why do ppl have more kids? Maybe parents adapt to less sleep?

In a few weeks, we plan on making some changes to his nighttime routine. Bottle will come before bath and we’ll add just a couple minutes of rocking before we lay him down in his crib for sleep. Tonight he had his bottle, cuddled and I then laid him down drowsy. No fussing at all. Bam, went to sleep. So maybe he can fall asleep on his own? Oh well.

Let the screaming begin.