Before we started sleep training, he was waking up an average of five times between 10pm and 8am, and was drinking 24-32 ounces of formula throughout the night {which is unheard of at his age}. We were both exhausted and cranky, he was soaking through his diapers, I was washing his sheets daily, and we were going through a LOT of formula.
Desperate for something, anything that would help, I started googling different sleep training methods. I decided to try the "less tears" Dr. Sears method.
The rules:
• Put the baby down in the crib awake
• Whenever your child cries, console and comfort him, using any method you want, as long as it doesn't involve removing him from the crib
Click here to watch a video that we found helpful.
Those rules seemed awfully tough to me. Especially since Elliot was still drinking so many bottles at night, and not being able to pick him up meant he wouldn't be having bottles, either. In fact, I broke the rules often, picking him up and continuing our tiring routine of walking him around the bedroom until he fell asleep and then trying {in vain} to put him in the crib without waking him up. I also picked him up the minute I walked into his room in the middle of the night. At this point, though, when I was only trying sleep training here and there, breaking rules as I pleased, Elliot continued to wake up every 1-2 hours, and he would still cry miserably every night at bedtime.
It wasn't until Elliot became extremely cranky during the day {due to lack of sleep} so clingy that he literally wouldn't sit by himself for even a minute that I decided something needed to be done. I couldn't eat or go to the bathroom unless he was sitting on my lap. He wouldn't play with toys unless I was playing with him. It was exhausting. I couldn't stand it anymore. So I decided to give sleep training another try, for real this time.
Here's what I did:
• Followed our usual bedtime routine {going for a walk outside at 7:30-8:00, bathtime at 8:30, followed by a bottle. Then, I rocked him for a couple minutes before laying him in the crib.
• At first, he would start crying the minute he touched the mattress. In fact, he'd stand up and shake his crib bars angrily. I'd gently lay him back down, while talking or singing softly, and pat his back. He'd stand back up. I'd do it again, and again... and AGAIN. The first few nights, this was a long process. He cried a lot, but I was always there to comfort him. Eventually, he'd fall asleep, and I'd cover him up and leave his room. Whenever he woke up in the middle of the night, I'd do the same thing- lay him down, pat his back. Thankfully, he always fell back asleep quicker in the middle of the night.
• As the days passed, I could get him to fall asleep in his crib by tickling his back after only a few minutes. He'd usually wake up after I stopped, though, so I'd resume the tickling and patting, and try to leave again, however many times it took until he didn't stir once I stopped and left the room.
• after about 8 days {Elliot is stubborn like his parents}, Elliot got the message. He realized that bedtime wasn't scary, that he didn't need bottles at night, and that it was perfectly okay to fall asleep without being held.
Elliot happily standing and waiting in his crib after a nap.
Now? About two weeks after we started sleep training, Elliot falls asleep in about five minutes {while I tickle his back and face}. He usually sleeps 6ish hours before waking up around 4am, and then doesn't wake up again for at least another six hours. Lately, he's been sleeping in until nine or even nine-thirty! He's a happy, balanced baby again. He will happily run around in his walker and play with toys while I clean or cook or eat. Bedtime is no longer a long and stressful process. I actually look forward to it.
I couldn't be happier that we finally decided to try sleep training, and how well it worked. I have my happy baby back, and we're both getting more sleep!
I highly recommend Dr. Sears' less/no tears method of sleep training. It might not be for everyone, but it worked very well for us.
