I was going to return it to the library yesterday morning but could not find it. I found it later that night under my daughter's bed; it had fallen in between two pieces of furniture.I started reading it again? Why? Because it was 1 am, and already, my son has woken up at 9pm and midnight. He goes to sleep just fine at 630 but every 3 hours or so he gets up to nurse. I initially wanted to throw the book away because of the tone was just.... condescending, it was my-way-or-else language, "a 6 month old should be sleeping through the night," "no matter what you do, do not feed your child after 1am or you will regret it," "the biggest mistake a parent can do is bring their child into their bed"... just too many things that doesn't jive with my attachment parenting.
I had just finished the No-Cry series by Elizabeth Pantley and that has worked miracles in getting both my kids to sleep. Too many things in Tracy's book was contrary to Elizabeth's (who I like and feel like she is my friend after reading 3 books of hers) but the problem now is that the little one wont stay asleep. Elizabeth has tips for it too but it just was not working so I availed myself to another "baby sleep expert.".
I did not get to bed until almost 5 am. I was doing the Pick Up Put Down Method after his 3 am wake up; I pick baby up when baby cries and put baby down the second he stops. With those instructions, I was putting him up and down practically every second. Baby would fall asleep the second I held him and wake up the second I put him down. Eventually, he cried longer so I would not put him down so quickly. He was so tired, he wasn't even doing the motions and movements for milk. He just kept scratching his eyes and pulling his ears.
He just wanted to be held. And so I did. I counted to 60 as I held him upright with his head on my left shoulder. After 60, I peek to my side and he was asleep with a tiny snore. I laid him down the last time... until 7:10 am.
Baby woke up, and that was a good thing. I wanted to do the schedule she had laid out in the book for a 6-8 month old (baby is 7 months old). This schedule has more feedings, which I suspect could be the reason for his frequent wakings. He is 75% percentile in height and weight and mommy's milk may not be enough for this super big boy.
So today, he ate solids twice in addition to milk twice at 15 minutes or longer (he is a snacker). He also took two naps and both times I tried the PDPU method. Same thing as last night, so after almost an hour of it, I eventually ended with the 60 second count and he was asleep.
It is almost 7pm right now. As per the author, I am to give 2 cluster feedings if he is in a growth spurt. I honestly don't know if h is having one, so I will do a feeding anyway at 730 and 930 pm..
I will update and report the results tomorrow. I hope to be asleep way before 5am this time.
Now off for my 3 years old's evening routine.
