Sleep training

So about 2 weeks ago I did some research on sleep. Apparently you are supposed to put newborns down when they are still awake but sleepy. I so did not do this. I did not realize you were supposed to. I would just hold and rock Emily until she fell asleep and then I would sneak her into her crib. This meant she did not know how to sooth herself to sleep. Looking back I do not regret holding and rocking her to sleep. She was only a newborn for a very short time and I will never have that time back.

But that meant I needed to teach her how to comfort herself. So we started sleep training.

Sleep training SUCKS!

But we did it.


We started a night time routine. Starting with a bath. Then we read 2-3 books. Followed by a bottle and some lullabies. Emily is then tucked in and kissed goodnight.

The first night she cried for 45 minutes before she fell asleep. Every 5 minutes we went and rubbed her tummy (did not pick her up) and tucked her back in. This is so horribly emotionally draining. I ended up sitting in the basement with the monitor off (checking every 5 min) so I could not hear her.

The second night she cried for 40 minutes before falling asleep and the third night for 30 minutes. Fourth night she went straight to sleep! Score!

Now she not only falls asleep at night, she puts herself back to sleep the few times she wakes up at night. She still wakes up once a night (not every night, about every other) for a bottle. She is sleeping longer (10-12 hours). Now she goes to bed easy for naps too.

So I was a nervous wreck for 3 nights and had a hard time dealing with the crying but I stuck with it. I am so glad I did because she is so happier now.