Sleep Training

For those of you that don't approve of the "Cry It Out" method, this isn't the post for you....

If you follow our blog you know that Parker isn't the best night time sleeper. Still gets up two or three times a night wanting to eat., and then up around 4 wanting to play. He's on somewhat of a schedule, but it's not really working for me :) I think a lot of bad habits have just formed out of convenience.

So because he is almost six months and I'm desperate for a night of sleep I'm going to give the CIO method it a try. I'm blogging simply to hold myself accountable for 4 nights, and if it's not improving by then I can revisit the idea.

Some bad habits we have picked up....
Either taking a nap from 5 -8 or being ready for bed at 6:30
Getting 2 -3 bottles a night just because I know it will put him back to sleep
Putting him in my bed because I know he'll sleep longer
(Notice these are all things that make MY life easier, but lets be honest I'm exhausted!)

He are my goals...
1) If he's tired after daycare let him sleep for no more than an hour and no later than 6:30.
2) Establish his bedtime routine so that he gets rocked and a bottle at about 7:30-8:00, then falls asleep on his own in his crib.
3) Start to decrease his bottles bi-nightly starting with four ounces tonight and going down.
4) Keep him in his crib until at least 5 hopefully 6.
(I know wishful thinking)

So tonight...
* At 7:30 we turned the lights off, turned on his white noise, and he got his bottle drank it and I put him in his crib.
* My goal was that after he started crying I was going to wait 1 minute go in there...soothe him without picking him up. Go back out...next time wait 3 minutes, then five. Five being the maximum I would leave him for tonight.
* Well he talked and played for ten minutes and then went to sleep without crying :) THIS IS EASY!
Stay tuned for an update tomorrow so I can let you know how it went after nine o'clock.



Here are some pictures of Parker and Gunner playing...notice that I still have a blue-eyed baby :)