Sleep deprivation, sleep training, controlled crying, crying it out, feeding to sleep, rocking to sleep. These parental techniques cause almost as much debate as breastfeeding, and likewise, each technique used is a very personal way of bringing up your child. There is nothing worse as a parent than not having confidence in the methods that you use. So whatever a parent decides to do, I strongly believe that the parent should believe it what they are doing.
This is where we are now, things are still not perfect, but things are changing slowly, and I believe so strongly in what we are doing now. I have confidence and faith that it is the right thing for her and us, and in my opinion it is slowly but surely working.
Before frog was born I'd read a couple of books about how important a sleep routine was, how important it was not to build sleep associations and how at the age she is now she should be sleeping through. It breaks my heart to admit that when the frog was about 12 weeks old I left her to cry. Please don't villainise me... Frog is my first child, and I was acting on advise from the previous generation where CIO was unfortunately the norm. Anyway, it felt completely unnatural to me and made me cry almost as much as her. It also fed the fire of attachment that was burning in my heart. I wanted to hold onto the frog and never let her go.
So then we went the other way, I would feed her to sleep, co-sleep, allow her to feed when ever she wanted day and night, even if it was every hour, the frogs needs came before my own, and she was a very happy, content baby. But this had led to some unrealistic habits which, due to my impending return to work. I am trying to change.
I had been recommended the 'no cry sleep solution' and had managed to find the basic principles on line. To my relief I saw this is pretty much what we are already doing. I'm trying really hard to put the frog in her cot awake and to comfort her with cuddles instead of boobie. It's quite stressful (for me) at times and can take a good two hours of put down, cry, pick up, cuddle, sleep, before she finally goes off in her cot. Don't get me wrong, this method isn't perfect, she doesn't like it. She would be much happier staying on Mummy all night, but it does feel much kinder than other 'sleep training' meathods. I squeeze the frog with cuddles and kiss her each time I lay her down. She doesn't get too stressed, or scream and it just feels like it is working.
So after one week, things are already getting better. Frog twice last night fell back to sleep before I arrived at her cot. She went 4 hours between feeds (unheard of) and it only took two attempts of lying her down before she stretched out her arms and fell to sleep. Im not saying we've cracked it, but I do think frog is getting more comfortable in her cot.
2 months until I return to work, and Im feeling positive and happy we are on the right track. Love that crazy little frog xx
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