Sleep, or Lack of Sleep

Eli has entered into his mommy's own version of boot camp. I call it Baby Sleep Boot Camp or BSBC. My sweet little boy is not a good sleeper. He has no problem going to sleep on his own. I always lay him down in his crib awake and he chats to himself for a couple minutes and then he drifts off to sleep. However, this only lasts about 1 hour then he would like his entire night time routine repeated so that he can go back to sleep. I am only human and can only wake up so many times per night and still function. I understand that all babies learn to sleep through the night at their own pace and that it isn't something to be forced. I heard last month that night wakings are only as much of a problem as you make them. Well, after not having more than 3 hours of sleep straight for over 9 months they are becoming a problem. I don't mind waking up 1 or 2 times a night. I am not expecting him to sleep through the night until he is ready but I can not continue to wake every hour every night.

I have read MANY books on sleep, talked to doctors, nurses, and other moms. Everyone has their own opinion of what you should do. Don't let them cry. Let them cry it out. Put them down asleep. Rock them to sleep. Wake them to feed so they don't think they get fed when they wake. After all this input I created a plan using bits and pieces of everything I had hear. I used this method with success a couple months ago to get him back to sleeping in his crib instead of our bed so figured it was time to try it again.

Lindsay's BSBC Guide:

Stage 1: Getting to Sleep

• Be consistent! If you give in the baby knows. You need to be able to outlast your baby. It may lead to a few nights, even a week of even more sleep loss but it will get better.
• Have a bedtime routine. Eli knows when bed time is coming. We go in his room undress him, lotion, diaper change, teeth brushed, redress in jammies, then put on his sleep sack. As soon as the sleep sack goes on he starts to go nuts because he knows what comes next. He gets to nurse while I sing to him. I sing the same song every night. When he is getting drowsy and his sucking has slowed I unlatch him, get one last snuggle and off to bed he goes.
• He doesn't cry anymore when I put him down he is an old pro at going to sleep. However, when he did I let him cry for a few minutes, usually 3 and then checked on him, then 5 minutes later repeated, and 7 minutes later. We never had to go beyond 7 minutes. I told him he was ok, that I loved him, and gave him a kiss on the forehead while telling him he needed to sleep like a big boy.

Stage 2: Dealing With Night Wakings

• Set a predetermined amount of time you would like your baby to go between feedings. Eli goes anywhere between 2 and 4 hours during the day so I picked 4 hours. I know he can go that long without eating as he does it all the time during the day. This means in his 12 hour night he gets to eat 2 times.
• If he wakes up after sleeping for at least 4 hours I let him fuss for 5 minutes to see if he is willing to put himself back to sleep. If that does not work then I go in and feed him until he is drowsy and then back to bed he goes and the clock starts over for his 4 hours.
• If he wakes up prior to 4 hours I allow him to cry for 5 minutes before going in and checking on him. I repeat timed checks mentioned in the previous stage until 1 of 2 things happens. He either falls back asleep or he reaches his 4 hours.

Stage 3: Lengthening Sleep

• After successfully reaching the 4 hour interval I plan on lengthening it.
• Week 2 will be 4.5 hours, week 3 will be 5, week 4 will be 5.5 and week 6 will be 6 hours.
• I am planning on stopping at hours as this will be 1 night feeding and I feel comfortable with that. Eli will then be able to decide when he would like to drop that feeding.

I have read so many things that tell you to lengthen every night. I feel that is too soon. I want Eli to adjust and sleep well but not completely shock him.