BIG developments

So this is what a well-rested baby looks like!



OK, so yeah, yeah, we're in the new house and love it. And we have internet now- yay! But we have bigger news than that! We have been sleep training Caleb for the past week and it is working! I know, I'm prepared for everyone to pipe up with their opinion on how cruel it is or how it's the worst thing in the world and we're emotionally scarring our child forever. Or how it's the best thing in the world. Whatever you think, this is working for us (and most importantly, for Caleb!)

So in our temporary apartment Caleb slept in bed with us because it was too loud in the living room which is the only place his crib would fit (and I also let him sleep in bed with us at the Goldblatt's house before we left because I felt so bad for everything we were putting him through). And for naps I would nurse him until he fell into a deep sleep and then try to carefully put him in his crib. If he woke up I'd start all over again.

I loved cuddling with him at night and craved his company as much as he craved ours. I know- I let him become accustomed to sleeping with us. It's totally my fault we had to institute sleep training. But as soon as we got to our London house we decided we had to put a stop to it for all of our sakes. I decided that Dr. Marc Weissbluth's method made the most sense for us.

The first two nights he cried for an hour each night and it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I questioned myself and my parenting abilities and how I could do this to my child. But the third night he fell asleep with hardly a fuss and has slept through the night twice now! He also went straight to sleep without a peep for his morning nap the next morning which he has repeated 3 times now. He still cries quite a bit for his afternoon nap but I have no doubt with a little more time we will get there.

I'm so happy that I stuck it out, and damn it, I'm proud of us. Caleb is his usually happy self when he wakes up and I don't see any difference in his behavior. If anything, he seems more alert because he's not as tired from waking up and nursing 3-4 times in the middle of the night (which is what happened when we shared a bed).

Please weigh in with your opinion and what worked for you, but don't judge because every parent and every situation is different. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you gotta do what you gotta do to survive (and enjoy!) parenthood. This kid has turned me to mush and I have seriously lost my feisty "my way or the highway" edge (although it still comes out on rare occasions so don't test me). It's so amazing how these gorgeous little creatures turn your world upside down and I'm loving every moment of it.

Hoping we continue to see success in helping Caleb sleep... Plus, coming soon, more big developments on the Caleb front!!