Sleep Training: Day 1

We finally moved my son out of our bedroom and into his own room. He is 1 day shy of 11 months old and since he’s in our room I tend to bring him to the bed in the middle of the night because it’s easier. Plus I like cuddling with my cuddle bug. But ultimately it disrupts everyone’s sleep. His butt is on my husband's face with his hands grabbing at my hair. I have lost so much hair due to trauma caused by his grabby sweet little fingers.

We decided enough is enough. His bedroom isn’t ready but I knew that it would never be ready. And if I waited for it to be ready he would never leave our room. I cleaned out the old room and all that is in there is his dresser, his crib and a basket of toys on the floor. Nothing else besides his clothes in the closet and drawers. I’m hoping that seeing his sad, undecorated room will make me go and buy things and finally decide on a theme.

Anyways, back to the story.

I read a lot on experiences, methods and way to sleep train on the internet. I read that crying it out is brutal but it works the fastest as opposed to soothing your baby for him or her then transferring him or her to the crib once he or she is asleep. I decided to try a mixture of both. It had to be done. And it had to be done tonight.

I bought a camera monitor than pans the room with night vision. I spent too much money on that to not go through with this, I told myself. Tonights’ the night. my mother in law suggested doing this when I don’t have work the next day. I will always have work the next day. There will never be a time when I can do this so I had to jump in and do it. It’ll be a rough few nights but will be worth it in the end, I told myself.

We ate dinner, I gave him a bath, played with his toys, drank milk and read two bedtime story books. I rocked him until he was drowsy and gently transferred him to the crib. He immediately sat up and tried to climb out of the crib. I was near him and within his reach so he was grabbing on to me but I wasn’t picking him up.

It wasn’t pretty. He cried and cried. And then he cried some more. He threw up. My husband couldn’t bear the sounds he heard and rushed over and picked him up. My son threw up on him as well.  My husband decided this was something he couldn’t do and decided that he will put him to sleep in our bed then transfer him. I let him.

My son played and played in our bed with no intention of sleeping. So I took the boy back and let him cry until he fell asleep. But this time I leaned over into the crib until he fell asleep.  He woke up multiple times during the night and cried for his pacifier. I woke up at least 5 times and got about 4 hours of sleep that night.

It’s wasn’t a restful night but I’m hoping the second night will be better.