So Little Man is finally sleeping through the night.

Last Tuesday our pediatrician recommended we just let him cry. She warned me he could cry for two hours, but not to give in. He knows that if he cries, one of us will come in and get him up, so we have to stop doing that. She warned it wouldn’t be easy, but it would be worth it. She also said he’d cry the first night and the second night cry for less than half of the time he did the first night.

So far, putting LM down for bed hasn’t been a problem. Last Tuesday night, we put him down, he goes to sleep, no big deal.

2:31am he starts to cry. Hubby goes to sleep on the couch (he can’t stand to “do nothing” while the baby cries). I go in and pat LM’s back a few times and return to bed. I prop myself up so I can read while I listen. About 20 minutes later the cries change, so I go change his diaper. But I don’t talk to him or really even make eye contact. I change his diaper and lay him down again.

He cried for a total of 41 minutes. Then there was about 5 more minutes of sniffles and whines.

And then he slept until 8 am.

Hallelujiah!!!!

Wednesday night when I put him to bed (Hubby was at church) he cried for about 10 minutes. Then he slept through the night.

Thursday he slept through the night in his pak-n-play in a hotel.

Friday night wasn’t great. Just as he was going to bed Hubby showed up at the hotel (we had to go separately to the big family reunion). So that was a rough night.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights – – all through the night.

He does cry now when we put him down for sleep, but it’s not more than 20 minutes, and it’s not every time. Some naps he cries, some he doesn’t. Some nights he cries, some he doesn’t.

It is AMAZING how much better I feel, how less prone to feeling angry I am, how happier I am. I am a woman who needs her sleep. And blessedly it only took me about three nights to teach myself how to sleep through the night again. Right before I turn out my reading light I make sure he is breathing and then I sleep until I hear him playing with his crib music toy.

Eventually I will get up before him to get myself ready for the day, but right now I’m catching up on six months of lost sleep 🙂

Plus, the doc said that at this age he should be sleeping 10-12 hours a night and taking two 2-3 hour naps each day.

Well, immediately he quit taking 45 minute naps and started taking 2-3 hour naps. Yay!! Even at our crazy-loud family reunion he took two 2 hour naps a day in his cousin’s crib.

I love naps because it gives me some much needed “me” time during the day AND it allows me to nap, especially on days like today when I’m battling a fever.

Yay for sleep!!!!!!