Teach them to Sleep

Okay... when I decided I wanted children I KNEW I would have to teach them to poopy in the potty, but I didn't know I would have to first teach them how to eat (nurse) then teach them how to sleep. WTH isn't that just something that comes naturally? NOPE!

So I'm reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. The book goes against attachment parenting that says not to let your child cry it out... just cry until it falls asleep. Attachment parenting subscribes to the fact that allowing your child to cry it out will cause them to lose trust in you.. to lose trust in the fact that you will be there to fulfill their basic needs in life. It suggests that this will cause your toddler to be clingy and needy while attchment parenting will create a more independent child b/c the child knows you will be there to fulfill it's basic needs should s/he get hurt or need help. I agree w/this philosophy, but this book does make sense... and suggests that sleep is one of the most important things for your child's developing brain.. eat/eliminate/sleep!

I tried some crying yesterday in short bits and it was hard. I would then rock them and try to get them to sleep.. Jason slept the recommended amount yesterday, but Lily would NOT!

One recommendation is to put them to sleep one hour after they wake up in the a.m. then throughout the day to not allow them more than 2 hours of wakefulness to avoid them becoming over tired. To put them down when they first show signs of being tired... and to let them cry if they don't fall asleep. The book says that you will only have to endure the crying for a couple of weeks then the baby will happily go down for naps and to bed at night.

This a.m. the babies woke at 6:30am for breakfast. I nursed them.. played a bit then put them in their crib at 7:30am, shut the door and went downstairs. At first they were quiet, then Jason started to cry and Lily chimed in shortly after. Lily cried for about 15 mins and Jason for about 20...then quiet. This lasted about 20 mins and Jason just started crying again.. oh, and there goes Lily.

Working by braille on this parenting thing. Not sure if at this point I should consider 20 mins their nap and go get them or let them cry again and fall back to sleep. I think I've had enough crying for this nap.. I'm going to go get them and love on them...at least until their next nap in the next 1 to 2 hours.

Again, this shit is HARD!

Congrats to Karen and Andy... you will know what I mean soon!