I always laugh when I hear the phase - "sleeping like a baby", because there is nothing simple or easy about baby sleeping. We learned this right from the day we bought our son home, he was like any other newborn, waking a lot at night and sleeping at different times during the day. That is all normal, but Tyler just won't sleep on his own during the day! For the first few months, the only way we can get Tyler to sleep during the day is to either put him in his car seat and drive around or to hold him for all his naps, which means I could never rest while he sleeps during the day (I envied my friends who were able to nap while their babies nap!) I was willing to do anything to get this little guy to nap because he was such a great sleeper at night. He was sleeping through the night at around 2 months and by 3 months, he was able to fall asleep on his own at night and keep a consistent bedtime. Since he turned 6 months, he started to establish more of a nap time schedule during the day, ie. he is tired around the same time everyday, so I thought he is ready for some nap time training. After all, I can't hold him for all his naps forever, he is getting way too heavy and it's hard to get anything done around the house!
I read "Happy Baby, Healthy Sleep Habits" by Marc Weissbluth carefully as recommended by other moms, equipped with my new knowledge, I felt like I was ready for this new challenge! The book suggests that for every 2 hrs the baby is awake, they should be put down for a nap, so that is exactly what I did. I carefully watch for the clock, the moment Tyler shows any sleepy signs (he would rubs his eyes and yarn), I would start his nap time routine, which included diaper change, swaddle, closing the curtain in his room and nursing. The first two days went great, he was able to nap in his crib (more than an hr for each nap) with minimal crying. It was truly amazing, until then, he has never napped for more than 30min on his own! I was able to have some down time while he napped and was recharged and ready to play with him when he woke up. He was also a much happier baby, no more evening fussiness and baby melt downs! So I thought this was it, boy, was I wrong! Following the initial success, it has been hit and miss, some days he would take a good nap, and some days he would sleep for 30 min and starts crying uncontrollably! As the book suggests, if he wakes up early from his nap and cries, I am suppose to let him cry, so he can learn to put himself back to sleep. He would keep crying while I sits downstairs staring at the monitor, praying that he would go back to sleep, sometimes he does, and he wakes up happy and smiling, but sometimes he would continue to cry until I go pick him up. I can't help but feel like the worst mom in the world as I watch him crying in the monitor, I try to fight every urge to go pick him up, I felt like my heart is literally breaking as I hear him try to cry himself back to sleep. I know he is capable in getting back to sleep, but I just don't understand why he won't, even when he is obviously still tired. I start questioning if this is the right approach, how can it be so hard to "teach" your baby to nap? I felt frustrated, heartbroken and once again defeated!
It has been 2 weeks now, his naps are still hit and miss, I just wish someone can tell me if I am doing this right. But I guess we will just have to keep trying, because I know he is a happier baby when he is well rested. But I really hope this will end soon, I don't know how much more crying I can take! =(
(Tyler - if you ever read this, please know that mommy loves you, it breaks my heart to let you cry it out, but I am just trying to help you learn good sleep habits and be a well rested/happy boy!)
