my "cry it out" experience

i was waiting to blog about this once charlie has slept through the night for atleast a week. well, he has done just that! we started on the 8th. 

night 1:

johnny went in there to put a pacie in his mouth, but it didn't work out that well because he thought that johnny was going to rescue him since he gets him out of the crib most mornings so that i could sleep a little more. but i thought that if i went in there that he would smell me and expect to eat. so night one was a failure!

night 2:

i went in at 11ish and put the pacie in. he slept until 1:30 and then cried off and on until 2:20. i went in after 2 minutes of crying, then 3 minutes, then 5 minutes, then 7 minutes, then 10 minutes. after that turn of going in he slept until 5:00. i nursed him then and he slept until 7:00

night 3:

went about the same way

night 4:

slept straight until 5:00

every other night has either been him waking up at 5:00 to nurse and going back down until 7:00 or sleeping straight until 7:00...either way i am ok with for now. i know that i will cut out the 5:00 feeding at some point too. he has had a cold so i am thinking that is why he woke up for a few nights in a row at 5:00. we'll see.

i am happy with how things turned out. it wasn't a terrible experience and i don't feel like he hates me for not feeding him or leaving him crying for a few minutes. it really had to be done! i needed a full night of sleep and he did too! he also needed to learn to put him back to sleep. 

he is nursing soooo much better during the day. i know that most people would think i am crazy for being excited about my almost 1 year old nursing better during the day since this is when most people want to wean their babies, but i want to wean him slowly and i think by taking away his night time feedings we are in the weaning process. he still nurses about 5 times a day, but now instead of nursing on one side he nurses on both. 

i am so proud of him for doing so well with crying it out and to be honest i am proud of myself for staying strong. it is hard to hear your baby cry and know that you could very easily do something about it and go back to sleep within 15 minutes. 

also, i am so glad he takes a pacie!! i know we will have a battle to face in a few years with that one, but for now i love it!!!