Sleep Lessons 101

Well my kid is smarter than I think. As some of you know, I decided to let my little guy "cry it out" in hopes that he would learn how to put himself back to sleep without being nursed.

So Night #1

I fed Josiah before I went to bed, which was at 1 a.m., I was not anticipating the long night ahead of me. We set up the air mattress in the living room (the furthest room away, well it's down the hall) and Abby brought her little mattress out there as well. After I nursed him, he easily went back to sleep in his crib. I headed off to bed. Getting as comfortable as I possibly could and I started to drift off to sleep. I woke up 2 hours later, perking my ears up to see if I hear him in the room. Nothing. So I go back to sleep. I wake up again 2 hours later like clock work, but still no crying. I decided to get up and go check on him. He was sleeping so peacefully. I went back to bed and woke up at 6:30, still I hear nothing. I start thinking about how many hours it has been since he last ate, and decided that I will wait for him to wake on his own. Around 7:30 he woke up hungry. So I got up, fed him and changed his diaper. I didn't get it, did he cry and I just didn't hear him? Did he sleep all night without waking at all? Surely I would have heard him crying. Well we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Night #2

I gave Josiah a bath and then before I go to bed I feed him (12:30) and place him back in his crib. I went to bed and then I woke up at 4:30 am, again as before I realize I haven't heard him cry all night... I perk my ears up and listen for a while. I hear him fussing a little so I figure I would get up to feed him since it had been almost 5 hours since his last feeding. Afterwards I lay him back in his crib and I go lay back down in the living room. 5 minutes later he's starts screaming! He screamed for almost ten minutes. I start wondering if he needed to burp or something. So I go in there and pick him up (yes, i'm weak) and he just layed his little head on my shoulder. I began rubbing his back, I climb into my bed and let him lay on my chest. He didn't fall asleep right away and he did burp a couple of times but I think he mostly just wanted to snuggle mommy. (which he never does during the day time) He starts to get sleep and so I lay him in my bed next to me and we fall a sleep. He woke up a few times, it was if he wasn't sleeping deeply or peacefully.

Night #3
Again with my routine. I feed him and put him to bed by 8:30 pm. Before I go to bed I go and feed him (12:00 am) This time I woke up at 6:30 and I heard him fussing. Not screaming but crying a little. I went to feed him and snuggled him for a while after I was done. I put him back in his crib and he started crying but that last only a few minutes. I fell asleep in my bed there in the room. He woke back up at 9:00am and we got up after that.

conclusion: I think I just need to move his crib out of my room. I think when I sleep in the room with him, I hear him crying for a few minutes and I right away I'll go get him. If I don't hear all the "little" cries then he falls back to sleep. I will have to try this out tonight!