Sleep Bootcamp

So, since being pregnant I have been very VERY lucky. My boombahs only hurt for a few weeks when Oliver nursed and my supply has yet to drop (still early though). The only thing I have to complain about is the way night nursing makes me feel murderous. During the day I am perfectly fine but when that sun sets, I become like a nursing she-wolf. I hate the way my skin crawls when he whines for me to lower my top, I just feel touched out. So, something had to give and that is when I found Dr. Jay Gordon's sleep plan.

The goal is to get him to sleep for 7 hours straight through with NO nursing. This is a ten day plan. The first three days, you nurse to sleep and nurse if he wakes in the hours of 11-6 but only a bit and then you rock and comfort other ways back to sleep. For the second three days, you nurse to sleep but if he wakes from 11-6 NO NURSING, but you can pick up and rock. For the last four days (or more) you nurse to sleep but again, no nursing from the hours of 11-6 and also, no picking up the baby. You can comfort with words and pats, but no rocking.

Before we started this method, Oliver was waking every hour to 2 hours during the night, every night. While we are night weaning, I am sleeping - heavenly alone - by myself in the guest bed (which will eventually be Oliver's bed) because half the issue is my laziness and nursing him just because it is quick. Because I am in the other room, it forces me to mindfully get up and take care of him, plus CT, who is still co-sleeping, can take care of the minor wakes.

Day One: Cried for 45 minutes the first time he woke at 12am. Cried again for about 45 minutes when he woke at 4am, but he ONLY WOKE TWICE!!!

Day Two: Cried for 15 minutes when woke at 12am. Cried for 15 minutes when he woke at 4am.

Day Three: Never really cried and was asleep within 5 minutes at 12 and 4am.

Day Four: I foolishly tried to co-sleep again. He woke ever hour again until I moved out at midnight. When he woke at midnight and 5am, it took about 10 minutes of crying to get him down.

Day Five: My husband tells me he woke several times last night, but I couldn't tell because....HE TOOK CARE OF THEM!!! At midnight I had to come in for a few minutes, and then a little before 3am, Oliver decided to cry for over an hour. YIKES!

Day Six: Finally had to decide that nursing back to sleep at 3am is what it is going to take for the little man to go to sleep. He was up for an hour again. Le Sigh. However, I was able to sleep in bed with him only waking twice!! YAY!

Day Seven:

Day Eight:

Day Nine:

Day Ten: