52:20 Cry it Out for naps...

So I caved. My mom came to visit last week, and she casually mentioned on one of our back road drives so Gwen could nap, that usually babies sleep in their cribs. I argued and explained that Gwen required a lengthy soothing period of holding, shhhhhing, and walking so she would fall asleep in your arms. And many times, she would wake up and scream as soon as you put her down. It was time consuming and exhausting. My back was killing me and my wrists were developing carpal tunnel.

One night after I put Gwen to sleep, she was crying. My mom suggested I let her settle herself down, and I argued. This was not normal for her to be crying. At night, she usually now goes down easily, falling asleep in her crib with no crying. I went in and held her until she fell asleep in my arms. Holding her and watching her sleep melts my heart.

Then on Sunday, my first Mothers day, after my mom had left, I decided to try 'check and console' for naps. It was horrible. She cried even harder when I would go to "console" her. She cried for 10 minutes each nap and I would go get her to nurse her to sleep.

I realized that day that Gwen had to learn to sleep in her crib. Being tied to her for naps while she nursed, holding her for 20 minutes, and going for car rides suddenly appeared crazy and unnatural. Plus it was getting harder to get her to fall asleep, and a babysitter might have to put her down one day. I decided on Monday we would try cry it out for naps...

The book Happy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child explained that full "extinction" was more effective than "check and console" and it produced less crying overall. I wanted my baby girl to learn desperately to fall asleep in her crib, and I knew she sometimes would scream in her carseat, and the next day she would be fine. She was smart. She learned that crying in her carseat caused no results- she could learn the same for her crib.

So the first day was hard. She cried for a full hour in her crib, and I went and got her. Then for her second nap, 20 minutes, and fell asleep!! I stayed in my room, with the door closed- reading, trying to distract myself.

We did sleep training for 3 days. It. was. hard. Listening to her cry made my body go into overdrive. I sweated, I cried, I shook inside. It overtook me. Her little voice sounded desperate and hurt. She needed me. I called my mom and friends and yelled, "why won't she stop crying?!?!" I tried to remind myself she was just protesting, and was not hurt. If she was playing with knives and I took them away and she cried, would I give them back to her? No. This was me helping her learn to fall asleep on her own.

It started getting better, when on Wednesday, she only cried for 10 minutes for both naps and then fell asleep. Until Thursday....oh Thursday. I went to work, but Jeff stayed home with her that day because his mom was sick. God must have known I couldn't have survived this. She cried for 60 minutes, 55 minutes, and 20. A huge set back. My willpower took a dive...this isn't working, I thought. I said I'd give her 2 weeks, but really? I was hoping it would be better after 3 days. I thought extinction was supposed to be effective!

Then on Friday, a miracle happened. I put her down for her morning nap (full of anxiety), and she cried for 30 seconds...and...fell asleep?!?! Second nap was even better- 5 seconds of crying and talked until she fell asleep.
I'm amazed. I knew it would work, but I had no idea it would go from 60 minutes to 30 seconds! I can't say I'm glad I let her cry it out, because I'm still regretting all the crying it produced. But I'm happy now. I now have some time to myself during the day! Thank you Marc Weisbluth and my mom!!

On another note, Jeff got his promotion, and it was more than we expected! And we made crockpot enchilada soup, and chicken stir fry this week. Very tasty!