Cry it Out
I am sitting here, listening to my sweet little son scream his head off. This is called the "Cry it out" method of sleep training. In my house it's more like the "Scream until you puke" method, but whatever. For the record, I HATE (and I do not use this word flippantly) the "cry it out" method. I think it is the devil.
Me and this method go way back. I first tried it with Ava. After 11 months, she was still wanting to nurse every hour and a half to two hours and NOT sleeping in her crib (yes, that means she was sleeping with us...cozy). I was walking around like a zombie, and my husband was feeling like he might want his wife back at night. So I read some books, and I decided that I would try this. I determinedly laid her down in her crib, after a soothing night time routine, and walked out of the room. She was screaming before I turned my back. The tears were running down her face and her chubby arms were stretched out for me, and I had to walk away. Now, that is just cruel. But I did it, and then my husband found me in a crumpled mess, on the floor outside the bedroom, sobbing into my hands. He was a little confused, on who was crying it out. I couldn't take it. I failed the method. I tried it a few more times. The last time I tried it, she cried so hard she puked. That was it. NO MORE. This obviously wasn't for me (or her...wait, is this about me, or her..oh yes, Isaac...).
So when Isaac was born, my dear husband put his foot down. No babies in our bed...actually he did one better. No babies in our room. I sympathize with my husband. He needs a good nights sleep. He works hard for our family, so I decide I can give this a try. Isaac started out in the living room in his bassinet. He was a noisy sleeper, and I was glad he was out there. It seemed to work. I didn't jump up at his every little squeak. He was sleeping up to 6 hour stretches at 2 months. But then, he got sick. He was having a hard time breathing and he sounded so miserable. I slept on the sofa sleeper with him for the next 3 nights, so I could make sure he was breathing. And the sleep monster reared it's ugly head. He started crying when he woke up at night, and I started attending to his tiny cries. And pretty soon 6 hours, dwindled to 4, to 3, and then 2, and then he ended up in our bed. From there, I ended up sleeping in the bottom bunk of Ava's bunk beds with Isaac. I know, this is just ridiculous, but he actually slept great like that. No all night nurse fest, no noisy sleeper, just peace. So I did this for about two weeks. Then my back started to ache. My husband started to miss me. I decide to give the good old "cry it out" method another go.
Something happens, between the first and second child. I'm not saying I didn't want to rush in their at first, or that John didn't have a death grip on my pant leg so I couldn't rush in. But after a while, he screams, and I say, "Oh- poor baby." I am not a sobbing mess outside his door. I even pushed through the few nights where he tried to make himself puke. All with him screaming his head off and holding his chubby little arms out to me. It's a sad scene, but somehow I have conquered the guilt and helpless feeling of letting my child cry, and fully embraced the glory of a good night's sleep. I still think it's the devil, but I'm thinking I am a "cry it out" convert.
And then... the other night, Isaac was up puking (I know, there is a lot of puking going on in this house), and he fell asleep in my arms in the recliner. I stayed that way for a few hours, enjoying the rhythmic feel of his breathing against my chest and the warmth of his soft little body curled up in my arms. I was nostalgic for the days when he slept with us....but only for a minute. Then I remembered how I couldn't even get up when I really had to pee, and how I had to lay on that one side all night long while I went numb, and how my shoulder hurt from sleeping with my arm around his head to make sure John didn't roll over on him. I promptly put him in his own crib, and went to bed...and told John we needed a King size bed, you know, so we can all sleep in comfort...together!
Now, am I a psycho or what?? I am regressing... or am I subconsciously sabotaging the whole thing, because I really like sleeping with my babies?? Well, I know Isaac would like me to figure it out, so he can figure me out, in a hurry. Oh yes, and John too- he's threatening me with a twin bed...
Me and this method go way back. I first tried it with Ava. After 11 months, she was still wanting to nurse every hour and a half to two hours and NOT sleeping in her crib (yes, that means she was sleeping with us...cozy). I was walking around like a zombie, and my husband was feeling like he might want his wife back at night. So I read some books, and I decided that I would try this. I determinedly laid her down in her crib, after a soothing night time routine, and walked out of the room. She was screaming before I turned my back. The tears were running down her face and her chubby arms were stretched out for me, and I had to walk away. Now, that is just cruel. But I did it, and then my husband found me in a crumpled mess, on the floor outside the bedroom, sobbing into my hands. He was a little confused, on who was crying it out. I couldn't take it. I failed the method. I tried it a few more times. The last time I tried it, she cried so hard she puked. That was it. NO MORE. This obviously wasn't for me (or her...wait, is this about me, or her..oh yes, Isaac...).
So when Isaac was born, my dear husband put his foot down. No babies in our bed...actually he did one better. No babies in our room. I sympathize with my husband. He needs a good nights sleep. He works hard for our family, so I decide I can give this a try. Isaac started out in the living room in his bassinet. He was a noisy sleeper, and I was glad he was out there. It seemed to work. I didn't jump up at his every little squeak. He was sleeping up to 6 hour stretches at 2 months. But then, he got sick. He was having a hard time breathing and he sounded so miserable. I slept on the sofa sleeper with him for the next 3 nights, so I could make sure he was breathing. And the sleep monster reared it's ugly head. He started crying when he woke up at night, and I started attending to his tiny cries. And pretty soon 6 hours, dwindled to 4, to 3, and then 2, and then he ended up in our bed. From there, I ended up sleeping in the bottom bunk of Ava's bunk beds with Isaac. I know, this is just ridiculous, but he actually slept great like that. No all night nurse fest, no noisy sleeper, just peace. So I did this for about two weeks. Then my back started to ache. My husband started to miss me. I decide to give the good old "cry it out" method another go.
Something happens, between the first and second child. I'm not saying I didn't want to rush in their at first, or that John didn't have a death grip on my pant leg so I couldn't rush in. But after a while, he screams, and I say, "Oh- poor baby." I am not a sobbing mess outside his door. I even pushed through the few nights where he tried to make himself puke. All with him screaming his head off and holding his chubby little arms out to me. It's a sad scene, but somehow I have conquered the guilt and helpless feeling of letting my child cry, and fully embraced the glory of a good night's sleep. I still think it's the devil, but I'm thinking I am a "cry it out" convert.
And then... the other night, Isaac was up puking (I know, there is a lot of puking going on in this house), and he fell asleep in my arms in the recliner. I stayed that way for a few hours, enjoying the rhythmic feel of his breathing against my chest and the warmth of his soft little body curled up in my arms. I was nostalgic for the days when he slept with us....but only for a minute. Then I remembered how I couldn't even get up when I really had to pee, and how I had to lay on that one side all night long while I went numb, and how my shoulder hurt from sleeping with my arm around his head to make sure John didn't roll over on him. I promptly put him in his own crib, and went to bed...and told John we needed a King size bed, you know, so we can all sleep in comfort...together!
Now, am I a psycho or what?? I am regressing... or am I subconsciously sabotaging the whole thing, because I really like sleeping with my babies?? Well, I know Isaac would like me to figure it out, so he can figure me out, in a hurry. Oh yes, and John too- he's threatening me with a twin bed...
Comments
I missed the poll but want to throw in my opinion and I vote for the bow-chica-bow-bow!!!!