Night 1
Followed bedtime routine as planned - Mr Big gets home from work at 6:30 so dinner was ready at precisely 6:30 so we could eat together (I am keen Baby A learns from an early age the importance of 'family meal time' and is encouraged to eat what we are having).
So, 6:30, dinner was served as planned. 7pm, Mr Big does bathtime and Baby A is 'bed-ready' at 7:20pm so I can read her a story and put her to bed. Millitant timing isn't it! You know how tricky that is for me to achieve!! FYI - don't ring me between 6:30 and 8pm!
Baby A was still in a bed at this point (she has been for some time as she gets ill a lot due to having bronchiolitus at 4 months, so she spent so long sleeping with us in a bed when she was ill as we had to keep her 'propped up' which meant holding her up in a bed - nightmare) - so she knows what it's like to sleep in a bed and has done for ages, so the last thing I wanted to do was upset her existing sleeping arrangements as well as sleep training her.
Fool!
I thought she would not try and get up as I put her to bed in her grobag - and she can't get up in that. Or so I thought. At first attempt, during the first 20 minute session, my headstrong baby was not loving the new sleep routine and managed to get out of her bed, over the step of her open stairgate on her room door (the one at the top of the stairs was closed) and all the way along the hall to the top of the stairs. All while still snuggly fastened into her gro.
Baby A - 1. Mummy - nil.
Although this was essentially a defeat, both me and Mr Big were secretly proud that she had managed it. It was no easy task!
I decided I had to get her up when I saw she was up already, as she was at this point upset and confused, understandably. So I got her up and brought her downstairs and just gave her some reassuring cuddles and comfort.
Meantime, Mr Big puts the cotsides back on the cot, as we had not quite dismantled it from her room.
After 15 or so mins, I tried again. Only this time Baby A had already fallen asleep. 'No bother', I thought - as she ALWAYS wakes up when I transfer her into her cot - so we would just start this again then.
Typically, this must be the only night on record that she did not wake up when I transferred her into her cot.
Although she did eventually. (As in 2 hours later). So I started it again then.
It was about 10pm. When she woke, I just went in, 'shh'd' and stroked her tummy, then left and set the timer for 2 mins. I then repeated at 2 mins but set the timer for 5 mins. I repeated again, but set it for 10 mins.
She fell asleep about half way through the 10 mins and slept until 7am.
RESULT!
Night 2
After the previous night's success, we were extremely pleased with this. Not ONLY was Baby A sleeping in a cot, but she had slept through from 11pm. I can happily survive on 8 hours sleep a night, so this was fab.
Next challenge, however, was getting her to do this during the day, however this also went surprisingly well and Baby A fell asleep just into the first 20 mins. She slept for nearly 2 hours, and was a happy baby all afternoon.
We followed the same routine as before that evening and she went to sleep during the 10 mins. She still woke up when we went to bed at about 11pm, however she was asleep again within the 2 mins this time. Amazing.
Let me say that again. A M A Z I N G!
Night 3
Same routine. We were scheduled to have people over, but cancelled as we were determined to be consistent with this until it was established.
Day nap was fine. Asleep within the 10 mins and didn't fight me at all really (also unheard of for daytime sleeping unless she is rocked or pushed in the pram).
Bedtime - asleep within 20, so not as good as the previous night, but asleep by 7:30 as opposed to me starting this at 7:30. This in itself is a small miracle.
Night 4
Same routine. Day sleep for 1.5 hours (albeit she wasn't crying, but started playing with her cot mobile as I could hear it, so how much of the 1.5. hours was sleeping, I'm not 100% certain).
Bedtime, woke up twice - once at 11pm when we went to bed and again at 4-ish - but there was a huge storm outside and I think that woke her. She still went back to sleep within the 2 mins the first time and within the 5 mins the second time.
Woke up at 7:30am.
Night 5
Same routine. Day nap OK - bit more resistant and then I heard her playing with the cot mobile again. Popped my head around the door to check her and she had clearly done a poo nappy, so I avoided eye contact and didn't talk to her - I simply changed her nappy, said 'shh' and put her back in her cot.
She did cry a little, but still went to sleep within the 10 mins and slept for an hour 20.
Bedtime, same as before - woke up at 11pm ish but straight off to sleep this time (and this time I didn't go straight in - she just went back off on her own). Woke again at 5 ish as she had lost her dummy - I replaced and she was asleep again within 2 mins.
Night 6
Same routine. Day nap was tricky as we had to go out for an hour to a funeral. Clearly not something we would put ahead of the sleep routine so this was a test as our friends kindly offered to have her at their house. They have a toddler of their own, so I suggested walking her to sleep as a one-off, but to ensure she at least had continuity of her daytime sleeping. She went to sleep no problem and slept for about 1.5 hours.
Bedtime was fine. She went to sleep OK - she was shattered too. Woke up again at 11pm but the next time was 7:25am! It was still dark outside so I actually thought it was still the middle of the night and sent Mr Big in - fortunately I checked my watch in time, so he got her up instead of putting her back to sleep!
Night 7
So far so good, although I think she is getting wise for the daytime naps and seems to treat this as an opportunity to play in her cot. I no longer have her baby monitor in her room as I think they can make you a bit obsessed about your baby - and before they had them, everyone managed, so I figured I hear her when she cries, so I will remove it from her room. However, I'm now questioning whether this is a good idea or not as I cannot tell if she is actually sleeping or just playing during her day nap time.
This in itself would not worry me, except when I have to entrust her into the care of others for the afternoons in order that I can work: problem being that if she hasn't had a sleep, she will be tired and then she will either be grumpy, or will go to sleep later on - which then means she won't sleep at bedtime. Argh!
Unfortunately, as with everything else that is affected by my work, this also makes me feel guilty that I'm working because if I didn't need to entrust her into other people's care, I could manage this and put up with the afternoon's grumpiness if it meant better night-time sleeping. I guess I may as well add it to the list of things I feel guilty about. Although in the words of my mother, 'get used to it - being a parent means you'll feel guilty for the rest of your life' (thanks Mum, I think?)
Not sure what to do about this daytime napping. The only thing that I think I can work on is perhaps making her more sleepy before she goes into her cot. Currently we read a couple of stories and watch a little calming tv, then straight to cot. Maybe more snuggling would help. I will try that and see how we get on.
Also, rather annoyingly, she seems to have taken her daytime nap time as her time of choice to have a poo. So when I have gone back in as per the timer to settle her, she has done a nappy. So we have to start it again after I change her which is a bit of a pain.
Again, if she is more tired when I put her down, hopefully that will wait until after her sleep though...here's hoping.
Night time seems OK. Again, woke at about 11pm, but settled within 2 mins. I can't actually remember if she woke this morning, so perhaps not - if she did I must have settled her fast if I can't even remember it!
Will update with further progress as we have experienced it...
Followed bedtime routine as planned - Mr Big gets home from work at 6:30 so dinner was ready at precisely 6:30 so we could eat together (I am keen Baby A learns from an early age the importance of 'family meal time' and is encouraged to eat what we are having).
So, 6:30, dinner was served as planned. 7pm, Mr Big does bathtime and Baby A is 'bed-ready' at 7:20pm so I can read her a story and put her to bed. Millitant timing isn't it! You know how tricky that is for me to achieve!! FYI - don't ring me between 6:30 and 8pm!
Baby A was still in a bed at this point (she has been for some time as she gets ill a lot due to having bronchiolitus at 4 months, so she spent so long sleeping with us in a bed when she was ill as we had to keep her 'propped up' which meant holding her up in a bed - nightmare) - so she knows what it's like to sleep in a bed and has done for ages, so the last thing I wanted to do was upset her existing sleeping arrangements as well as sleep training her.
Fool!
I thought she would not try and get up as I put her to bed in her grobag - and she can't get up in that. Or so I thought. At first attempt, during the first 20 minute session, my headstrong baby was not loving the new sleep routine and managed to get out of her bed, over the step of her open stairgate on her room door (the one at the top of the stairs was closed) and all the way along the hall to the top of the stairs. All while still snuggly fastened into her gro.
Baby A - 1. Mummy - nil.
Although this was essentially a defeat, both me and Mr Big were secretly proud that she had managed it. It was no easy task!
I decided I had to get her up when I saw she was up already, as she was at this point upset and confused, understandably. So I got her up and brought her downstairs and just gave her some reassuring cuddles and comfort.
Meantime, Mr Big puts the cotsides back on the cot, as we had not quite dismantled it from her room.
After 15 or so mins, I tried again. Only this time Baby A had already fallen asleep. 'No bother', I thought - as she ALWAYS wakes up when I transfer her into her cot - so we would just start this again then.
Typically, this must be the only night on record that she did not wake up when I transferred her into her cot.
Although she did eventually. (As in 2 hours later). So I started it again then.
It was about 10pm. When she woke, I just went in, 'shh'd' and stroked her tummy, then left and set the timer for 2 mins. I then repeated at 2 mins but set the timer for 5 mins. I repeated again, but set it for 10 mins.
She fell asleep about half way through the 10 mins and slept until 7am.
RESULT!
Night 2
After the previous night's success, we were extremely pleased with this. Not ONLY was Baby A sleeping in a cot, but she had slept through from 11pm. I can happily survive on 8 hours sleep a night, so this was fab.
Next challenge, however, was getting her to do this during the day, however this also went surprisingly well and Baby A fell asleep just into the first 20 mins. She slept for nearly 2 hours, and was a happy baby all afternoon.
We followed the same routine as before that evening and she went to sleep during the 10 mins. She still woke up when we went to bed at about 11pm, however she was asleep again within the 2 mins this time. Amazing.
Let me say that again. A M A Z I N G!
Night 3
Same routine. We were scheduled to have people over, but cancelled as we were determined to be consistent with this until it was established.
Day nap was fine. Asleep within the 10 mins and didn't fight me at all really (also unheard of for daytime sleeping unless she is rocked or pushed in the pram).
Bedtime - asleep within 20, so not as good as the previous night, but asleep by 7:30 as opposed to me starting this at 7:30. This in itself is a small miracle.
Night 4
Same routine. Day sleep for 1.5 hours (albeit she wasn't crying, but started playing with her cot mobile as I could hear it, so how much of the 1.5. hours was sleeping, I'm not 100% certain).
Bedtime, woke up twice - once at 11pm when we went to bed and again at 4-ish - but there was a huge storm outside and I think that woke her. She still went back to sleep within the 2 mins the first time and within the 5 mins the second time.
Woke up at 7:30am.
Night 5
Same routine. Day nap OK - bit more resistant and then I heard her playing with the cot mobile again. Popped my head around the door to check her and she had clearly done a poo nappy, so I avoided eye contact and didn't talk to her - I simply changed her nappy, said 'shh' and put her back in her cot.
She did cry a little, but still went to sleep within the 10 mins and slept for an hour 20.
Bedtime, same as before - woke up at 11pm ish but straight off to sleep this time (and this time I didn't go straight in - she just went back off on her own). Woke again at 5 ish as she had lost her dummy - I replaced and she was asleep again within 2 mins.
Night 6
Same routine. Day nap was tricky as we had to go out for an hour to a funeral. Clearly not something we would put ahead of the sleep routine so this was a test as our friends kindly offered to have her at their house. They have a toddler of their own, so I suggested walking her to sleep as a one-off, but to ensure she at least had continuity of her daytime sleeping. She went to sleep no problem and slept for about 1.5 hours.
Bedtime was fine. She went to sleep OK - she was shattered too. Woke up again at 11pm but the next time was 7:25am! It was still dark outside so I actually thought it was still the middle of the night and sent Mr Big in - fortunately I checked my watch in time, so he got her up instead of putting her back to sleep!
Night 7
So far so good, although I think she is getting wise for the daytime naps and seems to treat this as an opportunity to play in her cot. I no longer have her baby monitor in her room as I think they can make you a bit obsessed about your baby - and before they had them, everyone managed, so I figured I hear her when she cries, so I will remove it from her room. However, I'm now questioning whether this is a good idea or not as I cannot tell if she is actually sleeping or just playing during her day nap time.
This in itself would not worry me, except when I have to entrust her into the care of others for the afternoons in order that I can work: problem being that if she hasn't had a sleep, she will be tired and then she will either be grumpy, or will go to sleep later on - which then means she won't sleep at bedtime. Argh!
Unfortunately, as with everything else that is affected by my work, this also makes me feel guilty that I'm working because if I didn't need to entrust her into other people's care, I could manage this and put up with the afternoon's grumpiness if it meant better night-time sleeping. I guess I may as well add it to the list of things I feel guilty about. Although in the words of my mother, 'get used to it - being a parent means you'll feel guilty for the rest of your life' (thanks Mum, I think?)
Not sure what to do about this daytime napping. The only thing that I think I can work on is perhaps making her more sleepy before she goes into her cot. Currently we read a couple of stories and watch a little calming tv, then straight to cot. Maybe more snuggling would help. I will try that and see how we get on.
Also, rather annoyingly, she seems to have taken her daytime nap time as her time of choice to have a poo. So when I have gone back in as per the timer to settle her, she has done a nappy. So we have to start it again after I change her which is a bit of a pain.
Again, if she is more tired when I put her down, hopefully that will wait until after her sleep though...here's hoping.
Night time seems OK. Again, woke at about 11pm, but settled within 2 mins. I can't actually remember if she woke this morning, so perhaps not - if she did I must have settled her fast if I can't even remember it!
Will update with further progress as we have experienced it...