Many of you may be wondering how the "cry it out" method is working for Jackson...
We started about 10 days ago, and at first it was really hard for both of us. I was simultaneously trying to move his bedtime up to 8:00 because so many of my friends with young children were shocked to hear that he doesn't go to bed until between 9:00-10:00. I thought I must be doing this bedtime thing all wrong!
The first night he cried for about 40 minutes and I left him alone. When I would go in to check on him, it seemed to start up a whole new level of crying, so I stopped going in. He woke up several times during the night, and I would wake up to listen for him to stop crying, sometimes laying down at the threshold of his door, trying not to fall asleep. The next night was much better, with Jackson falling asleep after only 10 minutes, but again, he woke up several times during the night. He seemd to be a much lighter sleeper than before. Also, he wasn't napping very well during the day and he was cranky all day long! Plus, it was distressing to me that every time we even entered his room, he started crying thinking I was going to leave him in there! After several days of this, I decided it was time to stop traumatizing my child and I let him stay up until 9:00. However, when it was time for bed, we'd go through our routine, and I'd put him in bed. This worked much better for us both!
Now Jackson sleeps through the night from 9:00 pm-6:30 am and still takes his long 1.5-2 hr nap in the middle of the day and a short 45 min nap in the morning and evening. Plus, he is so cheerful and has stopped freaking out when we go in his room. His separation anxiety is better during the day now, too.
Thanks to all of you who gave me advice! I could tell from responses that everyone really took time to listen to my problem, take it to heart and give me the best advice they could give! I think everyone I sent my email to replied! I really appreciate it! It takes a village to raise a child, I hear, and since I seem to know nothing it may definitely take a village to raise mine! (I mean, how come you all knew so much about the cry it out method and I didn't know you were supposed to start it so early?? And by the way, how come nobody told me this BEFORE!! lol)
I'll keep you expert mothers posted with upcoming problems!! Thanks for all your help!
1 comment:
I hear yah girlie, however I have to admit that I learned my cry-it-out method from a bunch of people and just finally decided to try it. I just figured the same thing...everyone else knew what to do but me, so I spared myself the embarrassment by not sharing that I too had finally given to the painful technic - my thanks go out to Supernanny, the Mothers at my Boise Baby-n-Me class, and the mothers I work with:)
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