Sleep Training

Alright, I can't take it anymore! We started sleep training last night. I was/am completely worn down when it comes to their sleeping. Presley has been on/off for a month now with waking up in the middle of the night, however she went down pretty easily for her naps. Not anymore. She also has started to require LOTS of rocking/walking around to get to sleep at night. Marshall has now started in on the not napping too. I had a breakdown on the phone yesterday to my wonderful sister and she said, "you need to start sleep training!"

So I read my book as much as I could and made notes as I went along. Basically what the book, and my sister, helped me realize is that they aren't getting enough sleep, and getting it at the wrong times. I am not going to get into all the details, but we decided to up their bed time. We also were waiting till they got fussy to start their bedtime routine (which was between 7:30-7:45). WRONG! I need to get them down, or in the process of down, before they get fussy, whether it be for naps or bed time.

So last night, after a horrible course of events yesterday, I put Presley down at 6:30. She screamed till 8:15 (with a ten minute span of quiet, she was taking a break and getting ready for her second wind of crying). After an hour I soothed her again...didn't work. But she finally fell asleep. We put Marshall in the pack n play in our room. She woke up at 1:15, I changed her diaper, gave her a small bottle (she didn't drink all her night time one) and put her back in her crib where she screamed till 2:30.

The book says to wake them up at 7, so I did that, and then put them down within an hour for a nap. I did that and they are sleeping right now. The problem, that again my sister helped me realize, is that they were basically sleeping through what should be a morning nap. They would eat between 5-6 and then sleep till 8 or 9.

Okay so enough details. I figured if I blogged about it, then maybe it would help me stick with everything. I don't feel guilty about letting her cry if I know she isn't hungry and doesn't have a poopy diaper. I just hope we get this under control soon, that Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child works! I've also decided that it is best to be at home as much as possible the next few days while we are doing this, so that naps aren't interrupted. So that means no TCU game for the babies, but Kyle said I should still go, and I am going to leave after half-time to come home. There is also a couple of other events that we are going to have to miss out on, but I don't care. The sacrifices are 100% worth it in the end.

Wish us luck!