I often can't believe how lucky I am to have such a wonderful baby boy. Sure, he has his moments and lives up to the moniker "Little Monster", but most of the time, he's just the sweetest angel.
BabyTran started sleeping through the night early on (four weeks old!). I credit much of that to putting him on a schedule. I know many of theAuthorities (other parents, pediatricians, websites, etc.) discourage putting infants on a schedule of any sort until they are something like 4-10 months old, but I didn't care. BabyTran clearly had day/night confusion because he slept all day inside of me and partied like a rock star all night when I was trying to sleep. Once he was on the outside, he was doing the same thing! I had to break that habit fast!
Here's how I sleep trained BT (this is just my experience - I'm not recommending anyone to follow this method at all):
1) I kept a schedule the first week of the frequency and amount that he fed, I nursed, and I pumped. It gave me an idea that he was pretty much satisfied drinking nearly every two hours.
2) I'd keep to the two hour feeding schedule (+/- 15minutes), even if he was asleep. If he was asleep, I'd simply pick him up and let him nurse. It didn't take much convincing for him to start drinking. He'd slowly wake up and about 20 minutes later, once he was full, he'd fall back to sleep. I did this all day.
3) By the time he was three weeks old, I'd started to feed him a lot more and when it got closer to his bed time (back then, it was 9pm, nowadays, he goes down at 7pm), I'd give him his bath and then I'd feed him every HOUR until 9pm (so basically, I fed him starting at 6pm and then every hour after that until 9pm).
4) I'd swaddle him and put him to sleep with sleep positioners on either side so he wouldn't accidentally roll over.
5) At 5:30am, he'd start to wake again, so I would stop pumping and let him nurse. Then the day repeats itself.
I know many others have done this same methods and been successful while far more have been less successful. I don't see the need to rush to get little ones to sleep through the night. If they do, God bless you. If they don't, NO WORRIES. Most kids don't for a very, very, VERY long time. To this day, BT is still on a schedule, but he's just a baby that loves being on a schedule.
BabyTran at one day old.
you're such an awesome momma. M still isn't on a schedule. She sleeps at the same time every night, but she wakes whenever she wants. yesterday she woke at 9:45am, this morning she woke at 7:23. -.- i just go with her flow. :D would LOVE to have her on a schedule though. oh wells..
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