I drove home from a nice get together with old roommates determined to teach Macy to sleep on her own. I was waivering on letting her cry to sleep...it's just so hard to hear her cry. Well, she cried the entire 30 minutes home and fell asleep nursing when we got back. I figured I would start the next day. She woke up after sleeping 30 minutes, I went in and tried to rock her back to sleep...didn't work. I gave up, laid her down and let her cry herself to sleep. It took about 15 minutes. I thought, "Wow, maybe I can do this!"
The next day, I had a lot to get done, so I left Clark to stay with Macy while she cried it out. I got a couple "I hate you" text messages, and when I got back from the grocery store, Macy was sleeping on her daddy's chest. I gave him a scolding for saving her.
I started the routine of singing her "I am a Child of God" and then laying her in her crib. At night I also read her "Good Night Moon."
Macy would scream her head off when I laid her in her crib. She would slobber all over the place and then inhale her slobber and then scream louder. It scared me that she would suffocate on her spit, so I started going in the room after she cried for about 15 minutes and holding her head down and patting her back until she fell asleep. This became routine for the first 2 or 3 days.
I thought that Macy would never get better at falling asleep. I would start crying hearing her cry and it was really hard for Clark and myself. We were both really on edge during this. I prayed over and over that she would just get even a little bit better.
Right after I prayed...Macy started just whining instead of full on screaming. The time of crying went significantly down and she even started taking a pacifier when going to bed.
We have had times where she went to bed with out a single tear or noise and times where she cried for 20-30 minutes before falling asleep. I am so glad that I decided to let Macy cry herself to sleep...it has made for a happier baby and happier and more productive mommy.
I'm so glad it worked for you! Sweet little Macy, she's such a good baby.
ReplyDeleteGood job Michelle! I agree, it is so hard to hear them cry, but I can handle it because I know what I am doing is best for my baby. And just so you know, it gets easier and much better, but never perfect. Claire falls asleep without a sound or tear 95% of the time, but every once in a while she needs a good cry to fall asleep. I think it's a retraining or something. Keep up the good work. I think you are a wonderful Mother, I so enjoyed watching you at our get-together. Let me know if you need anything!
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