BABY BOOT CAMP

Baby J endured a little Baby Boot Camp this week.  (That actually sounds worse than it really was!).  Although he was my first baby to sleep through the night - and so long - he's also been the most inconsistent.  For the last month or two, his sleep patterns have been unpredictable.  I tried to pinpoint what was causing him to wake 1-3 times some nights and why other nights he could go 13 hours without making a sound.  I found myself making excuses for him … he needs to poop, he ate mangoes for the first time today, he didn't get enough milk, he just had his flu shot, it's cold in his room  … sure, maybe some of these things contributed, but I finally figured out the main reason for his inconsistent sleep schedule:  he's smart.  

Perhaps I am parenting him differently than the Big Kids; I'm sure it's inevitable as he's my third.  In retrospect, I haven't held him to the same level of discipline that I did to JP or AA.  JP was on a schedule.  I mean a tight schedule.  It was easy.  There were no other kids.  If he woke up early or late in the morning, I was able to modify the rest of the day so that JP went to bed at the exact same time and he'd then wake up at the exact same time.  But with Baby J … the poor* kid (*in full sarcasm) must adapt his schedule to whatever the Big Kids are doing …. preschool pick up, drop off, soccer, dance, park trips, errands, and noise, NOISE.  So in response, I feel guilty and I comfort him the first moment I hear him squabble.  And at night.  I'd hear him make one noise, and I'd rush in to swoop him out of the crib, rock him and/or feed him back to sleep.  Easy at the time, but painful, PAINFUL in the morning before a full day of work.

So this week it was time.  When he hollered out for me on Sunday night, I just laid in bed and watched him on the baby monitor.  He wasn't crying …. he was shouting.  I knew what he was saying … Mom!  Come and get me!  I know you are out there!  You feel guilty!  I'm not in pain.  I'm not hungry.  I'm perfectly fine … but I know will come in here!  After about 10 minutes of shouting he'd stop and pick up his blanket - play with it, roll around, babble and then … shouting.  This cycled for about one hour that first night.  But I never went in.  The second night it happened on a few occasions.  But I never went in.  (Let it be known that this did not result in more sleep for me … I was still awake watching Baby J on the monitor). The third night was less.  And by Wednesday night, I never heard him.

Okay, so we're only going on a three night great sleep streak here … and really anything is possible … but I think, at least this week:

Baby Boot Camp =1; Baby J= 0.