Sleep Training for the New Mom

This past week I have been sleep training Leia. I think I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but we were both suffering from poor sleep. She was only going to bed if she was breastfed and then would wake up 6-10 times in the night searching for her human pacifier. I have suffered from lack of sleep for months, to the point of where I feel shaky, irritable and lethargic during the day. You know the yucky feeling you have when you stay up all night? Multiply that by seven months. Something needed to change.

The first night was the worst, just like everyone says. When it was time for bed, I breastfed her and then set her down in her bed. She cried for a long time but I went in every few minutes to comfort her. I would rub her hair and say "shhh,shh" and she would calm down until I would leave. I fed her another time because she became accustomed to eating at night. I made sure she didn't fall asleep on me. She finally turned over and went to sleep. I hated hearing her cry, but I needed to do what was best for both of us.

The second night was much easier. She fell asleep within 10 minutes! My husband and I were relieved! We probably should have been doing this months ago, but I always cave to my little one's cries. The third night was even easier. She didn't even cry for 2 minutes. Honestly, getting her down in the beginning of the night was the easy part.

Leia was still trying to feed many times every night. Even to the point where she wouldn't eat as much during the day. In efforts to get her back on track I have started weaning her night feedings. The first night I tried this I only fed her for a few minutes each time to get her through the night. Last night I didn't feed her past midnight. She still woke up every couple hours, like a newborn. I then fed her in the morning when she awoke and was ready to get up. I am hoping that she will be hungrier during the day and be able to sleep longer stretches at night without getting hungry. This is definitely a day by day plan. I had to take drastic measures because we both have been suffering from poor sleep. My poor husband has been having to deal with two cranky cry babies.  When Leia was between 2-3 months, she was sleeping 6-8 hours every night, so I know she is capable of it.