"Sleep Training" ...sounds like a military combat exercise.

As a mother to a four month old, I feel it is my right to begin sharing my vast stores of "baby" knowledge with the world. Or at least for the sake of posterity share how I have survived so far! 

Last night was the first night that I got to the point of "We're letting her cry it out!" Before this critical turning point, I always felt like a bad mom for wanting to pull my hair out and start crying myself, when Lucy reached her Danger Zone. Maybe I should explain the "Danger Zone"... I use a SwaddleMe blanket that in effect straps that kiddo down so she cannot flail her arms like a wild baboon every time something startles her. 

For the record, this baby looks like he loves his SwaddleMe. He is in fact a liar.
And I bet the head is photoshopped onto a screaming infant.

When the said "Danger Zone" is reached not even the SwaddleMe can contain her movements. It is like wrestling a giant alligator in a baby pool of pudding. She slips and slides and squirms...and SCREAMS...until I just have to let her be somewhere while I collect myself. 

The other night, I laid her on the couch after an hour and a half of said battles. You want to know what happened? Did she scream herself hoarse? Did she look up at me with pleading eyes and crocodile tears? Nope. She fell asleep. ASLEEP. As in close-your-eyes-and-sweet-dreams SLEEP. I was baffled.

So, last night for bedtime, we endured our first "cry it out" session. I know there are a bunch of whack jobs out there who will say I am "squelching her need for comfort" and "disconnecting our love bond." (These are actual condemnations of the CIO sleep training method.) You have never met Lucy at bedtime. It really is like a military training exercise. It is not for the faint of heart or the physically weak. She wasn't "squelched" or "disconnected" or damaged in any way. She woke up at 2am ready to eat and smiling. She went back to sleep by 3am and woke again at 6am ready to eat. I changed her diaper and we played. She giggled when I tickled her feet. And guess what? No signs of irreparable psychological damage. Thank goodness!

I have come to the conclusion that no one is an expert on babies. Mommy and daddy are the only experts on your babies! The authors of those books don't live and feed and change and play with your baby day in and day out. Love that baby and learn that baby. The best advice that I have yet! And above all... remember this too shall pass! All too soon!