First of all let me say the idea of sleep training is a bit bizarre to me. Who knew that the little creatures we call children require us not only to train them where to pee and poop but also how to sleep and how to "self soothe". Papa Bare and I are first time parents to a beautiful little boy, Lil Bare. Now I know everyone feels this way about their own kid but our kid is really cute. He's also pretty easygoing, doesn't cry unless he is hungry, in pain, or sleepy...well there is the car seat thing but that I think falls into pain and sleepy categories...but overall he is pretty fun baby. He'll be six months in two days from the writing of this post and he is a pretty happy baby. The only issue this little booger gives us is in the sleep department. We of course did all the things we weren't supposed to do when it comes to sleep habits and babies, he was nursed to sleep, he is bounced or rocked to sleep on a yoga ball, we let him allowed him to sleep whenever, wherever, with no schedule up until he wouldn't do it anymore which was around 3 months, and we let him sleep in his rock n play on an incline. Now of course our little boy will not go to sleep unless he is bounced on the ball or rocked in a bouncy motion while playing really loud gospel or Christian rock music (shrug). He doesn't really nurse to sleep during the day because he is a speedy nurser and is only on for about five to six minutes before he is done. At night he wakes every two hours give or take wanting a little snack but not nursing enough to hold him for the entire night. He does not fall asleep in stroller or in carseat typically. Just got a new carseat and haven't driven around enough to know if this is still an issue but I suspect so. And for some reason whenever Papa Bare attempts to put him to sleep he's bouncing on the ball FOREVER, whereas when I do it usually he's sleep within ten minutes and down within thirty minutes or less. This little guy is also a huge catnapper and a light sleeper. We have continued to lean on rock n play because in the past he would sleep so well in it, but now I think he has just outgrown it and we both know its time for the crib. The downside of the crib is that when you rock your baby to sleep laying them down is like a science project. They are very intuitive little creatures and the minute you put them down and they don't feel the warmth of your body they wake up unless they are in that deep sleep stage. In fairness Lil B has been sleeping deeper in the last maybe four or five days so his catnaps are actually turning into just under an hour naps three times a day. But I still find myself sitting next to him throughout his nap in an effort to "help" him sleep longer, though maybe my presence is less helpful than I think it is...in any event here we are at day one of sleep training.

Now so that we are clear I do not have the stomach for cry it out. I tested this out today when I put him down in the "sleepy but awake" state. He cried, nuclear style, for a little under a minute and my stomach was in knots and I cried as well. He then whimpered in his sleep for a few minutes after I bounced him all the way to sleep. My plan is to use the no cry sleep solution. Today is the day where I take note of our schedule, and the routine, or lack thereof, that we have. Not sure if this is the best day since he was up A LOT last night but if I don't start something soon Papa Bare is going to be on the road to cry it out.

But to be honest, I'm afraid. I'm afraid it won't work. I'm afraid we have ruined his sleep, and I'm mostly afraid that this is going to turn into a huge stressor and fight between myself and Papa B. I feel judged by my MIL and a little out of sorts in general since leaving my career and becoming a stay at home mom. So if anyone out there has used this method, I could totally use some encouragement. Thanks anyway for listening (reading).