Sleep Training

So, after Paul winged the sleep training several weeks ago, we regressed due to colds and laziness and Jacob started again nursing every 2-4 hours all night long.  Four hours got to be a "good" stretch... which was showing up in my short temper and lack of patience.  I came home Saturday and broke down.  After working all day I had no patience left for my own children and was in tears as I realized that I was not the mom I wanted to be or knew I could be.  I have already adjusted the work piece and will shift to a TThFSat schedule starting in January.  (Right now I am working every day but Sunday... stupid, I know, but it just kinda happened in the name of saving money...)

The second piece, was getting Jacob to sleep.  I bought the Ferber book, read it Friday night during my nursings all night long, and then... well, we got home from a "date night" Saturday night at 10pm and he was still awake.  He was exhausted, a wreck, and wouldn't go to sleep because he was so wired.  Paul had taken Benedryl due to allergy problems, and I was alone with the kid, so... sleep training started!

Ferber says to go in after varying times, for no longer than 2 minutes, to soothe the baby without picking them up or stimulating them.
Night #1:  Cried for 3 minutes (then patted him and sang for two), 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 7 minutes and then fell asleep after the next 4 minutes
Slept from 11pm to 5am.  Nursed, went back to sleep until 7am.
Nap #1 Cried for 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, then fell asleep at 4 minutes.  Slept for 1.5 hours (longer than his usual 30 minute nap!)
Nap #2 cried for 3 minutes, then 5 minutes, then asleep after 1 minute.  Again, a 1.5 hour nap.
Nap #3 I wasn't around for, but Paul said it went well and lasted 45 minutes.

Night #2
Nursed to sleep.  OOPS!  I didn't realize he wanted to sleep but thought he was only hungry.  Tried to rouse him, but he was out at 8pm.  Work up at 9pm raring to go.  Apparently he thought that was a nap.
at 9pm, cried for 5 minutes, 7, 10, 10, and then asleep after 5 of the next 10.  It was longer, but I blame the nursing to sleep and the fake nap.
Day #2 Nap #1 Didn't cry at all!!!  He fussed a little for about 5 minutes and fell asleep.  He's been asleep for two hours!

Hopefully tonight will go better.  The book recommended shifting his last nap later to get rid of the 7 or 8pm "fake nap"... and also shifting "bedtime" a little later, too... we'll see how it works!

Ooooooh, Freak Out!

Kate and I were having a lovely Mom and Kate afternoon (see previous post).  We'd stopped at Walmart to get Daddy P some allergy medication and see if there were any cheap pants that fit Kate.  Standing at the counter, my phone rings and I (because I'm a loser who still doesn't know whether up or down means answer) answer my phone and then say "I'll call you back" and hang up to Paul since I'm mid-sentence with the pharmacist.  When I do call back I find out Jacob is a little pink and reacting to the formula Paul had given him. We had decided to try a bottle of formula to give me a break once a day.

I get a call back 10 minutes later that Paul is on his way to the ER because the swelling has gotten worse, and the nurse on call at the pediatrician's office said to take him to the ER immediately.

Paul got there and decided not to check in.  By then the swelling was mostly down and only some pink spots remained.  He still has a couple spots, but is doing fine.

We're under strict orders not to feed him anything besides breastmilk and to go the doctor asap this week.

A mama never gets a break...

Mommy and Kate afternoon

I said how much fun I was having. She said, "there's no crying"

Shopping and yogurt. Yum.

Decorating

Finally got out our Christmas gear, which is a sure fire way to make mama happy. Jacob's first Christmas is off to an awesome start. Kate is great decorator and enjoying being such a big help and big sister.

Upon completion, she remarked to Daddy, "Daddy, I'm impressed with you."

Couldn't stop laughing.

5 months!

Can you tell he's almost 17 lbs??