The Sleep Training Continues

I had to work this weekend so I has hoping the "sleep training" we had done would pay off so I could get some sleep before work. Although it wasn't prefect it was close. She went to bed as usual around 7 waking up for her "last" feed around 10-11. The problem is still 4am! The last 3 mornings she wakes and cries until she is fed.I should be thankful it is not 2am, but since I get up at 5 for work this is still frustrating. Can you please wait until 5 then I don't have to get up early?

Night Three

So second night with no 2am feed! She seemed to get it right away...last night she went from 1115 until 4am asleep. At 4 she woke and cried on and off a few minutes and then fell asleep again until 0450. I got up and fed her then. My goal was 11-5 and this was close enough...but really I didn't want to fall asleep again just to have to get up at 6. I am so glad the doctor told us to do this...if not I am sure I would be getting up several times a night to feed her still.
She said it would take 3-4 nights and really it took 1...but lets hope it keeps getting better!

Night Two...This might work!

So night two was even better! Bedtime was 7pm...and she slept until 1145. Up for a quick feed and diaper change and back to bed in under 15 minutes. At 4am she woke and cried on and off for 8minutes. For the next 10minutes she called out a few times but was not crying and then back to sleep until 6am! Feed and back to bed until 9am..up for the day!
I am trying not to get to exicted, but I am hoping for even better tonight!

"Sleep Training" Night One

At our 4 month appointment the Doctor suggested "sleep training" to get Layla to sleep through the night. She assured us that she was physically ready, in fact she had been for awhile. She said Layla could have weeks ago and by 15lbs they are ready, well since Layla is well past the 15lb mark it is time to follow the doctors advice.
Her advice was simple...stop feeding her! The doctor said my goal of skipping the 2-3am feed was a good one because she could easily go 11-5 with out a feed. So Jatovi and I decided to try it. She claims in 3-4days she would no longer wake to eat.
Night one:
Bed at 7...feed at 10pm (plan for this to be the last one of the night!)
11pm...cried for 35 min. Jatovi and I both went in and gave her her pacifier and moved her back into the middle of the crib(she likes to hang her arms and legs out the side and then gets mad because she can't move them)
2am...cried for 20 mins same as above
3am...cried for 5 min and neither of us went to her.
She didn't wake again until 0622! And then really didn't want to eat a lot just a quick snack and back to bed until her usual 9am wake up. So clearly she didn't need the food she was been getting at night.
It felt horrible to not "fix"it..when I knew all I needed to do was feed her and the crying would stop. But the doctor said 2 very important things to us
1. This is when you decide what kind of parent you are going to be
2. Sleep is the first thing you teach your child to do independently
This helped get me through the night. I don't want her to be a 2 year old still waking up, and I plan to teach her to be a strong independent women. So I will stay strong!
I just hope Jatovi can...I think it was the hardest on him...he hates to hear her cry!

4 months!

Can you believe it 4 months! Layla was off to the doctors to get her 4 month check up..which included more needles.

Lets start with her stats...16lbs (yup you read it right) 23.5inches long. 92% in weight...so big! Which of course we already new because of the size of her thighs and clothes. She wears anything from 3-6months to 9 month sleepers. Her thighs get stuck in her bumbo everyday. The doctor is not worried about her weight because it is all breast milk. The doctor was impressed with her head control and in fact thinks she may be able to sit on her own soon. Her check up was good, the doctor has no concerns. The needles were better for me this time. She did scream so loud and held her breath as she cried but as soon as Jatovi picked her up she stopped. And no tears from mommy! Next appointment 6 months..and yes there will be needles!

As for Layla she is absolutely adorable. She has made so much progress this month. Rolling over all the time, sitting in her pink car or her jumper, eating less often(at least during the day) we are working on night feeds. She goes to bed every night without any trouble, bath,nurse/bottle and bed. Her purple cry seems like a life time ago(Thank the lord)
The routine I was so desperate for seems to be here, and it has really helped me. This includes a lot of play time. Layla spends a lot of time on her play mat. She seems to like it, but not as much as standing. Standing and pulling herself to a standing position is by far her favorite things to do. This is something she will do for hours. Because of this she is getting so strong, and I think I am as well, she does weigh 16lbs!
Even though I have been so proud many times this month nothing has made me happier than the first time I heard her giggle! I want to remember that sound forever! She giggles for me every couple of days and it always includes dancing and her standing up. I am sure she has been giggling for her daddy for awhile but he let me think I heard her first.

Rice Cereal...umm not ready!

So I gave in yesterday to the pressure from Layla's Grandmothers and tried to feed her rice cereal. Well I don't think she is ready!( Which is what I said all along!) She isn't even 4 months old yet and the most doctors say you can start trying between 4 and 6 months. Others say nothing but breast milk until 6 months...I don't know the right answer. But I do know that it really just pissed her off! The first few spoon fulls were ok, although I don't think she swallowed much. But after that she just got mad, it seemed like she thought it was her bottle and I was putting it in her mouth then taking it out. She was trying to suck the spoon...and boy did she get angry. It was fun trying but I think we will wait a few weeks before we try again!

Rolling over!

So my big girl is rolling over. The first time she did it on her own was July 29. She is rolling from her back to stomach the most although she has gone the opposite way a couple of times. She hates tummy time unless she is sleeping so when so rolls from stomach to back it is usually in a fit of rage. This mile stone has helped in the sleeping department as well. Since she is able to roll her self onto her belly we allow her to sleep like that. This makes me very nervous due to the increased risk of SIDS however we can't run in and turn her over every 2 minutes. We have a movement monitor so I do feel a bit better. She will sleep easy 4-5hrs at a time some times longer, however not all night. She does still want a 2am feed. In fact she wakes up most nights at 2am no matter what time she ate last at, but we give her her pacifier and she will usually fall back to sleep. When will she sleep all night??
She is gaining weight and very long. Her sleeper are for 9months! She weighs over 14lbs..crazy! It will be interesting at her 4month appointment to see what percentile she is..won't be surprised if her is off the chart!
She is growing up so fast, she has found her voice and even has giggled a few times. This doesn't happen everyday yet but we are close. The coos and coos are so cute and come with the biggest cute smile ever.
Have I mentioned that she is beautiful? Well I tell you...she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen..and I have seen a lot! Not that I am biased or anything!