Bring it On

I've heard it said that it's impossible to spoil a child less than 6 weeks old.  So from the  moment we brought home sweet little Desmond we've given him everything he could possibly desire.  When he fussed we picked him up. When he cried we fed him (whether it had been 3 hours or 30 minutes since the last time he ate). When he was tired we rocked him to sleep. If he couldn't sleep I walked around with him in my sling or took him for a walk in my Ergo so he could get a good nap.

Well he was six weeks old on Sunday, and that's all about to change.

I always said I would never spoil my child, but now that I have one it seems so hard. I don't want to let him cry.  I want him to always be happy.  But I know that to have a baby with a happy disposition I have to be tough...but it's so hard.

Bring on the sleep training.  He still wakes up several times in the middle of the night.  The goal to to get his daytime routines into a rhythm so he will start sleeping through the night on his own by 2 months.  That's the goal at least.  We'll see.

I borrowed the book "Baby Wise" from the library yesterday and am ready to put the plan into action.  I realized I should have started this sooner, but better late than never.  He is to eat, be awake for a little while, and then fall asleep on his own without nursing or me rocking him, then start the cycle over again every 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. 

As I type I'm listening to him crying in his crib.  (You can do this Maretta)  I think typing this post is helping me get through it, reassuring me that what I'm doing is for his benefit, but I hate to think of my baby being unhappy! 

I just went in after 15 minutes to give him his pacifier and reassure him.  He fell right asleep.  Not exactly as flawless as I was hoping, but it was his first time, hopefully we'll get better at this.