So, since ever we came to this country, Kareem's sleeping habits have changed. Instead of getting better, they got worse! Why? Because he got used that whenever he wakes up at night, I rush to pick him up so that he doesn't cry and wake his daddy up. So instead of waking up one time at night as he used to do before, he now wakes up like every couple of hours, just like newborns!! This is making me really exhausted and sleepy all the day, and it's all my fault.
Last night he woke up three times, and in the forth time he didn' t want to go back to sleep. I tried for more than an hour to put him to sleep, and the moment I put him in his bed thinking that he finally fell asleep he feels that he's not with me anymore, wakes up and starts crying wanting me to pick him up again. Until I got really mad and thought to myself, Kareem is four months old now, isn't it time for sleep training? I think it is, and I'm gonna act immediately! So, I left the room, where Kareem was just about to start nagging and protesting, and went to check out some online articles that I've read before about baby sleep training. I had to reassure myself that what I was about to do was right. I have to teach him healthy sleep habits, to soothe himself to sleep, and sleep through the night, or at least not to wake up every couple of hours! This of course needs courage, patience and strength. I had to listen to his cries that were getting louder and louder and hold myself from picking him up immediately. I only went in every couple of minutes to pat and reassure him. It was heartbreaking to hear him cry like that, but I kept encouraging myself not to surrender and to be stronger and more patient, especially that I know that he needs nothing but being held. The process took more than half an hour, and Kareem finally fell asleep on his own for the first time. As much as I was glad that he did, I felt so sorry and guilty and began to cry myself, lol
Today morning, I kept kissing and hugging him asking him to forgive me :(
I know that this method needs consistency and once we started it we need to stick to it, and it's supposed to take a week or so until Kareem gets accustomed to fall asleep by his own and thus the mission of establishing good and healthy sleeping habits is accomplished. Please God help me.
Last night he woke up three times, and in the forth time he didn' t want to go back to sleep. I tried for more than an hour to put him to sleep, and the moment I put him in his bed thinking that he finally fell asleep he feels that he's not with me anymore, wakes up and starts crying wanting me to pick him up again. Until I got really mad and thought to myself, Kareem is four months old now, isn't it time for sleep training? I think it is, and I'm gonna act immediately! So, I left the room, where Kareem was just about to start nagging and protesting, and went to check out some online articles that I've read before about baby sleep training. I had to reassure myself that what I was about to do was right. I have to teach him healthy sleep habits, to soothe himself to sleep, and sleep through the night, or at least not to wake up every couple of hours! This of course needs courage, patience and strength. I had to listen to his cries that were getting louder and louder and hold myself from picking him up immediately. I only went in every couple of minutes to pat and reassure him. It was heartbreaking to hear him cry like that, but I kept encouraging myself not to surrender and to be stronger and more patient, especially that I know that he needs nothing but being held. The process took more than half an hour, and Kareem finally fell asleep on his own for the first time. As much as I was glad that he did, I felt so sorry and guilty and began to cry myself, lol
Today morning, I kept kissing and hugging him asking him to forgive me :(
I know that this method needs consistency and once we started it we need to stick to it, and it's supposed to take a week or so until Kareem gets accustomed to fall asleep by his own and thus the mission of establishing good and healthy sleeping habits is accomplished. Please God help me.
8 comments:
way to go girl. aywa hek awwi albaaaaaaak!
kids need dicipline, and this doesnt come by its own, u should do it urself. w remember, u should always rule, mesh sayyed kareemo :p
its so upsetting at the beginning, but its worth it at the end.
its gonna take him 4 or 5 days maximum, and he will know that khalas mama wont be coming fa theres no use to cry my lungs out.
way to go Karimo, show mom who's boss lool just kidding ;)
7abibti, it will take time for him to adjust, he probably feels that he is in a different place, the faces he got to used to see aren't around. Ease him slowly into the schedule, every baby is different, what work for one doesn't work for another.
My sister in law tried 2things: sitting close to her baby's bed and read,this gave the little one some comfort OR she would give him baby formula very late in the evening instead of breastfeeding because it's thicker and somehow made him sleep longer.
try it and good luck to you w ma tza3leelna Karim :P
Why can't I just do this? Albi sharshou7 ana :p
My baby still wakes up 3-4 times at night, she eats a lil bit, like for 10 min. and goes back to sleep hamdillah. I don't know if I want to change this, it doesn't bother me, I guess :p
But way to go Um-Kareem! keep it up and inshallah it'll make you feel better :D and ma tiz3ali 3alaih..ALL babies are ACTORS!
I'm so sorry you had to go through this, it must have been really hard.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for the coming nights hoping he'll sleep for longer stretches.
i know what you mean, i saw my aunt doing it with my twin cousins, they would be crying in their cribs and she would be crying in the living room, but hang in there, it's the right thing to do, it will take a week or so as far as i know, allah y2aweeki o ye7mi kareem :)
Mais: I agree that they need discipline and I personally don't like to spoil him,don't like spoiled kids at allllllll
Noura:lol, enti ma3i wella ma3o? :D
well, it's been a month since we arrived to Abu Dhabi, hasn't he adjusted yet?
I won't aza3lo since it's his 4 month birthday today, ra7 mare2lo yaha :D
Nido: he woke up three times yesterday and I picked him up, fed him and put him back to sleep metl el shatra :D
Maybe I should wait until he starts eating solids. I'm still confused :(
Dawn: have u tried this technique urself with Firas? as I mentioned to Nido maybe I should wait a bit more until he starts having solid food. I mean when I know that he may be hungry I can't just ignore him.
Maioush: thank you for your support, I really need to hear that other moms go through this as well and it's the right thing to do.
Well Diana, Firas is bottle fed lilasaf, so he slept for long stretches for as far as I can remember. I didn't try this technique with Firas only because there wasn't a situation where I needed to use it. However, I know as a mother you know which crying sound you need to respond to, through maternal instinct. Starting him on solid food will most definitely help.
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