Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Clarification

I feel it prudent to clarify last night's blog--the Sleep Lady does not recommend extinction or anything, she just mentioned it in her introductory chapter on consistency.  She cited it as an example of how being consistent works.  She followed up by saying that the majority of her clients can't handle the tears in the extinction method and she herself didn't prefer it on her own daughters, hence her "gentle" sleep method.  I just haven't gotten too far into the book to figure out what her gentle method is and since I'm desperate, I thought I'd give the extinction thing a try.  The thing is, when she gets herself worked up like that, there is often nothing anyone can do to stop it until she is ready for it to stop and the alternative (soothing her for who knows how long....until she's passed out which in the evening takes forever) requires an insane amount of patience. While Hannah has taught me a lot of patience already, I'm no saint. I run out after about a half hour of cooing and patting and attempting to calm her into a drowsy/sleepy state.  At that point, I'm ready to get on with my night.  That's when I leave and that's when she goes from fussiness and a refusal to sleep to all-out frustrated at sound barrier breaking levels and the end result is that I do not get on with my night unless you consider tending to or attempting to ignore an adorable but obnoxious screaming infant.  So it's a lose/lose situation.  Here's hoping I get a chance to read more today and come across some sanity saving tips...

Also, so far today, the nap thing isn't working out either.  I guess 2 good days is all she has in her.  She screamed bloody murder for a while before her last nap....I cried with her again.  I might need help....the mental health kind....She's awake now after a short catnap....Better go get her...

2 comments:

  1. If you followed your heart, what would you do about Hannah's sleeping difficulty?
    xo

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  2. In a perfect world, I would do what I do and it would work and she wouldn't cry. When she gets going on her rants, my heart doesn't chime in with any answers other than rocking her until she calms which can take anywhere from 20 min to 2 hours, usually 2 hours. Unfortunately, after about 45-60 minutes, I can't take anymore. In addition to that being trying on anyone's patience, by this point in the day I'm exhausted and ready to be "off". When people say motherhood is a 24/hour a day job, they're not lying. Working through her naps is killing me. So instinct is out the door by that point. I can either try to be patient and rock her through it until she calms, or I can give up and bring her back downstairs and sometimes she would eventually fall asleep but she never stayed asleep long--those are the nights she slept the shortest. Anyway, I guess the point is that I don't have an answer to your question :(

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