Friday, August 15, 2008

Guess.

What.

I just slept more than six hours. Straight. In a row. Without interruption.

Earlier this week, Brian and I hosted an intervention with Silas. We explained that he is a healthy, strong young man. He is getting more than enough nutrition for his age, and is in the 75th percentile for weight. There comes a time in every baby's life where he simply no longer needs to eat every three hours at night, and as his parents, we felt he had reached that age. It was time for him to step up. And just to build a little sibling rivalry, we emphasized that his brother started dropping feedings when HE was six weeks old. Silas was almost eight weeks, and wasn't he ready to be a big boy yet?

That night, he woke up every two and a half hours. Just to make sure we knew who was in control.

The next day, I came up with a plan. Brian walked in the door from work and said, "Hi." To which I responded, "Listen, maybe we've gotten him too used to eating throughout the night. Maybe we've gotten TOO good at this feeding schedule thing, and need to be a little less scheduled in the evenings." Blank stare from the other side. "What?" I said. "Oh. Hi." (Maybe I was becoming a liiiiiiittttttle obsessed.)

Here was my plan: During the day, Silas eats every three hours. After 7 pm (not 10, as we had been doing), he had to tell us when he was hungry. And he had to mean it. None of this squirming in his sleep business anymore. Nosireee. If he wanted to eat, he needed to cry a little.

Three nights later - last night - he ate at 7:15 pm. He got hungry again at 11:45, then (wait for it) 4:15. AM! IN THE MORNING! Since Brian takes the late night and I take the early morning feedings, this means I slept from 9:30 until 4:15, all in a row, without anybody needing anything from me in between.

I feel like a new woman.

Let the sleeping begin.

8 comments:

Jason said...

Glad you were able to get some sleep....

Anonymous said...

THat is the best. The first time a baby let's you get some sleep, it is as though the cobwebs had been swept from your brain.

Laura Mielke said...

big fat CONGRATULATIONS and i hate you all in the same breath :) looking forward to lunch..i get to come in my pajamas right?

Nick M. said...

do you contract out? do you give a group discount? i've got a couple of 3 month old young ladies who need to hear your pep talk

Anonymous said...

haha...pep talks at 10 weeks. that's great! :) glad you got a full night's sleep!!

Julie Pippert said...

That's fantastic. Nothing so wonderful as finally getting that sleep back!

Jamie said...

Hooray!!!

aubrey said...

you are TOO funny! CONGRATULATIONS!