STW 2008 Night 2
If you ask my wife, I am the more tolerant, possibly heartless, member of our parenting team. Unlike her, I am able to listen to one, and sometimes two, children cry at the same time. When we did STW 2007 with Annie, I had to send her out of the house while I listened to Annie wail. Part of this is my training, I have to listen to a lot more crying than she does at work, and part of it is my teeming maleness.
In my experience, there seems to be a physiological reaction that many women experience when children cry. Part of it is linked to breast feeding and the physical need for mother and child to connect. However, the phenomena seems to cover all ages. Annie is beyond what most would consider breast feeding age and her crying can still sends shivers down my wife's spine.
Consequently, sleep training Tilda should be easier the second time around, no? Well, last night we upped the ante to 15 minutes and I was kind of a mess. At 11 O'clock we listened simultaneously to The Hills and Matilda's desperation--ironically they sounded one and the same--and when I finally went up to feed her I was crying. What a mush I have become. I found myself kissing Tilda's head over and over again until she fell asleep.
At 2 O'clock we went through the same routine, only with my wife giving me a mid-nite break and handling the duties. I was thankful for the respite, but no less distraught while laying there in bed listening. At this point we were five feedings into STW 2008 with no measurable results. We were both taking things worse than Tilda I think.
My turn in the rotation would be coming up soon enough. I dosed off and awaited my fate. At 5 O'clock I heard her stir and was soon whimpering--Tilda was that is. However, she never fully woke up. She peeped now and then for the next two hours and woke for the day just before 7 O'clock. Our first measurable success had occurred. Never before had Matilda woke up and gone back to sleep without either of us giving her a pacifier, holding her, or feeding her. Tonight is a new night, we up the stakes to 20 minutes, but I go into it with new hope. Also, I'm not sure if you caught it, but technically I got a full night of sleep out of the deal. That definitely sounds like success.
Editor's Note: If you don't know what The Hills is, and consequently don't know the joy of hating Spencer, the provided link should get you up to speed.
In my experience, there seems to be a physiological reaction that many women experience when children cry. Part of it is linked to breast feeding and the physical need for mother and child to connect. However, the phenomena seems to cover all ages. Annie is beyond what most would consider breast feeding age and her crying can still sends shivers down my wife's spine.
Consequently, sleep training Tilda should be easier the second time around, no? Well, last night we upped the ante to 15 minutes and I was kind of a mess. At 11 O'clock we listened simultaneously to The Hills and Matilda's desperation--ironically they sounded one and the same--and when I finally went up to feed her I was crying. What a mush I have become. I found myself kissing Tilda's head over and over again until she fell asleep.
At 2 O'clock we went through the same routine, only with my wife giving me a mid-nite break and handling the duties. I was thankful for the respite, but no less distraught while laying there in bed listening. At this point we were five feedings into STW 2008 with no measurable results. We were both taking things worse than Tilda I think.
My turn in the rotation would be coming up soon enough. I dosed off and awaited my fate. At 5 O'clock I heard her stir and was soon whimpering--Tilda was that is. However, she never fully woke up. She peeped now and then for the next two hours and woke for the day just before 7 O'clock. Our first measurable success had occurred. Never before had Matilda woke up and gone back to sleep without either of us giving her a pacifier, holding her, or feeding her. Tonight is a new night, we up the stakes to 20 minutes, but I go into it with new hope. Also, I'm not sure if you caught it, but technically I got a full night of sleep out of the deal. That definitely sounds like success.
Editor's Note: If you don't know what The Hills is, and consequently don't know the joy of hating Spencer, the provided link should get you up to speed.
posted by Unfinished Dad at
1:41 PM
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