Sleep Training- Day One

We have decided it is time for some sleep training for Mr. Nicholas.

I purchased Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and it lays out a general schedule to get him to be more rested and sleep longer. ("Sleep Begets Sleep" is the motto).  It suggests watching him for cues of tiredness and putting him down before he is asleep so he can learn to soothe himself.  We are supposed to put him down earlier than we have been (between 6-8 P.M.), so I guess we have already started bad habits (oops)

Anyway, a typical day should look like this:

Awake- 6-8 a.m.. (I am so not a "before 8" kind of person.  Looks like I will be getting some training as well).

{Insert Sunshine into this period???? I guess that means go outside?}

1st Nap- 9 or 10 a.m.(I'm thinking 10 is a better time because we often have things that start at 9 during the week)

2nd Nap- 1 or 2 p.m.

Optional 3rd nap to be eliminated when other two naps are longer- around 5ish p.m.

Bedtime-6-8 p.m. (I'm thinking 7:30-8, with bedtime routine starting between 6:30 and 7)

There are various methods described. Apparently most children can do this with little to no "crying", but extremely fussy/post-colic babies respond best to letting them cry up to an hour (yikes!).

I tried letting him cry to sleep last night.  He stood in his crib (yep, he stands!) and cried so hard it made him cough.  I couldn't take it after 15 minutes and went in and gave him something to drink (his throat must have been so sore). It took him a long time to stop whimpering, but he immediately fell asleep upon finishing his bottle, and he woke only twice to eat and went right back to sleep throughout the night.  I think our biggest thing is going to be trying to get him out of the habit of being held and rocked until he is asleep.  His father is the one responsible for that!!!  

We also messed up already this morning.  The whole family has been sick and we all slept until 9:30!  It was good to get the rest though.  We have all been dragging this week, and although we are all still coughing and stuffy-nosed, I think things are finally starting to improve!