The Ferber Method

It has come to this.

I was pretty opposed to the Ferber Method of Sleep for babies (AKA- the Cry it Out method) until this week. The history: Avery was going to sleep easily and sleeping pretty well for a 5 month old. Then came the dreaded first cold turned ear infection, then tooth number one, followed by cold # 2, and then tooth #2. By the time tooth 3 started emerging, no one in our house had slept through the night in a month! I was deprived, and in desperate mode to get some shut eye. So I broke down and bought the video monitor. Yes, I know. I will eat my words. I was in such protest that I didn't need to spend that money, and could put it elsewhere. I WAS WRONG! Best invention ever! Especially if you Ferberize. I just had to be able to watch and make sure that she wasn't hurt, or had her head caught in the slats of the crib.

So here is how it works along with my initial thoughts as commentary:

1. No paci. (What, no paci? This will never work.)

2. No dream feeding (what the heck is dream feeding? I found out it is feeding them to sleep or feeding them while asleep. Ok. I can try.)

3. Use a transitional object to help learn to soothe self. (I can handle that one. Snuggly Lovie. Check.)

4. Lay baby down while sleepy but not asleep. (Check.)

5. Walk away. (She is screaming, no not screaming, SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER!)

6. Come back in 5 minutes to let her know you have not abandoned her. (And for my own sanity!)

7. Walk away again. (What? I just got her calmed slightly. Dr. Ferber, you have lost your D#$% Mind!)

8. Wait 10 minutes before re-entering. (This is torturous. I would rather stab out my eyeballs with a blunt toothpick.)

9. Re-enter and pat back (the baby's not my own). Then leave. (There is a reason this is all so painful...GOD designed it to be so, so that we wouldn't neglect our children. Why am I doing this again?)

10. Wait 15 minutes. You get the idea.

Finally, at 11:27, I hear her start to fade. She sobs and stops. Sobs again, and then ahhh. Sleep! The kid slept a solid 6 hours before waking up at her normal time. Then she had a bottle and went back to sleep until 9:45 this morning! I even got to go back to bed for a bit! Yay! Congrats Dr. Ferber, you made a believer out of me! Tonight is night two. Dr. Ferber swears that by the 3rd night, there should be less than 5 minutes of protest (code word- cry). Last night worked just like he said it would, so I am hopeful that it will get better tonight and we will be fully ferberized by Thursday! I love my baby. But I had to get some sleep. She woke up extra happy this morning, and had totally forgotten how mad she was at me a mere 8 hours earlier.

And finally, some photos that we have been waiting for!

Avery and Kelly at the lake for the 4th of July. Kelly's baby Charlie should be here in the next few weeks! We can't wait to meet him!

Avery and her lone girl friend Maren hanging out.

And all of us at Avery's Christening.