This week is going to be a busy one blog-wise. As you can see, I have not been sleeping well. Why? Well, those who know me know that the boys have not been sleeping. Subsequently, I have had between one and a half to three hours of sleep each night. So, it was recommended that I get a sleep consultant to give us advice on how to fix this. Those I've told are quite interested in how this will work out, also, the consultant recommends a sleep log for each night. Therefore, in the interest of keeping things simple for myself, I will blog it.
Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the method of CIO (Cry It Out) for teaching babies how to put themselves to sleep. This method, also associated with Ferberizing, is pretty much what it sounds like. The baby wakes up and cries itself back to sleep. The parent can keep going into the room and check on them, but can't pick it up or touch the baby. Now, I have heard this works, however, I have triplets. All this will serve is one baby will wake up the other babies and a vicious cycle will ensue. So we will be using the Shuffle Method. This past week,we have been starting a Bedtime Ritual. Every night, the babies come into my room where we set up a comfy area on the floor with pillows and soft toys and board books. I read them Good Night Moon, I Love You Forever, and Good Night Moon again. Until tonight, Hailey went to bed, and the boys came with me to go into their swing, and or, be rocked to sleep. Tonight we started the shuffle. The way this works is nights 1-3 I and one other person (Husband Brian or Vivian our nanny) take the boys into the room and we each sit in a chair next to the boys' cribs and using sleepy words, rubbing their backs, patting them, and occasionally cuddling (but NOT removing them from the room) they put themselves to sleep. Days 4-6 this is done from a chair in the middle of the room focusing on words as opposed to touch (though touch can be used when necessary). 7-9 From a chair in the doorway. 10-12 from the hall.
We started tonight with their books, and Phillip listened well. Hailey ate her board books. Joseph crawled and walked around babbling loudly. Vivian and I took everyone to the room and assumed our positions. Hailey lay down with her washcloth hippo and blanket. Joseph stood up in his crib and loudly mocked us. Phillip started yelling at us in righteous anger. This continued for a while. I tried patting his back, telling him "Hush, night-night Phillip. I love you." As he got madder at me, tiny fists balled angrily at his sides, Hailey quietly sneaked up her mattress and grabbed me from behind, growling. I jumped in shock and Phillip laughed. I grabbed him and hugged him and put him back down. He was fine for a while after that so Vivian and I switched places and I cared for Joseph. I tried everything. Phillip fell asleep and Vivian went to bed. I stayed with Joseph and Hailey fell asleep. I ended up singing Joseph to sleep with every song I know. I went from show tunes to Yiddish songs, to Hebrew songs, to pop songs. He still wouldn't sleep. He rolled around laughing. He cried. He tried to climb out of his crib. I begged, I gave him my shirt instead of his blanket when I saw him sucking on my Eventually he dropped off. All in all, it took a lot less time then when I put the boys in the swing and/or rock them to sleep in the family room. If they wake up during the night, (when they wake up in the night) the shuffle positions will be resumed until sleep is again achieved. This time Husband Brian will take Vivian's spot.
More to come tomorrow.
Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the method of CIO (Cry It Out) for teaching babies how to put themselves to sleep. This method, also associated with Ferberizing, is pretty much what it sounds like. The baby wakes up and cries itself back to sleep. The parent can keep going into the room and check on them, but can't pick it up or touch the baby. Now, I have heard this works, however, I have triplets. All this will serve is one baby will wake up the other babies and a vicious cycle will ensue. So we will be using the Shuffle Method. This past week,we have been starting a Bedtime Ritual. Every night, the babies come into my room where we set up a comfy area on the floor with pillows and soft toys and board books. I read them Good Night Moon, I Love You Forever, and Good Night Moon again. Until tonight, Hailey went to bed, and the boys came with me to go into their swing, and or, be rocked to sleep. Tonight we started the shuffle. The way this works is nights 1-3 I and one other person (Husband Brian or Vivian our nanny) take the boys into the room and we each sit in a chair next to the boys' cribs and using sleepy words, rubbing their backs, patting them, and occasionally cuddling (but NOT removing them from the room) they put themselves to sleep. Days 4-6 this is done from a chair in the middle of the room focusing on words as opposed to touch (though touch can be used when necessary). 7-9 From a chair in the doorway. 10-12 from the hall.
We started tonight with their books, and Phillip listened well. Hailey ate her board books. Joseph crawled and walked around babbling loudly. Vivian and I took everyone to the room and assumed our positions. Hailey lay down with her washcloth hippo and blanket. Joseph stood up in his crib and loudly mocked us. Phillip started yelling at us in righteous anger. This continued for a while. I tried patting his back, telling him "Hush, night-night Phillip. I love you." As he got madder at me, tiny fists balled angrily at his sides, Hailey quietly sneaked up her mattress and grabbed me from behind, growling. I jumped in shock and Phillip laughed. I grabbed him and hugged him and put him back down. He was fine for a while after that so Vivian and I switched places and I cared for Joseph. I tried everything. Phillip fell asleep and Vivian went to bed. I stayed with Joseph and Hailey fell asleep. I ended up singing Joseph to sleep with every song I know. I went from show tunes to Yiddish songs, to Hebrew songs, to pop songs. He still wouldn't sleep. He rolled around laughing. He cried. He tried to climb out of his crib. I begged, I gave him my shirt instead of his blanket when I saw him sucking on my Eventually he dropped off. All in all, it took a lot less time then when I put the boys in the swing and/or rock them to sleep in the family room. If they wake up during the night, (when they wake up in the night) the shuffle positions will be resumed until sleep is again achieved. This time Husband Brian will take Vivian's spot.
More to come tomorrow.
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