Sleep Training

Sleep training is an ongoing battle in the Fearnow house. We've had issues with getting Brady to fall asleep from the time he was born. We've used everything from the swaddle, a bottle, the rocking chair, a pacifier, his night-night (blanket), a story, and singing. Mostly now it's just our presence in the room. Brady has always needed us to fall asleep. There have been very few occasions that he's fallen asleep on his own in his room. I know this is our fault because we always give in. I don't know how anyone just lets their child "cry it out". Brady will cry for hours before we eventually cave. There are times when it frustrates me that we can't just put him in his bed, tell him good night, and enjoy some time to ourselves. However, other times I enjoy the fact that he still "needs" us. For instance, the other night we were trying to get him to go to sleep and Chad had been in his room with him for almost a couple of hours. Chad eventually left him in there by himself and shortly after Brady followed him down the stairs. Chad told him to get back into his room and through his crying, he says, "Brady wanna hold mommy". How can I say no to that? As I'm laying in bed with him, I ask if he wants me to rock him in hopes that it will help him fall asleep faster. When we sit down in his rocking chair, his body taking over more than half of mine, all I can think of is the book, "Love You Forever". If you haven't read this book, you should. Although sometimes I get annoyed with having to stay with him until he falls asleep, I try to remember that he's not going to be little forever. At some point I'm sure he'll be shutting his bedroom door to avoid us, spending the night with his friends, and eventually moving out of the house. One day I'll be missing our bed time conversations by night light, his little giggles, and his sweet random kisses. I'm going to try to treasure every moment we have together because one day all I'll want to do is hold my baby boy to sleep and I won't be able to.

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be". Love you Forever, by Robert Munsch