Sleep training- Day 1

It has begun...

The thing that I have been undecided over for the last 6 months- we have decided to do. Sleep training....

I actually started on the Friday night, but am calling Saturday "Day 1", as he did all his naps and bedtime in his crib in his room.

The first thing you need when you sleep train isn't to buy books, or look up websites, but to harden ones bollocks to be of steel. We didn't do cry it out, or controlled crying, but at the end of the first night I couldn't stop crying. It is really draining and emotional (see here for post).

I have many reasons for sleep training. Pi's safety topped that list, and wanting to teach him the important skill (even though the other half of my brain was crying out that I can teach him that skill at 4 years old). Husband was very pro sleep training (I think he is worried about how little sleep I get every day).

Our method was to take the middle ground. No Cry It Out, or Controlled crying. I wanted to be in the room with him the whole time. I have been training-training him to sleep for the last month or so by gradually training him using pickup/put down and shh- patting him, and so for training I wanted to do that as little as possible, so he does most of the work by himself.

Here is how "Day 1" looked-

Nap 1- 5 mins to get to sleep- 30 min sleep
Nap 2- 5 mins to get to sleep- 30 min sleep
Nap 2- 5 mins to get to sleep- 1 hour sleep!!!!

Bed (at 6:30pm)- 11 mins to get to sleep and went down fairly easily.

During the night:

7:20pm- 17 mins to get back to sleep
10:50pm*- 10 mins to get back to sleep
12:00am- 15 mins to get back to sleep
2:30am- 35mins to get back to sleep
4:10am*- 12 mins to get back to sleep
6:07am- 1 mins to get back to sleep

*nursed him to sleep. I have the aim of getting him down to 2 feeds per night so he is not relying on milk to help him to sleep.
All other times were either singing/soothing with voice, shhing and patting, or the occasional pick up.

We both fared much better at bedtime tonight. No crying from me, and very little fussy-cries from Pi. I am calling it a successful day