I starting reading up on becoming BabyWise yesterday and I think Anthony knew I was on to something. Even though we hadn't actually started the BabyWise schedule. (I wanted to read the book first) I was trying to spread out feeding to every 3 hours and get 3 naps in. I don't think he wants me to read the book, because he was a perfect little boy yesterday. If I could hit repeat play* on yesterday and do it again day after day, I would and I wouldn't need the BabyWise book. He got all 3 naps in and went down without a fuss for his naps, 2 out of the 3 he was awake when I layed him in his crib and there was no crying. Unfortunately today is not as good as yesterday and thus we have started a trial BabyWise scheduled day.
Grandma J got to do the first 4 hours of the morning since I worked 3a-7a last night. When we got home we played for a few minutes, then it was time for his first afternoon nap. I put him in his crib and he began to cry right away. I left the room anyway and kept myself busy for the next 15 minutes** doing laundry. I turned on the washer and the bathroom fan to drown out the crying while I folded clothes. When I finished I listened outside his door and he was still crying, I came downstairs because Todd had stopped in for a minute. (Bad timing, I thought for sure he would screw everything up and go pick him up) When I told him it was tough love time and that Anthony was crying himself to sleep, he said he couldn't hear him crying, so I went back upstairs and to my surprise he wasn't crying. I wish I had a Staples that was easy button to push.
I must say I am really surprised I like what the BabyWise book says to do. I really didn't want to read the book because I talked to people who used it like the lady I met in Florida on the beach. I remember her recommending the book and telling me how great it was. But I also remember her telling me how they would carry the baby around or push her in her stroller screaming because she was hungry but they were trying to stretch out her feed times. It sounded so awful that I was completely turned off by the book. To my surprise the book doesn't actually say to do that, the BabyWise schedule is way more flexible than I thought it was going to be. I really liked the books explanation about being flexible. It describes flexibility as a thing with a particular shape that can bend and then return to it's original shape. Once you establish the shape of your routine you can bend and flex it every now and then and baby will bounce back to the original shape easily. But first we have to make our shape, which is where we are now.
I'll be sure and give a little update in a week or so on Anthony's progress. If it doesn't work than I will have to resort to Natalie's suggestion and just let him cry until Todd gives in and rocks him to sleep.
*The first time I put on a Baby Einstein movie for Anthony the menu gave the option of play, or repeat play. I thought to myself, what kind of mother would put a movie on repeat play? The answer is... one just like me. Anthony LOVES these movies and in my defense, they are really short, so watching it twice isn't really as bad as it sounds, and they are good for him.
** I say 15 minutes, but only because it felt like 15 minutes, I didn't actually look at my watch and time it. When I am at work and a patient comes in to the ER because they had a seizure I always ask the witness how long it lasted and whatever time they tell me I always have to clarify by saying, You know this because you looked at your watch and timed it, or because it felt like that many minutes. Usually it's the later, and it wasn't anywhere near as long as they thought it was.
Anthony, D'Arcy & Brewster watching Baby Einstein
