Let's talk sleep

I've talked about how Drew is not a great sleeper and how we were trying to win the sleep war in our house.  Well, I have good news to report, Drew is now consistently sleeping through the night with no wakings to eat.  After posting about sleep last time, and thinking we may never sleep at one point, Brendan and I read Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. 

I got the suggestion to read this book from a fellow blogging mama and let me tell you, Bear's mom, I owe you one!  Both Brendan and I loved the book and how it approached sleep.  We then used some what Dr. Weissbluth says and our own plan of decreasing the amount of ounces Drew was eating at one time gradually, and making sure he was actually hungry.  Drew cut out his second feeding all by himself.  After getting rid of the feeding completely, for 3 nights if Drew woke up and was really awake I would go in a rock to comfort him back to sleep, after those 3 nights, if he woke, then it was rubbing his tummy and giving him his paci back while he was in his crib.  As you can see Brendan and I had a very hard time with letting Drew cry for long periods of time and this seemed to fit our family very well.  Drew did in fact cry a few times, but it was minimal and when I say minimal I mean under 5 minutes at the very most.  The one thing I wish I would have done sooner was read the book and approach Drew's sleep patterns and habits differently.  What I didn't realize is that we were creating bad habits for Drew and since stopping those habits, he has been sleeping more soundly, napping better during the day and waking a happy baby.  I know this won't be my last post on sleep, because inevitably this post with jinx myself and this pattern will cease.  I do know we will have bad nights here and there, he's a child and who doesn't for cripes sakes?!?  I do hope that we have established a new pattern and habit with Drew, a good one at that!  One that we are all feeling more rested and happier with!