Maybe We're On To Something

First of all, thank you ladies for all of your advice (Mindy, of course you can comment! I didn't think you followed my blog very closely, but you're always welcome!).

After much internal struggle, two long conversations with two of sister-in-laws and a phone call to my pediatrician we implemented "Operation Good Night"; effective yesterday.

Apparently, my first parenting problem was not having and maintaining a consistent bedtime for Marshall. We fixed that. Last night at 2130 we headed into the nursery. With just the nightlight on I changed his diaper, sat down with him in the rocking chair and fed him (7 oz...little pig). After he was finished and burped, we rocked for a few minutes, I sang to him, and I put him in his bed. It was 2200 (our pre-determined bedtime, for now); he was awake. He got a goodnight kiss and I left the room and shut the door.

Figuring that he would cry himself to sleep, I went into the office to study for my state boards and listen for a crying baby (I needed to know how long the crying would last). Much to my surprise, I heard nothing. Not a peep. At 2300 I snuck into his room, peered over the crib to behold infront of me a SLEEPING BABY! Simultaneously, the heaven's parted and angels sang.

I went skipping off to bed, left the monitor turned off, set my alarm clock for 0500 and drifted away to dreamland.

Problem number two (as identified by my pediatrician's office) - a 5 month old baby weighing just shy of 20lbs does not need to eat every four hours in the night; he was awakening out of habit for food and needs to learn to go to sleep by himself without eating. That explains why the monitor was turned off and my alarm clock was turned on. I did not want to hear him in the middle of the night; I have no idea if he woke up and if he did, he put himself back to sleep.

At 0500 when my alarm went off, I tip-toed to his room and could hear him crying some (not screaming at all, but he was awake). I went to the kitchen, fixed him a bottle, and he greeted me with a smile. He was fed and changed and back into bed by 0535, awake but sleepy.

I went back to bed, turned on the monitor this time and did not hear a thing from him until 0945!!

We will repeat the forementioned pattern tonight and pray fervently that this holds. My fingers are crossed and I am holding my breath.