Phase 1: Stop Early Wake-Up - Report 3

Day 5: Back to 5:30am wake-up. Bummer. Off and on crying until 6am, quiet for 15 minutes then awake again with more persistent crying. Got up and fed her at that point.
Day 6: 5:40am wake-up. Playing and light crying until 6am. Off and on crying until 6:45am. Small coos and talking until 7am.

This morning I used my iPod and listened to hymns with the pillow over my head. It was at least more relaxing if not restful (as in sleeping). Z woke up this morning when Harper was crying and said, "Mama, help Harper!" I put him back in bed and reassured him that everything was okay. I'm thankful this is the first time he has woken up with her crying. One good thing about this morning (Day 6) is that I can see how her crying off and on really shows that she is fine. She is not starving; she just wants to get up because she is used to waking up then. By 7am, when she was practically playing in her bed, I felt even better about sticking it out. When I finally got her up she was all smiles and charm. She is fine. Fine. Fine.

I have renewed my commitment to stick with it. I talked to my Baby Wise Guru (BWG) and she confirmed my decisions, including adding a feeding at night. She said five feedings is a good spot to stay on at this age if I want to continue breastfeeding. Switching to four hours and starting solids both can diminish milk supply. I remember that happening a little with Z, so I'll keep the five feedings and stay watchful to make sure the well doesn't run dry (so to speak). She also thought that 9-10 hours was a reasonable stretch at night for an exclusively breastfed baby. BabyWise kind of talks about that but isn't that clear, so I appreciated that feedback from an experienced mom. Once I start her on solids I can probably expect her to go a little longer.

Another suggestion BWG gave me was to really relax the swaddle so that Harper can get her hands to her mouth. I had been waiting on getting rid of the swaddle, but thought that she would be able to get her hands in the blanket to her mouth anyway. The first 3-4 days of Crying It Out, I swaddled her in a way that the more she pulled the blanket actually tightened so that she couldn't get her hands up. Last night I did only use one blanket and she could easily get her hands to her mouth. I think that helped her sooth herself which is why there was more talking and cooing than crying this morning.

Also, BWG brought up a good point that I shouldn't feed her at 6:30am unless I want that to be the wake-up time. I agree. If I'm going to go through this then I want to get to my true goal at the end of it. BWG said this is one of the hardest habits to break- the early morning wake-up - but that it would be worth it. The wake-up time has a way of getting engrained in the child so they continue with it even through the toddler years. Having started Z at 8am and seeing how now it's drifted to 7/7:30am, I'm all the more resolved to keep Harper to 7am. Something about waking up in the 6 am hour is really hard for me psychologically. (I could never be a teacher!)

I am pleased that we've made it this far without the pacifier in the morning. I can sense the end coming near. Just praying God will renew my strength. I'm a person who needs eight hours of sleep. Getting six or seven hours with a few Z interruptions at night is really draining me.

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

Lamentations 3:22-24