"On Becoming Baby Wise"
By Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam, M.D.
While I was pregnant I worked at a little music shop by the name of
Springfield Music. My boss, Donovan, gave me a book that would change the way I thought about baby bliss. This book and the principles it addresses helped me to get my baby to sleep through the night at 3 weeks. I won't guaruntee that your baby will sleep through the night by 3 weeks, but if you follow the advice of these two men, you will have a guaruntee that at 12 weeks your baby will sleep through the night.
Baby Wise talks about Parent Directed Feeding(PDF). By getting your baby on an eating schedule first you can bet that a sleep schedule will be less difficult. PDF looks like this, Eat, play, nap. By doing this you reduce the dependancy to be fed/nursed at naptime and bedtime making it easier to ween your baby but you also encourage indepedence within your baby. If your baby doesn't need you to fall asleep and can fall asleep on their own, you can have a date night with your spouse and know that the babysitter will have no problem putting junior to bed. It is wonderful to be able to put Ruby down for a nap or put her to bed when she is wide awake and know that she isn't going to cry. She may talk to herself for awhile, but, when she falls asleep, she is asleep until morning.
I was skeptical at first, but after discussing it with my husband, we decided to give it a try. If it didn't work, we could always try something else. After a week we noticed she was already getting the idea of a schedule and at 2 weeks she knew when it was time to eat and to nap and there was no fussing in between. She was happy all the time. When she did fuss, if her diaper was clean, we could look at the clock and sure enough, it was time to eat. At 3 weeks she slept 7 hours and we haven't looked back. She now sleeps 12 hours every night, guarunteed.
I find I can plan my day better because I can plan it around her schedule. I am more prepared when we are away from home and can help her adjust if we have to deviate from the schedule. Ruby is happy and secure because she trusts me completely. She knows when she will eat and the it will be there at the same time everyday.
I'm not saying this is for everyone, but, I an saying that everyone should at least give it a try. It was difficult in the beginning trying to get her on a schedule and to switch her days and nights around. I really feel this was easier than some other methods.
:)Megan
