Sometimes the Roadblock to Good Parenting...

...is yourself!

So, my baby is 2.5 months old and I have already broken one of my parenting "You won't see me doing that with Catie Grace!" sayings.

Before Catie Grace was born, my biggest thing was that she would sleep in her own bed. Gerry and I had a plan that Catie Grace would start off sleeping in her bassinet until she was ready to sleep in her crib. When we came home, Catie Grace did sleep in her bassinet- as close to the side of our bed as I could possibly put her. She did really well in her bassinet for a while so at about one month, Gerry and I decided to put her in her crib.

The first night in her crib she did really well. She slept just fine and only woke up to eat. It looked pretty promising! But.. the next night she didn't sleep at all. Literally- she would not sleep and it was horrible.

so...

after that horrible night of no sleep..Catie Grace ended up in our bed. It was totally my fault and from then on she just slept with me. I just wanted her with us...and she was sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 or 7 in the morning and I didn't want that to stop!

On Catie Grace's two month check-up, the Pediatrician asked where she was sleeping. I reluctantly told him that she was sleeping in our bed. He wasn't judgemental or mean about it at all, but he did mention that co-sleeping increases the incidence of SIDS. Gerry and I felt that we were being safe with Catie Grace in our bed (no pillows or blanket by her), but we still decided that she really did need to be in her OWN bed.

So last Wednesday when I found out that I would have until Tuesday morning off because of the snow, I decided that it was time to get her in her own crib. Gerry and I were both really worried about it since she had been sleeping so well with us.

On Wednesday night, we started Catie Grace's bedtime routine at about 8:00 p.m. with taking a bath (which she loves!) and then rocking her while she ate a bottle before bed. I put her down awake but very sleepy (which is what all the books say to do) and she only cried for about 10 minutes. Gerry and I went and checked on her a few times and put her paci back in her mouth. That night she slept really well and only woke up about five times before six o'clock. She was just whining and wanting her pacifier back in her mouth.

The next night, she didn't sleep as well. She had a lot more trouble going to sleep and she would fall asleep and then wake up and cry. That night she woke up a BUNCH of times..and starting at about five o'clock she woke up about every 20 minutes. She was obviously still very tired, so I just kept giving her the paci and leaving. It was a rough night.

On Friday, Gerry and I decided that part of the problem with her sleeping is that we kept having to give her a paci rather than letting her soothe herself. At that point, Gerry and I decided to take away her pacifier for good to see if that helped her sleep. That night she went to bed at about 8:30 and didn't make a peep until 4 a.m.! At 4 I fed her and put her straight back to bed and she woke up again to eat at 7. She has pretty much kept that schedule since then and she is just doing GREAT in her bed! She hasn't had a pacifier since Friday morning and she hasn't missed it too much- although she is missing it at nap time.

I will say that the ONLY reason I haven't been a nervous wreck with her sleeping in her own room is the AWESOME monitor we got. We were all set to buy a video monitor, but at the store another mom pointed us in the direction of the AngelCare monitor. That monitor is very seriously the best investment we have made! The monitor tells us the temperature in her room and the BEST part is that there is a sensor that you put under the mattress and it senses their breathing. If the sensor doesn't sense breathing for twenty seconds, an alarm goes off. For anyone who is scared of SIDS- this is the best piece of mind you can possibly buy. This monitor is also the only reason I was able to let her sleep in her bassinet when she was first born.

Best. purchase. ever.

We are so lucky to have a 2 1/2 month old that sleeps so well in her crib! Catie Grace never stops amazing us at how perfect she is!