Should I Be Sleep Training My Child? I’ve come to the point where I seriously think I need help – sleep help?

Do I?

That’s the question I have been asking myself so much these past few weeks. I keep telling myself that it will all end soon. Doesn’t it?

I never had to sleep train my older 4 children. My eldest 2 sons just slept through. I mean, they woke up early and that was fine, but they generally slept from 7 pm to 5 am. My 2 daughters slept well. They would feed, sleep until about 1 am, feed and sleep until 6 am.

I’m totally clueless at this point!

However, this last little guy is draining the life out of my husband and I! I’m always wondering if it is because I was rushed back to hospital 4 days after he was born or that we packed up our house and moved across the globe when he was just 4 weeks old? Or that we lived temporarily with family while we waited for our house. Maybe it was because we slept on a blow-up mattress until our container arrived with all our furniture?

He had a hectic first few months to his life right? Obviously, he’s not sleeping because his little life has been disrupted so many times. Or should I blame the fact that he didn’t have his own nursery from the start, so he slept with us…

Co-sleeping

That has to be it? Although I often co-slept with my other children and they made the transition to their beds with ease. I love the fact that they still crawl into bed with us at 5 am and we cuddle until morning. Well, that was until their creeping into our room now wakes their little brother!

What to do?

I have been scouring the internet for some kind of lifeline that will get my 14-month-old to sleep through the night. I’ve always had the opinion that little babies don’t need to sleep through and that’s fine. But, 14 months? I’m starting to feel like my head is going to explode.

I’ve dropped his 2 naps to 1 nap a day. He generally goes down between 9:45 or 10 am, sometimes earlier depending on what kind of night he has had. Sometimes he has that second nap if he needs it. I try to gauge his mood and see what he needs each day.

I do like routine, but I’m not hectically governed by it.

One thing is for sure though. I am shattered, moody and overwhelmed right now. Just telling it like it is!

And Now?

Well, I’ve decided to try out this sleep training thing. Let me just say that I in no way like hearing my child cry or believe in letting them scream for hours. I don’t judge any mom that has used that method… I just can’t!  So this is what I’ve done.

Night 1…

Let me just add, he is also teething, so the little man is miserable!!

5:00 – Dinner (Which he didn’t eat)

5:30  – Bath (He hated that tonight)

5:45 – Family chill time

6:00 – Bedtime routine

6:15 – Upstairs to his room, cuddles, and kisses (The screaming started)

6:30 – I put him down and walked out

6:35 – I walked back in, calmed him down and walked out

6:40 – REPEAT

6:45 – REPEAT (Starting to calm down)

6:50 – You guessed it – REPEAT

6:55 – Yup…

7:00 – It seems quiet and then a cry and then quiet.

I’m holding thumbs, toes, hoping and praying it stays quiet.

7:10 – still quiet *sigh*

7:15 – Now I feel guilty, maybe I should have just cuddled him to sleep, he’s only a little boy!!!

7:20 – What am I going to do when he wakes up in 2 hours. ???

Honestly, I have no clue what I am doing. What should I do? Maybe I am putting him down too early? My other kids go to sleep at 7 pm? Maybe being in my bed from 10 pm to morning isn’t that bad? Is it? Sleep deprivation is something that I should just get used to? I should enjoy every moment (even the bad ones) because they grow up so fast.

I just don’t know?

Advice, in a non-judgemental way, is welcomed!! Hell, right now, I’ll pay you for it!