Sleep Training Flashbacks
During sleep training, it was difficult. I think emotionally, it was harder for me the third time around because I was much more involved with my 1 year old son L. I wasn’t working or was off of work for the majority of his first year, so I wanted to take more of the effort vs. my wife because she had already raised our two other kids since I was working way too much (and she was she honestly). She was so tired all the time that I felt like since I was around more, it was time to return the favor as best as I could. Plus I wanted to spend more time with L while I had the time.
There were two flashbacks of sleep training that I remember vividly where I felt really sad for L. The first time was where after the attempted nap on Day 1, my wife anxiously ran into the room when it was time to grab him and he was clutching her so hard. He was so sad and frightened that it made me question whether I was doing the right thing and I’m the right way (even though we did this for our other kids).
Emotionally it was hard and that same night, L was so afraid of me during the evening that he didn’t want my wife to leave the room. We weren’t even going to sleep yet, but it made me sad that he didn’t want anything to do with me because he associated that fearful event with me. I know he didn’t want to be alone and it broke my heart to have to do that to him while sleep training. I talked to my wife about it at night during Day 1 and I wanted to be the one to grab L after his nap so he knew I’d come back. Things eventually settled out and he was comfortable with me after a few days because he knew I would come back to get him.
The other flashback that I remember was that one night, L was so tired at night when we were starting sleep training. We were in the playroom hanging out and it wasn’t quite time for him to go to sleep for the night. I was trying to keep him awake by playing with him. Usually he would be having a blast with me, but since he was so tired, he wanted to fall asleep right there after a while. He leaned back and tumbled over. Thankfully we have carpet in the playroom and he really cushioned the blow because his head went thud on the carpet. The Daniel Tiger trolly toy that was in the bag on the other side of the room went off because of the thud and started chattering. I quickly picked L up, who was fine (thanks to the carpet!) and made sure he didn’t cry. He was so knocked out that I had to wake him up so he could go read with me to go to sleep. Poor little guy.
After a month of sleep training, again, it all ended up well and now my wife or I could put L to sleep. He knows the routine and what he needs to do in the crib. His naps are in large chunks (even at daycare) and we are hitting a good rhythm. I’m so glad we are past those points and bumps along the road during sleep training. Most importantly, L is getting rest and that is the best thing to know as a parent!
