Sleep Training

Graham had his four-month appointment with the pediatrician last week. She checked his weight (17 pds. 13 ounces), length (26 inches), and head circumference (big). He got his latest immunizations (always difficult to watch). And Dr. Owens answered our list of questions (patiently).

One of our questions resulted in a reply we hadn't anticipated. Graham has slept so well for so long that we wanted to see if it was okay to continue using a swaddler with him. Not only were we told it's time to lose the swaddler, Dr. Owens also recommended we begin Graham's sleep training.

What is sleep training? In overly simple terms it means letting the baby cry himself to sleep at night. Were it a game show they'd call it "Torture the Parents."

We started Graham's sleep training on Friday. It took him some 40 minutes of crying before he called it a night.

For reasons I don't completely understand, I watched the entire process from across the room, just beyond Graham's limited field of vision. I suppose I thought it would be comforting for me, and to a certain degree it was. In hindsight, it might also have been wise to trade whatever amount of comfort I experienced for a healthy level of distraction.

On Saturday, Graham was down to 25 minutes of crying.

On Sunday, it was even less.

And as I sit here writing this post, Graham's been on his own for several minutes and made only the occasional peep ...

*Dad runs in to the bedroom check on his beloved son.*

And he's asleep!

We're learning that parenting provides a mixed brew of emotions - sometimes conflicting, oftentimes complicated.  For all the sadness and neuroticism we've experienced while leaving our little boy alone to "cry it out," there are seemingly contradictory sensations of pride along with an unanticipated exuberance.

This is Graham's first step - fittingly, a baby step - toward independence.

We'd experience Graham's infancy in slow motion if it were possible. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. So instead we make up for the lost joy of cradling him to sleep at night with extra expressions of love each morning. And we take added joy in having him fall asleep in our arms during daytime naps.

There's nothing in sleep training about the daytime. I checked.

Our little champ at his latest weigh-in.

Graham tries to charm Dr. Owens with his smile.