ARD for At-Risk Sleeper.

All involved, thank you for gathering together to discuss the area in which Corbin McCoy is in need of assistance.  I think you all know which area is this.  Night-time sleep.  He currently is performing at a level at-risk of failing.  However, I do believe with a little extra help we can get him to a level acceptable for promotion to the next grade.  Mom, would you mind telling us a little bit about the latest progress going on at home?

...

Sleep isn't something that happens that well around here lately.  Everyday I'm taught again and again that my boys are different people.

With Carter I just did what my sleep book said to do and it worked.  So I did it religiously.  It's easier for me to enjoy the days when I've had rest.

With Corbin, well, I think it's a combo of a busy lifestyle and that he's a different child, but he really needs mama time at night.  We've had a few random CIO sessions lately just because I've been at my wit's end.  But I don't really see them helping.

He would be a co-sleeper for life I we could....I learned this last night.

I had this idea that he might sleep better in his own room.  He's almost 8  months.  We've been putting it off because some nights it's still like 5 feeding.  That will really wake you up going to another room.  But I thought maybe our tossing and turning were waking him and reminding him he can have milk.  Who knows, right?

So we made the move.  Ugh.  It was sad.  I'm not kidding.  I'm so bad with transitions (for my children)  hence the reason I just nursed Carter for 21 months.  I hate phasing them into things...I'd rather them do it them selves.  But Corbin wasn't moving into his room on his own any time soon.

So it happened.

With Carter this was the first night he slept through the night.  With Corbin this was the first night I learned he really just wants to be near me at night.  (So different, see???)  Ugh.  So sad.

But I also learned that in addition to holding and bouncing him he will lay so still for a back rub!! Total VanSickle move!!!  My mom rubbed our backs until we moved out.  No lie. The second I put my hand on his back he calms down and lays so still.  It's the sweetest thing.  I loved hearing his sweet breath calm down.  Gosh I love him!!!  So I'd calm him down then sneak off and sit in the chair and wait a while.  He'd get pretty upset.  Then I'd rub his back again.  Around 12:30 I went to bed to wait it out 15 minutes.

Then back to his room and one last back rub.  I was prepared to do this as long as necessary.  Then I don't know who fell asleep first....but we woke at 5 for a feeding.

I know many people don't believe in feeding them at night this long.  We have bigger issues to work on at the moment.  And from my own research, I really don't disagree with feeding them at night for longterm breastfeeders.

So needless to say, it was a traumatic night for Corbin and Mommy.  Let's hope we're on the uphill.

Side note:  While most would classify him as At-Risk (of failing his degree of babyhood), I'd disagree.  He's got straight A's in every other area.  He just needs extra support in the area of Sleep.  ;)

And when you smell delicious, feel delicious and look....

delicious, you are worth anything!  Love you Corbin-pye.  Yes, that is what we call him.  He looks like Pop-pye!!  Ha ha!

......

Thank you for that information.  Just so you are aware, while he IS performing wonderfully in all other areas, the general population will grade him on this subject alone.  So while he most likely will move on successfully to the next level he will still be classified as a "bad baby" or "failing" to the rest of the world.

Womp. Womp.