Well Maybe A Few Words

I finally put my finger on exactly why I dislike the whole cry-it-out method. As all good things come to an end, we have not had an easy time with Maddie the last several nights. It has been difficult to get her to go to sleep, and last night she was up 6 times between 10:50 pm and 12:50 am. I don't even have the nursing to fall back on anymore when all else fails. Tonight, once again she screamed bloody murder when I laid her in her crib. I got her back up and let her play for another 30 minutes. She now actually starts crying when I turn down the hall that leads into her bedroom. I read her a book, rocked her some more, and tried again. You'd think someone was pinching her so wrenching were her cries. Two or three minutes later I went back in, laid her back down, covered her and made sure she had her blankie. She cried for six more minutes and then went to sleep. I know it ultimately worked. I know she is no longer a baby, and is old enough to be allowed to fuss. I know she was tired and there was nothing she needed. I also know I would not have let it go on for much longer had she not gone to sleep. What I figured out tonight (in following through on my 100th "attempt" at letting her cry it out) was that I don't like ending the day on this note. I like her to go to sleep tucked in, loved on, and feeling happy. I don't like her last thought of me before she falls asleep being "I'm calling to mommy and she isn't coming".