sleep training...?

We have been struggling with Novak with sleep, on and off, since he was born.  Admittedly, we haven't been as consistent with his sleep schedule as we should have been, and we have not been nearly as consistent with bedtime routines as we were with both of the older boys.

Finally, it hit a head when we returned from our 2 night trip to Des Moines last weekend.  At the hotel the first night, Novak slept fitfully at best, waking every few hours.  I couldn't blame him, it was a strange room, a strange bed, and we had toted him around from car, to baseball game, to restaurant, and to the hotel, and he never had a real nap.  Sure, he slept in the car, but as you probably realize, sleeping in the car isn't the most restful sleep.

So, he ended up in my bed that first night.  It was much easier to lay with him next to me and nurse him whenever he woke up.

We pretty much put him through the same thing the next two days.  Monday at Adventureland = a few short naps in the stroller.  Tuesday morning at Blank Park Zoo = no morning nap.

By the time we got home Tuesday evening, I couldn't blame him for being off.

The next three nights were pretty awful.  Novak would scream in his room when we would put him to bed.  When trying to rock him he would fuss, thrash around, and generally just act out.  I knew he was tired.  Overly tired.  But I couldn't get him to fall asleep.  Each night we'd go in and out of his room until about 11 pm when he would finally crash.

On Thursday night I finally gave up.  Or stood my ground.  I'm not sure which.  I finally realized there was nothing I could do for him to help him fall asleep.  So I sat here at the computer for a half hour from 8:00-8:30 while he screamed from his crib.  It was a long half hour, let me tell you.

But, then he fell asleep.  On his own.  Of course, he woke again later, but it was much easier to get him back to sleep.

So this weekend we have been trying very hard to watch his signs and to put him to bed when we know he is tired.  Even before he is tired.  I really want to get him to a place where he can put himself to sleep, without having to be nursed or rocked until he is out.  What have we learned?  Wow, were we off on guessing his schedule!

Here is what he has done the past few days, approximately.

7:00 am - wake (happy!)
7:30 am - breakfast
8:15 am - get ready for morning nap, put him down in crib by 8:30.  He may cry some, but he'll stop after a few minutes and fall asleep by 9.
10:30 am - wake up (happy!)
11:30 am - lunch
12:30 pm - get ready for afternoon nap
2:00 pm - wake up (happy!)
5:00 pm - dinner
5:45 pm - get ready for bed
6:00 pm - go to bed.  Hardly any crying, he goes to sleep happy.

What you'll notice is that he is going to bed around 6 pm.  I think this is a temporarily early bedtime to reset his sleep schedule.  I hope it is a temporarily early bedtime to reset his schedule.  You see, when I work, I leave work at 5, pick up the boys around 5:15, and usually get home about 5:45.  Sometimes closer to 6.

I'm trying to figure out how I can feed him dinner, nurse him, and get him ready for bed - all while I'm driving him home...  Something is going to have to give here...