My sister-in-law has a son who is six months younger than HellBoy. He's also already two pounds heavier (we get his hand-me-downs). He's a fat, blond, happy happy happy baby. Put the two of them next to each other, and HB looks like a worried gnome.Until now, our styles of baby raising had been fairly similar -- breastfeeding, some cosleeping, lots of carrying around. But the two babies' temperaments are very different -- I've never actually seen PerfectCousin cry, while on bad days HB uses screaming as his main means of communication.
But my SIL hasn't been getting much sleep, and last week she tried letting PC cry it out. As it often does, it worked within two days, and now he doesn't wake them up at night. I'm truly happy for them; I'm glad she is no longer so sleep-deprived.
But now SIL is proselytizing for the CIO method. She's calling us up every other day insisting that we have to do it too. "I just want you to get sleep too!" she says. I've told her that in fact I feel quite rested most days, and that the main person in our house who needs to have improved sleep habits is me -- I've always tended to wake up in the middle of the night and wander the house waiting to feel sleepy again. (Despite having been a CIO baby myself.)
I've never told anyone they shouldn't use CIO, and I don't think I project an aura of disapproval, either. I don't think it's evil. I just don't want to do it with HB. So why does everyone want to convert me? I'm starting to know how smokers feel.
Hey, no pressure from me. We still don't leave Ben to cry it out at bedtime, and he's five. That may sound like a nightmare, not just leaving the kid to fall asleep on his own, but you know what? He's happy and healthy and he gets enough sleep, and so do we.
ReplyDeleteI never did it, and never will. I just don't want to, and we are all happy. I though I would for sure with the second and third just cause of logistics, but we never needed too. I hate the peer pressure thing. Everyone is always asking when I am going to wean. It drives me crazy.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the weaning -- I'm getting a lot of that too. Funny, though, that one doesn't bother me, because I'm as curious as they are -- when WILL I wean? I haven't a clue. I'm surprised we're still at it, and I have no game plan. When I say that, it defuses the whole situation -- it usually stymies the person asking.
ReplyDeleteToday I was questioning my decision to start my bachelor degree (I live in Australia) and my premed subjects. I am now 21 with 4 years out of high school and your story has given me that boost that the years ahead can be worth it. A inspiring story.
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