Ferber

*********Updated at 7:30 pm**************

I've written in the past about how Ethan is such a horrible napper when he's here at home. This weekend I've decided to attempt what's known as the Ferber method during nap time. The way Ferber works is to lay baby down drowsy but not completely asleep. If they cry, you're not to go in and soothe until 5 minutes. After this time, you go in, calm baby without picking them up or talking too much, then leave the room. If they fuss again, you don't go in for 10 minutes. This process repeats for 30 minutes. If baby is not asleep after that time, nap time is over for awhile.

When Ethan was obviously tired, I swaddled him from the arm pits down (just like I always do), laid him in his crib, put the binky in his mouth, turned Mr. Seahorse on, then walked out. He did fuss and cry so after 5 minutes, I walked back in and repeated the process. It didn't take long for him to calm down again so I walked out. He got upset again so after 10 minutes I walked back in and repeated the calming routine. This time he was out like a light!!!! He's been asleep for a half hour so far. If he wakes up before getting at least an hour long nap, I'm supposed to repeat the process of letting him cry for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, etc...

I'm really hoping this helps him nap longer and wake up a happy baby. I'll keep you posted.

We've spent the day attempting to Ferberize our child...can't say it works for us. I wrote this initial post during what was his longest nap of the day. He woke up after 30 minutes but I was able to get him to fall back asleep for about another hour. I had no success after this. Around 3:00 we ended up with a 20 minute nap and Ethan just could not fall back asleep. He screamed and cried and after repeating the whole process for 30 minutes, he ended up awake and happy for just a little while.

Around 4:00 Ethan decided he just didn't have enough sleep during his last nap and wanted to go back to sleep. I did the whole Ferber routine but he never did fall asleep. After a half hour of screaming and crying, I got him out of his crib and attempted to rock him back to sleep. He was just too worked up though and couldn't sleep even though he desperately wanted to. I was so exhausted myself that around 5:00 Chris came in and took over trying to get Ethan to sleep. Nothing worked. Ethan just screamed and cried until around 5:45 where he FINALLY fell asleep and remains to this point. Luckily the time changes tonight so that's equivalent to a 6:45 bedtime...just about typical.

I don't know if I can get myself to the point where Ethan's crying won't bother me. Hearing your child scream his poor little head off for hours at a time all because he's tired is really tough to handle. Every instinct you possess calls for you to rush in and soothe your baby. I was fine hearing him cry for 5 minutes, maybe even 10 minutes once or twice, but repeatedly...I don't think I can do that. Maybe it's time to just suck up the fact that Ethan loves his catnaps...