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Sleep is the name of this game

Our Addie has always been a fairly good sleeper. She started sleeping through the night like a champion at ten weeks. In talking to my girlfriends, I learned that we have been incredibly spoiled... until September when I was recovering from an appendectomy. I needed to increase my milk supply so we went back to feeding every two hours for about five days. My milk came back in so we then attempted to go back to our usual routine. Wrong. Ever since then, we have had trouble breaking Addie from enjoying a middle of the night meal. We've spoken with our pediatrician, read books and articles and sought advice from friends. Granted, she's not yet eight months old, but seeing as we know she can do it (because she did for about three months) we're working toward that goal. 

We are following the sleep-through-the-night recommendations: waiting a few minutes if she fusses before we go in to check on her, not offering her any nighttime feedings, not picking her up all the time and soothing her instead with a rub or verbal reassurance. I am always reiterating these points to my husband, as he tends to be the softy and wants to rush to her side at the first peep we hear. However, my husband is a pretty deep sleeper, so usually I am the one who deals with the late night wake up calls. 

Last night began no differently from any other. We followed our bedtime routine: read Goodnight Moon, said our prayers, then rocked it out (in the rocking chair, of course) to a little Bedtime with the Beatles. Addie was in a deep sleep after our usual two songs when I laid her down in her crib for the night. We enjoyed silence all through the remainder of the evening and went to bed around 11. 

I awoke around 12:30 AM to Addie's usual stirring sounds of rustling and mild fussing. I resolved myself to "follow the rules" and give her a few minutes to try and settle herself down. After just a few moments, she whipped out the big guns and began babbling, "ma ma ma ma ma." (hook) I know in my rational mind that she is not calling for me and doesn't know that I AM Ma Ma. But hearing those pretend words prompts an involuntary physical reaction... I get up and go to her. I peer into her crib and when she sees me she gives me a huge smile and kicks excitedly because ma ma ma ma is here so of course I pick her up. I rock her to sleep (just this once) and I place her gently back into her crib. I tiptoe back into bed and get comfy again only to hear the same fussing begin about ten minutes later. This time I don't want to wait as long because I don't want her to get worked up again so I rush in, pick her up and begin rocking her. She tilts her little head back from the crook of my elbow and begins gently sucking on my arm.  (line) She is ridiculously cute and MUST be hungry so I decide to give her a little snack. She nurses for a few minutes and falls into what seems to be a deep sleep so I once again gently place her in her crib. This time it takes about twenty minutes for the fussing to begin again. By now it is about 1:45 AM and I am starting to lose patience. I give her some time and after her fusses turn into a cry I go in for a third time. She is wide awake, smiling and kicking and when I pick her up--yes I picked her up again--she lays her head on my shoulder and gives me a little sigh. (sinker) I am beyond exhausted and it is quite obvious that Addie is not going back to sleep anytime soon. So, against ALL advice, I bring her back to  bed with us. We get in bed and NOW Daddy wakes up to ask what is going on. I explain the events of the last 90 minutes and he pulls Addie to him, they snuggle up together and they fall asleep. Ahhh, sweet slumber at last. Too bad I had to trade in my "World's Greatest Mom" t-shirt for one that says *SUCKER*.