We went to dinner at a friend's house. He ate at our house before we went there, at 5 pm. I thought I could stretch him to 10 pm for his last feeding. As we were just leaving our friend's house to come home, GV was getting really fussy. I realized it was almost 9 pm, four hours after his last feeding, so technically he was due to eat again. We got him in the car seat and drove home. These friends live in our neighborhood, so we were home within a few minutes. He was quiet in the car and I thought we still had a chance of holding him off until 10 pm.
George wasn't gonna have it. When we got inside he started crying again and we knew it was his HUNGRY cry. It was only 9 pm, but we decided to take him upstairs, feed him, and put him to bed. He desperately ate. Clearly it was the right call - he needed to eat. Before 10 pm he was asleep in his crib.
Jeff and I stayed up for a little while, reading, watching TV, etc. At 11 pm, I was in bed. I have no idea what time Jeff came to bed cause I was zonked asleep. ;) Around 3:15 am we heard GV making his first peeps. It was our intention . . . in an effort to try to get him sleeping through the night . . . to let GV cry for 30 - 45 mins. We read that he just might be waking up out of habit at this point and that he SHOULD be able to sleep through the night - for about nine hours or so. Well, this was the first time we had attempted this. It's REALLY hard listening to your kid cry like that.
Around 3:45 we could tell he was really working himself up. We knew if we let it go too far he would be inconsolable. Soooooo . . . I went into his room and gave him a pacifier. We don't use pacifiers at bedtime - only at naptime - so this was a tough call. BUT, we knew it would soothe him. So, I popped in the paci and rubbed his chest. I didn't get him up though. He happily took the paci, but I could see the next steps coming. I rubbed his chest firm at first and then softer and softer. I used my whole hand, then lightened up, then went to fingertips, then just one finger, and then nothing and quietly backed out of the room. He was quiet for a little while and then the paci came out. Repeat. Paci in, rubbing chest, back out of room, paci out, crying, paci in, rubbing chest, leave room, paci out, repeat, repeat. It was "working" though. He was content as long as the paci was in there.
George lets you know when he's hungry and this wasn't hunger. The paci was doing the trick (if he'd only leave it in). When he's hungry the paci will NOT do and he'll make that clear. After several repeats of the paci cycle, Jeff put the paci in at 4:45 am and we said that we'd feed him at 5 am if it fell out again. In between all these sessions Jeff and I were dozing off ourselves. It wasn't sound sleep, but it was something. We were taking turns getting the paci back into place. Well, after that 4:45 insertion, we were both dozing again. We heard GV cry and I rolled over to look at the monitor on my bedside table and WOA!! The clock read 6:15 am!! SCORE!!
So, GV ate at 9 am and then again at 6:30 am. Yes, that's 9.5 hours ladies and gentlemen!! I am one happy momma this morning. Jeff went back to bed and GV and I stayed up and smooched. He's already exhausted and now in his swing napping again.
Oh what a night!!
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