how i got my baby to sleep through the night.

this post is for all of those moms that have babies that don't sleep through the night until they are over a year. (at least that is when my other children decided it was time to sleep through the night.) if i only knew then, what i know now, i would have been a little smarter about things.

my baby is now 8 months. (i know everyone says this but where did the time go... they grow SO fast) he hasn't slept through the night without being fed since he was born and i/he was starting to feel it. i NEEDED/HE needed some sleep. SO... here's what we did.

he had a night where he randomly slept through the night on his own. this made me realize that he indeed COULD sleep through the night. he didn't need to eat, i was feeding him enough during the day that he really shouldn't of needed anything at night. that and he started leaking out his diapers in the night because he REALLY was getting TOO MUCH. that was a sure sign for me.

so after we knew he could sleep, we let him cry for the next 2 nights. it was hard to listen to him. there's such an urge as a mother to go pick them up and console them. i never let him get too out of control though and when he did i rocked him.

the 3rd night came and i was able to use his soother to comfort him. he really didn't cry very much at all. he woke up 3-4 times a night for his soother for about a week. and then the night came when he slept the whole night... HEAVENLY! and he's been sleeping through the night ever since.

although there is something i miss about waking up with my baby, i think we are both happier during the day. and that makes me a better mother and him a better baby.

i'm not saying that this is the BEST way or the ONLY way to get your baby to sleep through the night. this is just what worked for us. and if it helps another family get some needed sleep, then this post was worth it!