Bethany sorry to hear about Owen's sleeping problems. I know how hard it is- I struggled those first few months when Will had his schedule switched and slept all day and up all night. it was killer. I think being a bigger baby helps Will sleep better maybe now too. He is teething and it is waking him up. we have tried to get a routine going and then let him cry it out some and it has worked. i rock him and feed him his last bottle at 7:30 or 8pm. sometimes he falls asleep in my arms, but i usually try and put him down awake so he can learn to put himself to sleep. I'll let him cry it out if he cries for 15 minutes or so. If it is more than 15-20 minutes, then i go get him. But now he doesn't cry much at all if ever. that first time of crying it out was NOT easy......it was like that Mad About You episode.
And usually he stops crying after a bit and then plays or passes out. Same goes for middle of the night- we stopped offering him a bottle months ago. Instead, if he is crying, i wait and see if he goes back to sleep on his own- and usually he does within 10 minutes. I noticed that he was starting to 'train' me to come up there, when in all honesty he was fine and wasn't hungry. If longer than 10 mins, i go up there and pat his back and turn on his music. I try not to get him out of the crib, I know he will expect that every time if i do. And i don't want him waking up every night expecting me to hold him or feed him.
It was hard to do, but now he does great and puts himself back to sleep, no bottle, no holding. Last night, he woke up at like 3am, which is rare, he usually sleeps striaght through from 8pm-7am every night. so i watched him on the video monitor and he cried for 5 minutes, then stopped and just played and rolled around. then he found the rainforest music thing and hit the button and it started playing and he curled up fetal position (he sleeps on his tummy since he learned to roll over) and passed out. it was like he knew the music would come on and he went right to sleep. it was too funny that he has the music thing figured out and he passed out immediately when it came on.
I'll hope things get better with Owen, I count my blessings everyday that he sleeps so well right now. I knonw that doesn't always happen and we just lucked out for some reason. hang in there and i hope it gets better for you guys- you are still nursing right? if so, how long do you ladies plan to nurse?!!!!!!
i have a friend with twin 2 month old girls who is nursing and plans to for a year!! what a trooper!