Awake

in All Posts

Goooood morning!

photo

I don’t want to jinx ourselves, but I think we finally found a sleep training technique that works – neither of us have had to go into Henry’s room at night for two nights in a row…. the only two times that has happened in his entire life.  I’ll do a post about what we’re doing in a week or so (I want to make sure this isn’t the most amazingwonderfulepic fluke in the entire world), but for now – let me just say it’s absolute bliss.

 

We’re sleeping champs!

IMG_3109

Breakfast for champions.

IMG_3111

French toast smothered in the inside bits of pumpkin pie (yes really) and topped with banana and dried cranberries.

IMG_3113

Don’t worry… the crust didn’t go to waste. Winking smile

{ 45 comments }

 

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) November 29, 2012, 9:49 am

    Yay sleep! Looks like you all started today on the right foot! I hope you have a great one!

  • Courtney November 29, 2012, 9:56 am

    Leftover pumpkin pie is good on everything! Too bad our leftovers didn’t last much past the day after Thanksgiving 🙂

  • lisa fine November 29, 2012, 9:57 am

    Yum yum yum. I love finding different ways to incorporate leftovers (especially sweets!) into breakfast.

    My parents gave me a bunch of leftover Halloween candy this past weekend, and for the last two mornings I’ve put crumbled up chocolate into my oatmeal. A little extra sugar, yes, but super tasty!

  • Kayla @ The Best Things November 29, 2012, 10:11 am

    Now I must have french toast for breakfast.

  • Sarah November 29, 2012, 10:13 am

    Nothing wrong with a little pumpkin pie with breakfast! I’ve been enjoying a little coconut milk ice cream on my oats lately:-).

  • Whitney November 29, 2012, 10:39 am

    I love how the pup finds the only sunny spot in the room and fits perfectly! 🙂

  • Reenie November 29, 2012, 10:45 am

    I just love Henry’s nursery. I would hang out in there. Cute pic of him…. and Maggie.

    Yea for sleep!! Goooo Henry.

    =)

  • Reenie November 29, 2012, 10:47 am

    Where do all the critters sleep now since you have Pippa? Does Pip and James cuddle? 🙂

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 10:54 am

      ha no! pippa sleeps anywhere in the house 🙂 except our room.

  • Claire November 29, 2012, 10:47 am

    Pumpkin pie filling on french toast sounds incredibly decadent and delicious! I’ve been eating baked oatmeal made with leftover pumpkin (not pie, sadly) and pomegranate seeds, but you have me beat! 🙂

    I’m glad you gotten two good night’s sleep! You don’t mean a full 10-12 hours, though, right? At that age sleeping through the night means a 5 hour stretch of sleep, I think most of the experts agree that most babies aren’t physically ready for full night weaning until 6-8 months. Of course all babies vary. My little girl (11 months) still nurses 2-6 times a night, but I love co-sleeping with her and nursing her at night, as I work during the day, it’s a wonderful way to bond. I can’t imagine getting a full night’s sleep only 5 months in! That’s just the beginning! 😀

    • Jess November 29, 2012, 12:58 pm

      I was wondering the same thing. STTN is 5 hours at this age. Most pediatricians and lactation consultants don’t recommend night weaning completely (more than 5 hours) until at minimum of 6 months old, most LC closer to a year. I’ve always found Kellymom to be a really helpful website when it comes to things like sleep and night weaning.

      • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 2:34 pm

        Also, I like Kellymom for many things, but one day I realized that it is very slanted towards Attachment Parenting philosophy (which I do not generally follow; just not for me). Nothing wrong with that, and the articles are very well-written, but there are many ways to parent and feed beyond the AP style. There are loads of educated pediatricians that say night weaning at Henry’s age and weight is fine.

        • Mandy November 29, 2012, 3:06 pm

          It is slanted this way, but also I like it because it lets me know that nursing my baby to sleep is NOT A BAD THING. And every single parenting book and pediatrician who has written a book tells me why I need not do it. NOTHING else works so well – and yes he is in a crib in his own room, not co-sleeping. Why have a whole family in tears from frustration if this simple method makes everything much easier. I have a son who is very hard to calm after a busy couple hoursd/day and sometimes will not settle for a nap or be without it. Yes, sometimes I do not like it. I feel like a failure that I can’t soothe my baby any other way. I do feel like a human pacifier, but then Kellymom reminds me that I am not and that this is completely normal for some babies. Nothing else works and I simply cannot deal with extended periods of crying. Some moms can totally do it, but I end up an emotional mess and in more tears than my baby! 🙂 I keep hoping that I have put in my DUES for non-sleeping, hard-to-settle baby and will get a sleeper on the next one. Haha.

          • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 3:12 pm

            I think the MOST IMPORTANT THING is a well-rested family, and whatever you have to do to get to that point is fine. You know?

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 2:13 pm

      Dunno, Henry seems fine with it. I think all babies really are different. I have many friends who’s babies STTN and don’t wake up for night feeding.

      More power to you for nursing six times a night. You are amazing!

      • Stephanie December 1, 2012, 8:59 pm

        Im confused. My baby girl is now 11 months and we formula feed so maybe that is different but she started really sleeping through the night around 3 months or so and that started as 8 hours and worked up until 12. My pediatrician said not to wake her anymore to feed.

    • Mandy November 29, 2012, 2:56 pm

      ALL babies are different! Some sleep through, and some do not. Period. At least that’s what I tell myself 🙂 My 6.5 mo old son nurses almost to sleep between 7-8 each night, then I place him in his crib and he rolls over and goes to sleep, or he cries out for about 30 seconds to a minute and is out. And if he doesn’t, I just keep nursing until the put down drowsy works. This has helped immensely with the middle of the night feedings. Now I can just put him back in his crib and he goes right back to sleep, no fuss. Thank GOODNESS! But it was HELL getting there, to be completely honest, but worth it.

      Just in the last couple of days/weeks he has been going longer stretches without waking me for a feed. And I do think it’s because he finally learned to fall asleep inside his CRIB. Last night, he woke 45 minutes or so after put down for the night, so I fed him again. He slept from 9-3! 6 hours. Mama was in 5 hour sleep heaven. Wish me luck for more of it 🙂 If I only had to wake at 3 for a feeding that would be amazing. But I will be trying to night wean with just giving a little less time at the breast for one night feed at a time, and see how it goes now that he is used to sleeping in his crib.

      Good for you Caitlin that Henry is responding and is ready to begin sleeping through (at least for now)! Fingers crossed, huh?! I hear things change quickly when they learn to pull themselves up to standing. Hopefully with good sleep habits established and no sleep deprivation, it won’t be bad at all.

      • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 3:05 pm

        Ha I know – I’m like, the moment a tooth comes in or he learns to stand, this will probably all fall apart.

        • Marissa C November 29, 2012, 4:22 pm

          It will, but as long as you recognize that there is a reason for it falling apart and are willing to be flexible, you will get through it.

          The challenges of parenting never go away, they are just replaced by new ones. But the same can be said for the joys 🙂

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats November 29, 2012, 11:02 am

    Oooo that French toast does look good, and congrats on getting more sleep!!! I can’t even imagine…

  • Sarah@KidsHeartRealFood November 29, 2012, 11:05 am

    WHOOT WHOOT! I am excited to hear about your little secret. One thing I’ve learned through having a baby is that every baby is different and that you have to find your own “secret” for most areas of parenting. I kept stressing that Tyson was not taking to any sort of sleep training but we just recently found our groove and I think it was because it was unique to his needs and we did it when he was ready.

    Oh, and the pumpkin pie breakfast looks delish 🙂

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 2:37 pm

      Agree totally!!!

  • Devonshire November 29, 2012, 11:34 am

    Hey Caitlin! So not so much about this particular blog post but, i just wanted to say thanks for brightening my day! Im trying to get my homework done (put off to the last minute as usual) and i was looking for podcasts on spartan races. I found a station called The Fitness Buff Show and saw your name in one of the podcast titles! So i had to listen to it while i was working. The part of the interview the hit me the most was when you were talking about the ‘bathroom scene’ after chemistry class. I’m totally in that place right now, i don’t know how many times today (and it’s only noon) that i’ve said how stupid i am and how i’m going to fail my test tomorrow. Listening to you talk about the same thing was nice. Like you said, just because i put off my homework doesn’t make me a bad person, it just means i need to work on my time management skills. I’m not stupid, i just need to spend more time studying.

    ::sigh of relief::

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 11:43 am

      🙂 loves you! You are wonderful 🙂

  • Allison November 29, 2012, 11:43 am

    I love the picture of Maggie – they always find the sunny spot!

  • Sarah @ Yogi in Action November 29, 2012, 11:47 am

    Yay sleeping through the night! It’s amazing how being a parent makes you appreciate things you took for granted before. I don’t have kids- but I’m going to try and appreciate the little things while I still can.

    And, as per usual, your breakfast looks amazing!

  • natalie @ will jog for food November 29, 2012, 12:11 pm

    I love the nursery!

  • Carlee November 29, 2012, 12:17 pm

    Ahhh, dying to know your secret, we’re struggling this week 🙂

  • Laura @ She Eats Well November 29, 2012, 12:33 pm

    I love the picture of Henry just chillin’ in his nursery. Those little feet. So cute.

  • Stephanie @ Food and Fitness 4 Real November 29, 2012, 12:40 pm

    Yay for sleep training success!!! Hope what you are doing continues to work so you can get some sleep mama.
    As for Thankgiving leftovers, I put a big scoop of leftover sweet potato crunch in my smoothie on Sunday night before bed. It was UH-MAZE-ING!

  • Carolina John November 29, 2012, 12:51 pm

    that sounds wonderful! Getting the sleep down is a glorious day. Next thing you know he’ll be out of diapers.

  • Hannah November 29, 2012, 1:02 pm

    Please share sleep tips ASAP 🙂 🙂

  • Beks November 29, 2012, 1:02 pm

    I love how Henry’s room is decorated. So cute!

  • Allison November 29, 2012, 1:10 pm

    Yay for sleeping through the night!!! I’m so waiting on the reveal…. maybe we can implement it in my house too 🙂

  • Katie B November 29, 2012, 2:26 pm

    I remember you wondering what the inside of Amazon looked like. I found this on Reddit’s front page today. Just as chaotic as you would expect.

    http://imgur.com/a/q1WIO

  • Katie November 29, 2012, 2:57 pm

    Ah, dying to know the sleep training secret! We’re still waking up twice a night for 2.5 – 3.5 oz feedings, I’m afraid to give him his normal 6 oz feeding at both times, he’s already 20 lbs at 6 months! Definietly a healthy eater.

  • bekah November 29, 2012, 3:05 pm

    Don’t leave a girl hanging on sleep tips!! That’s like a newscaster saying, “Something in your kitchen is deadly, details tomorrow at 11.” Ahh, please share…

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 3:11 pm

      i’ll shoot you an email 🙂

      • bekah November 29, 2012, 6:16 pm

        Yay!

      • Irene November 30, 2012, 6:12 pm

        PLEASE e-mail me too! I’m desperate!

    • Mandy November 29, 2012, 4:04 pm

      Funny.

  • Taylor November 29, 2012, 4:26 pm

    I haven’t read blogs in over a year, and I come back and you have a baby!!! Congrats 🙂 (very belated)

    • Caitlin November 29, 2012, 5:50 pm

      Hi Taylor!!

  • deb November 29, 2012, 5:58 pm

    What is this sleeping through the night magic you speak of? We’ve hit a super rough patch at 8 months and would love some advice!!

  • emma December 1, 2012, 8:49 am

    yay!! i’ll be checking back in to see what technique you use! we’re still in the 3 feeds a night phase! Zzzzzzzz!

Healthy Tipping Point