The light at the end of the tunnel

Well, it's been a rather angst filled week, so I'm going to try to make things a little more cheery. You all know about my quest for sleep with the "crying out" method. Is it working? Well, I must be getting some sleep since I am writing this right?

Anyway, hard as it may be, the method did yield some results. By Day 6 ( Friday), Ally cried less ( 10- 15 mins) and slept through the night till the next morning.

So on Day 7 ( Sat), Mark and I switched to a more gentle method. Still keeping to her regular naps and early bedtime but going in to soothe her when she made a sound. The weekend was good. She woke up only two times in 11 hours and I nursed or patted her to sleep.

But yesterday, she started acting up again, waking up every 20 mins! After the fourth time, we decided we had to let her cry it out again.

And we realised she's really clever and is even manipulating us! She cried on and on. Mark, who was upstairs with her , said she had a different cry though. Not continuous wailing but a start stop style. She'd cry, then look around, straining to see if anyone was coming, then cry again. She's even mastered the art of sounding tragic!

I gave in after half an hour when I thought I heard her vomit. I rushed up and immediately she stopped crying. While before she used to be sobbing uncontrollably and shaking, she was pretty calm this time. And you know what, she looked at me and gave a smirk! When Daddy came up soon after, she smiled at him and waved and laughed, almost like saying, "I won, I won!"

She did indeed! What are we going to do with this "Abu Chuck"?!

I wouldn't go so far as to say she is "devious" but that she knows what is going on is clear enough.

I now think I have to be much firmer. I don't think it will hurt her to have some discipline. Five years down the road I will be faced with a toddler and a whole different set of problems. A firm hand and consistency is the only way to get the child behaving, even if it means some crying.

It's hard because I think Alison is like, just a baby! But when you're dealing with such a difficult sleeper, I think a firmer method is due . I am prepared to let her cry it out again should she demand my attention too often tonight again.

And if need be, I will sleep in another house and leave Daddy to enforce the sleeptime. Wish me luck!