I am hesitant to write this and perhaps "jinx" us, but Emily has slept through the night the past two nights! Paul is working with a physician who specializes in behavior and development in pediatric patients. Paul asked the doctor how we could get Emily to sleep through the night (even after the transition to formula at 4 months she was still getting up at 3am and taking a bottle, and sometimes more often). Now, don't get me wrong-- getting up once was a certain improvement over the 2-3 times per night while we were still nursing, but she is almost 5 months old and had never slept longer than 5 hours in a row.
The physician suggested that we begin to cut back her 3a bottle-- from 5 oz to 4, then 3, then 2, and then stop it all together. He said we could give her her paci if she woke up but not to hold her, rock her, or give her the bottle. I started the cutting back earlier this week and Friday night we attempted to go without the 3a feeding. I gave her her last bottle at 11p like I always do (she sleeps through this feeding but takes it all the same) and expected her to be up at 3. She woke me up at 5am and I was SURE she wouldn't go back down without a meal, especially since she was already overdue. I gave her the paci and went back to bed. I could hear her in there, "talking" and doing another new trick-- she lifts her legs up in the air and SLAMS them onto the bed, making this great thump sound of which she is SOOO proud. She didn't get me up again, though, and I woke up at 7:30 to Paul putting her in the bed with us. He had awakened at 7 and rushed to make her a bottle before she woke up and figured out that she was the hungriest she's ever been.
Last night, I nervously drifted off to sleep after feeding her at 11. Imagine my complete shock and amazement when Paul nudged me and asked how she'd done during the night (he never hears her). One glance around the room, noticing the sunlight pouring in, told me she'd slept much longer this time. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the clock read 7am!
I feel terrific today- this is the first time I've slept for 8 hours uninterrupted since long before she was born (she put so much pressure on my bladder that I was up at least twice every night from about 30 weeks on). I only hope our luck continues and this sleeping through the night becomes a normal routine.
We leave this coming Friday (3/15) to drive to NC and house hunt. We are so excited to find our new home and to visit Bill and Belinda in Charleston, SC as well. I'll be sure to post pics once we're under contract.
