We rock Bear to sleep every night, it's part of our routine.
If he wakes we try to pat him to sleep and if he is too upset we rock him to sleep again.
We put him down unswaddled on a Friday night (we figured we should try it while it was a weekend and we could nap if it was a big fat failure). He slept great from 7-10 at which point he woke up and was wide awake. I let him babble in his crib, and he would start to fuss. He would then escalate to a cry for about 30 seconds, then drift off for a minute and start babbling again. This cycle continued for about 20 minutes when he started crying without drifting off. At this point I went in his room, replaced his pacifier, put my hand on his tummy and said "It's night-night time. I love you". I then walked out of the room. He would blow raspberries, babble, yell and occasionally cry. I had to go in 3 times to pacify him. Everytime he would drift off he would wake up crying because he wasn't being rocked.
I have to let him fuss to realize he CAN push himself up on all fours, so I had to let him to fuss to realize he can fall asleep all by himself.
He then slept from 11-1, woke for a bottle and went right back to sleep. He then woke for the day at 7. The next night was even easier. He woke one time for a bottle at 4am and the rest of the night maybe cried for 30 seconds before putting himself to sleep.
Our sleep was going fantastic, until yesterday.
Bear decided to cut his first tooth. Last night he woke every 30 minutes, if this pattern continues tonight, he will be coming in our bed.
For me parenting a special needs child is give and take, ebb and flow. He gives me cues, I take them and try to give him direction. He exhibits a need and I give. I give him love and snuggles and he takes them and gives me a great big smile and laugh. Special needs along with an irritable child was extremely difficult.
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