Sleep please!!!!!!!!!

Well the sleeping better didn't last! But did I really think it would be that easy? Surely not!!
In fact over the last week it steadily got worse with jack waking about 4 or 5 times during the night by thursday. Friday was a tough day as I was shattered and had to entertain Rachel and jack all day after James left for work. I did a terrible job as Rachel was whining and tired too but also suffusing from cabin fever as I didn't have any energy to take them out anywhere. I spent most of the day browsing the web desperate for solutions and even tried asking my friends on Facebook for answers but no long-lasting answers were given!
After another bad night on Friday I decided it was time to try the dreaded controlled crying. I know this method is quite controversial with people declaring that it damages the baby for life but I have to disagree as long as you are actually controlling it and not just letting them scream for hours on end. We used the method with rachel when she was about 6 months old and it worked brilliantly for her, within a matter of 3 nights we had the issues with her resolved - although if you have read all previous posts you will know it didn't last past 18 months......
As jack doesn't really cry anyway, it's more moaning and whinging I felt that Saturday would be a good day to start as rachel would be away so I wouldn't be stressed about waking her up it was just a matter of whether my resolve would wain after a few minutes listening to him cry. In the afternoon I took him up to mothercare and bought a music and light box which responds to any noise and then turns on to help them settle back down. Again Rachel had one of these and in fact she still uses hers.
I followed the normal bedtime routine but brought everything forward 15 minutes to ensure that he would be awake when I took him to bed. (sometimes he falls asleep having his milk downstairs and I have to try and wake him a little when I put him in to bed not that it really ever happens). So here's how it went
6.15 bath
6.30 downstairs, into pyjamas
6.40 6oz milk
6.50 deposited him in bed, kissed him turned on music and left.... Crying started soon after. Left him for 5 minutes then popped back in, patted and hushed him for 2 minutes then back downstairs. Got my tea ready and sat down to eat it. I was going to leave him for 10 minutes this time but just before I should have gone back up, he rolled to the side and went to sleep.
7.45 awake and crying again. This time he only cried for 10 minutes before settling back down.
9.45 awake and crying again but this time just for 5 minutes
10.30 stirred made a noise for less than a minute.
12.20 awake. He cried for about 15/20mins. I went in once to pat and hush him. Then he went quiet and just lay in his cot looking around and reaching out for things. After 10 more mins he went back to sleep.
5.45 properly awake and ready to get on with the day.

It was tough but not as bad as I thought it would be and although it broke my heart to listen when he did cry I didn't give in as I truly believe doing this will help all of us to sleep better, thus making all of us happier.

On Sunday morning he had his usual 20 mins in his bouncy chair around 9. But then he was pretty whiney and miserable until he finally dropped off again in my arms after 11... I felt sure that this would effect his afternoon nap so I only let him sleep for about 15 mins. He woke up in a much better mood, had his lunch, I had my lunch and then I took him upstairs at about 12.30. Again I popped him in his cot awake and he whinged on and off for 10 minutes before settling down. As Rachel wasn't coming back til a bit later I also dozed off... At 2.10 I woke up(!!) and then went to wake him up. He woke quite easily when I raised his blind and was in a fairly good mood this afternoon.
We followed the same bedtime routine as Saturday except he decided to poo whilst having his milk so I had to change him again mid feed!!he was still awake when I put him in to bed. For the first 5 minutes he just laid there playing, then he started to whinge a bit but not continuously and after 10 mins of this on and off he fell asleep. We are now at 10pm and so far he has stirred a couple of times without a peep and he just moaned for a few seconds which set the music off but he immediately rolled over and went off again....
I am not counting my chickens yet as there is still another 8 hours til he will want to properly get up so plenty of time for a meltdown but am cautiously pleased with progress so far tonight.....
Will update tomorrow.